FEDORA - La Monnaie/De Munt Visibility Campaign 2023

Cassandra Festival © La Monnaie/De Munt i

La Monnaie/De Munt Visibility Campaign 2023

Details

17 September 2023

Brussels / Belgium

Platform Members, Roadshow

Cassandra Festival

As a start to the new season, La Monnaie/De Munt held a festival from 17 to 26 September 2023 around its new operatic creation: Cassandra, by Bernard Foccroulle and Matthew Jocelyn.

Cassandra tells the story of a woman, Sandra, who divides her time between her research into the melting ice caps and stand-up comedy. Concerned about her recent discoveries about the impact of human activity on the environment, she wants to use humour to raise awareness. But people around her are sceptical, as is her own family. Just as Cassandra predicted the fall of Troy without being heard, Sandra predicts the imminent approach of a terrible tragedy, but no one seems to be listening.

How can you convince others when they refuse to hear you? Why do some people ignore a future that is right before their eyes? For their first opera, Belgian composer Bernard Foccroulle and librettist Matthew Jocelyn have chosen a highly topical theme: environmental activism in the face of social inertia.

The Cassandra Festival - Raising voices revolves around this theme and gives a voice to the Cassandras of today, fighting for a society that should not only listen but also act. Whether it is on the streets of Brussels or inside the opera house La Monnaie/De Munt, the festival attracted many visitors between concerts, themed opera tours, dance and drawing workshops, readings, performances and debate evenings.

Discover more about the festival below.