No Klassiek in de Stad this year on Sint-Jansplein. But anyone in Antwerp who wants to start the new cultural season with music doesn't have to go without. On Saturday 5 September, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and Opera Ballet Vlaanderen open their doors and invite the public to get acquainted with the two institutions, their operations and especially what will be on the stages in the coming months.
That both institutions are organising this together is of course no coincidence. As of 1 March 2026, the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and Opera Ballet Vlaanderen will continue as a single organisation. The separate artistic identities will be retained for now, but behind the scenes the two institutions are now connected. A new name and house style will only come from the 2028-2029 season onwards. For the public, 5 September is an opportunity to experience this new collaboration in practice rather than in words.
From 12.30 onwards, the doors of the Koningin Elisabethzaal and Opera Antwerpen open. And those who enter will see more than a series of previews of the new season. The Open Houses primarily aim to show what happens before a performance or concert finally appears to the public.
In the Koningin Elisabethzaal, at 1 pm you can attend a rehearsal of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. It's a very different experience from attending a concert: not a finished product, but music still in the making, with instructions, run-throughs and moments where it becomes clear how much work goes into those seemingly effortless minutes on stage.
The rest of the building is also opened up that afternoon. During guided tours, the public can discover not only the hall, but also parts of the backstage. Musical surprises and short performances make the tour more than just a glimpse behind the scenes.
In Opera Antwerpen, the public will have the opportunity to attend an open rehearsal of De Materie by Louis Andriessen. Between 14.30 and 17.30, work will be done with cast and orchestra on this special opera, which will be performed in September – with a short break between 4 and 4.30 pm. Those who attend a rehearsal will not only see the performance take shape, but also get an idea of the concentration, exploration and constant adjustment that precedes an opera premiere.
The programme is not limited to those already familiar with opera or symphonic music. For children, there are activities around instruments, music and sets, while adults can participate in dance workshops with Zoë Demoustier at 1 and 3 pm. Note: the number of places is limited and registration is only possible on the spot, so those who want to be sure of a place should arrive early. In the Koningin Elisabethzaal, yoga is also combined with live soundscapes from percussionists. These are activities that blur the traditional boundaries between listening, watching and making music yourself.
Music also sounds outside the buildings. On Astridplein and Operaplein, brass players perform short mini-concerts from the balconies. The two institutions are thus literally making contact with the city. Later in the afternoon, the public in the Koningin Elisabethzaal is also invited to sing along during a singalong with the Choir of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.
The whole event culminates at 6 pm with a free concert by the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra conducted by rising star Wilson Ng. Harmonica player Steven De bruyn is the soloist. The choice of programme is telling: ten years after the death of Toots Thielemans, the Belgian jazz legend is remembered with music that connects classical tradition and jazz. Alongside Gershwin and other composers, there is of course also music by Thielemans himself on the programme.
This first joint Open Houses day thus has a beautifully constructed dramatic arc. First there are the buildings themselves, then the rehearsals and activities that show what happens behind the scenes, and finally the concert in which everything comes together. The audience is not only a spectator but gets the chance to feel part of the world that usually unfolds behind the closed doors of a concert hall or opera house.
Perhaps that's also the most interesting way to look at this day. A cultural institution is ultimately not only formed by the performances that take place there, but equally by the people who work, rehearse, sing, play, dance and build there every day. Anyone who walks back and forth between the Koningin Elisabethzaal and Opera Antwerpen on 5 September will get a glimpse of that.
And so, despite the absence of Klassiek in de Stad, there is still a new way to close the Antwerp music summer. Not with one big stage on Sint-Jansplein, but with two institutions that become the stage themselves for one day. An invitation to step inside, look around, listen and perhaps immediately become curious about what the new season will bring.
Open Houses – Saturday 5 September 2026, from 12.30 in the Koningin Elisabethzaal and Opera Antwerpen. All activities are free and no reservations are needed (except for the dance workshops, for which registration is only possible on the spot). The closing concert in the Koningin Elisabethzaal starts at 6 pm.
More info:
https://www.antwerpsymphonyorchestra.be/nl/programma/open-huizen-jgwn
https://www.operaballet.be/nl/programma/seizoen-2026-2027/open-huizen