Pieter Bergé & students / instructors from LUCA - Lemmens

Dmitri Shostakovich plays a leading role in this year’s Festival 20·21, so it’s only logical that the festival essay would be devoted to him. The essay is about his completely unknown but highly intriguing work Anti-formalist Rajok (‘Little anti-formalist paradise’), sometimes also called ‘The peep show’. In it the composer settles the score with the Soviets’ oppressive cultural policy, but he did so in secrecy. Using a collage of musical and textual quotes, he exposes the mighty Stalin and his comrades – full of humour but oh, so bitter.

Pieter Bergé will unravel this remarkable composition for you, assisted by students in the Music and Drama departments of LUCA. As a closer, the entire cantata will be performed: Shostakovich as you’ve never heard him before, but as you’ll always remember him

CONCERT in cooperation with students and instructors from the Luca School of Arts - Leuven Music and Drama department