What's on this week: 31 May

Artists have taken inspiration from the animal world since their earliest days of cave painting. Beauty of the Beast charts the changing representation of animals in Flemish art across the most recent half-millennium. The exhibition pairs selected works from the permanent collection of Antwerp’s Royal Museum of Fine Arts with their contemporary counterparts. Paintings and sculptures from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries are confronted by mixed media, installation and performance art from the 20th and 21st centuries. Golden age painters like Frans Snijders and Paul de Vos rub shoulders here with the likes of Wim Delvoye and Koen Vanmechelen. Until 15 October, Ursel Castle, Knesselare

Antwerp’s Zonzo Compagnie has been introducing young audiences to experimental music for years. Its original multimedia production Slumberland won a Music Theatre NOW prize on its premiere in 2015. Now the film-concert experience returns to the stage to delight youngsters aged six and up. An exploration of the weird and wonderful world of dreams, Slumberland features film elements by Flemish director Nathalie Teirlinck and a powerful musical score composed and performed live by Flemish pianist An Pierlé and Dutch multi-instrumentalist Fulco Ottervanger. The music has proven so compelling that it was recently released as a stand-alone CD by Zonzo’s own imprint Zonzo Records. 4-10 June, Hetpaleis, Antwerp and Vooruit, Ghent

Every year the Queen Elisabeth Competition showcases a new class of young musicians from around the world. Today’s laureates are destined to become the headliners of tomorrow’s classical music scene. Each edition is devoted to a different instrument. This year is all about the cello. Although the public final rounds and closing concert are already sold out, there remain tickets to a handful of laureates’ recitals (7-9 June) and a laureates’ concert (13 June). There are also a slew of tour dates across Flanders until the end of June. 7-13 June, Flagey and Bozar, Brussels

Amanda Palmer: The American singer-songwriter from the Boston musical duo The Dresden Dolls performs together with Edward Ka-Spel, founding member of The Legendary Pink Dots. 9 June 19.30, Trix, Noordersingel 28-30, Antwerp 

Concertini: Musicians from De Munt Symphony Orchestra perform in small ensembles, allowing for close, congenial contact with the music and the performers. 2, 9 & 16 June 12.30, KVS, Arduinkaai 7, Brussels

Chinese National Circus: Some of the world's best acrobats present their latest show, The Grand Hong Kong Hotel, filled with Asian poetry, humour and amazing physical stunts. 3 June 20.00, Concertgebouw, Het Zand 34, Bruges

Verlust der Mitte: Exhibition featuring art from Smak’s permanent collection, including works by Cobra artists, members of the Young Belgian Painting group and the museum's three key artists, Joseph Beuys, Marcel Broodthaers and Panamarenko. Until 27 August, SMAK, Jan Hoetplein 1, Ghent 

Suzanne Vega: A couple of hours before her concert at Ancienne Belgique, the American singer-songwriter and guitarist talks about the life and work of her literary idol, cult writer Carson McCullers, and her own creative process (in English). 12 June 18.00, Passa Porta, Brussels

Meetjesland Cafédag: Local cafes come together at Eeklo’s oldest farm for a day of fun for all ages, featuring an aperitif concert, folk games, bread-baking demonstration and live music. 5 June 11.00-18.00, Huysmanhoeve, Bus 1, Eeklo