Royal holiday intrigue in Gravensteen castle
Ghent’s holiday castle, BPO’s Christmas concert and Studio Brussel’s party in the countryside top our cultural picks this week
Winter Wonder
The entire interior is transformed into Christmas of 1183, as the count of the castle receives the English king Henry II and his family. Some of them, however, aren’t getting along, with the tense story being told in holographic light displays on the inner walls. Successive rooms introduce new scenes, and it all climaxes in the cellar. A unique holiday attraction for the whole family. The castle is also home this month to a storytelling festival and late morning concerts. Winter Wonder 16 December to 7 January, Storytelling 26-30 December, concerts 26-29 December
Miracle of Lights
The Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual Christmas concert is an expat highlight of the holiday season. The orchestra is famously made up of volunteer musicians from both the local and expat community. It acts as a training ground for young musicians but is also open to non-professionals looking to play with an orchestra. It’s concerts are no less professional for all that, and this one – dedicated to “the beauty of life” – features works by Irving Berlin, Tchaikovsky and Gershwin, among others. Solo pianist is Vincent Gullo, also a composer, and David Navarro Turres conducts. 16 December 20.00, Brussels Royal Conservatory, Regentschapsstraat 30
De Warmste Week
Studio Brussel’s annual Music for Life fundraiser culminates with De Warmste Week, which is massively popular, with huge numbers of people buying little golden pins in the shape of a flame, donating money to request a song and dancing in the chill night air outside the “glass house” in the Puyenbroeck domain in East Flanders. There you’ll find concerts and three Studio Brussel DJs in a transparent studio, spinning your requests. They spend the entire week there, famously getting little sleep as they broadcast live. People can organise their own fundraisers as part of the event, or you can simply choose one from a long list on the Warmste Week website. 18-24 December
About the author
Lisa Bradshaw is the editor-in-chief of Flanders Today. She worked as an editor and journalist in her homeland, the United States, before moving to the awesome city of Ghent in 2004. If she’s not in the office, she’s probably at a film festival.
