The 30th edition of Nuits Botanique, to be held from 23 April to 12 May, will allow the public to discover 120 Belgian and international artists. The cultural event will also feature multiple album releases from bands in 'Release Party', as well as eight original creations and many special projects, organisers announced on Tuesday.
The festival will focus on Belgian artists and will offer an eclectic line-up with names such as Rori, the Brussels duo Rive, who will be defending their new album entitled “Collision”, and Liege-based Dan San, Julien Granel and Mustii. Artists from the flat country will also be honoured during 17 “release parties” where they will unveil their new albums.
As usual, the Nights will be synonymous with creation. In total, spectators will be able to discover eight creations initiated specifically by and for the event, some of which will be extended to other festivals.
Songs from the dead
Catherine Graindorge, a violinist and composer from Brussels, will unveil ‘Songs from the Dead’, a dreamlike project created in collaboration with Simon Huw Jones (And Also the Trees), Pascal Humbert (16Horsepower, Lilium) and Simon Ho, on 23 April at Bozar.
Fans of electronic music and syncopated rhythms will be thrilled on 29 April with Spanish DJ Clara! on a set mixing rap and reggaeton in the heart of the Botanique rotunda. The next day, David Numwani will present a project revisiting his old and new tracks, with a focus on vocals.
Neptunian duo Maximalism will present a psychedelic creation on 7 May, fusing free music and Indian sounds.
Music lovers are also invited to discover three unpublished concertos by Apolline Jesupret (violin), Jean-Paul Dessy (cello), Jean-Luc Fafchamps (piano) and Bruno Letort (theme and variations on 'La solassitude' by Stromae). These works will be performed by the Musiques Nouvelles ensemble and soloists Maya Levy (violin), Marie Hallynck (cello), Stephane Ginsburgh (piano).
Ten special projects
In addition, ten special projects will transport the audience to other emblematic venues in the capital.
In Bozar, the Belgian-Lithuanian trio Merope will invite the Jauna Muzika choir from Vilnius for the world premiere of their new album Salos on 23 April.
Sarah Davachi will offer a minimalist and modern reinterpretation of early music concepts on 25 April at the Dominican Church.
Finally, the prestigious Notre-Dame de Laeken church will host November Ultra, the female revelation of the Victoires de la Musique, on 5 May.
Classical music on 10 May
Lovers of classical and contemporary music will be able to (re)discover the works of composers such as Béla Bartók, György Ligeti, Erwin Schulhoff and Sergei Prokofiev performed by pianist Stéphane Ginsburgh on 10 May.
Another keyboard virtuoso, Bernard Lemmens, will pay homage to the creations of Enescu, Schumann, Chopin, James Bernard and Karamanov in a recital on 11 May.
On the electronic side, the 'Bota by Night' evening on 29 April will take place in the Bota’s three emblematic halls – the Orangery, the Rotunda and the Grand Salon – and will provide a chance to discover nine nuggets.
Young ears have not been forgotten either and will be honoured during the Bota Kids. On 30 April, a morning 'Around Spanish Music' will be dedicated to them and, on 7 May, musicians Laurence Mekhitarian and Vardan Hovanassian will present Armenia in music.
Finally, spectators will be able to admire Alexandra Leyre Mein’s mineral sculptures under the greenhouses, whose renovation has just been completed.
