Klarafestival 2025: We Are Now

One of Belgium’s most known classical music festivals celebrates its 20th anniversary under the theme ‘We Are Now’ from 20 to 30 March.

One of Belgium’s most known classical music festivals celebrates its 20th anniversary under the theme ‘We Are Now’ from 20 to 30 March. Klarafestival 2025 pays tribute to the here and now, together with other cultural partners in Brussels such as Flagey, Bozar and Kaaitheater. No artist embodies the magic of the moment more fearlessly than Patricia Kopatchinskaja, this year’s festival artist.

At Flagey, the festival opens on 21 March with a performance by child prodigy Alexander Malofeev during a piknik concert, a lunchtime series where music meets conviviality, with drinks and lunch included.

Later that day, the Danish String Quartet presents the highly anticipated first part of the Doppelgänger project, in which a Franz Schubert string quartet serves as the inspiration for a contemporary composer. This time, Bent Sørensen draws from Schubert’s final string quartet.

The ensemble Revue Blanche, joined by audio artist Katharina Smets, presents the world premiere of Nenia. On 26 March, the Brussels Philharmonic and festival artist Kopatchinskaja transport audiences to the 1930s with works by Igor Stravinsky and Olivier Messiaen.

The festival continues with pianist Nelson Goerner, who brings sensitivity, imagination, and rich tonal colours to works by Liszt, Debussy, and Ravel. Then, on 27 March, Brooklyn Rider, New York’s most adventurous string quartet, presents a program with works from Purcell to Pärt and Brahms to Jolas. See you there?