B'Rock Orchestra is a Belgian period ensemble created in Ghent in 2005. It combines works by established

baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

composers like Johann Sebastian Bach,

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespread a ...

and Georg Friedrich Händel with the lesser-known repertoire of the 17th and 18th centuries like Georg Philipp Telemann,

Alessandro Scarlatti Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti (2 May 1660 – 22 October 1725) was an Italian Baroque composer, known especially for his operas and chamber cantatas. He is considered the most important representative of the Neapolitan school of opera. ...

and

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Giovanni Battista Draghi (; 4 January 1710 – 16 or 17 March 1736), often referred to as Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (), was an Italian Baroque composer, violinist, and organist. His best-known works include his Stabat Mater and the opera ''L ...

. In addition, the orchestra focuses on giving first performances of new music written with its historic instruments in mind. The orchestra also has a reputation for cross-genre productions like

Early Music Early music generally comprises Medieval music (500–1400) and Renaissance music (1400–1600), but can also include Baroque music (1600–1750). Originating in Europe, early music is a broad musical era for the beginning of Western classical m ...

in combination with theatre, opera, visual art,

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

and/or video.

History

The orchestra was set up in Ghent in 2005 on the initiative of harpsichordist Frank Agsteribbe, double bass player Tom Devaere and managers Hendrik Storme and Tomas Bisschop. The basis was an urge for renewal in the world of

. B'Rock Orchestra does not work with one conductor but engages guest conductors, soloists and choirs. The orchestra gives about 45 concerts every season, both in Belgium and abroad. In 2012, B'Rock Orchestra made its debut at Royal Opera De Munt/La Monnaie in Brussels with the opera Orlando by Händel under the baton of René Jacobs. B'Rock was voted 'Ensemble of the Year 2015' by the Belgian classical radio channel Klara. B'Rock Orchestra has developed long-term links with production and presentation partners such as DE SINGEL International Arts Centre (Antwerp, BE),

Muziektheater Transparant Muziektheater Transparant is a Flemish theatre company founded in 1994. They produce music theatre and their own versions of opera, operas. The artistic directors are Guy Coolen and Wouter Van Looy. Among the past and current composers in residence ...

(Antwerpen, BE), KASK & Conservatorium Ghent (BE), International Opera Academy (Ghent, BE), and

Opéra de Rouen The Rouen Opera House, formally known as Rouen Normandy Opera House -Theatre of Arts (French: ''Opéra de Rouen Normandie - Théâtre des arts'') is a French opera house located in Rouen, Normandy. It is home to the Rouen Philharmonic Orchestra. ...

(FR). They are regular guests at, among others, Concertgebouw Brugge (BE), Muziekcentrum De Bijloke (Ghent, BE),

Bozar The Centre for Fine Arts (french: Palais des Beaux-Arts, nl, Paleis voor Schone Kunsten) is a multi-purpose cultural venue in Brussels, Belgium. It is often referred to as BOZAR (a homophone of ''Beaux-arts'') in French or PSK in Dutch. The b ...

(Brussels, BE), Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ Amsterdam (NL), Amare Den Haag (NL), Kölner Philharmonie (DE),

Beethovenfest Bonn The Beethovenfest (Beethoven Festival) is a festival of classical music in Bonn, Germany, dedicated mostly to the music of Ludwig van Beethoven who was born there. It dates back to 1845, when the composer's 75th anniversary of birth was celebrate ...

(DE), and Opéra Grand Avignon (FR).

Recordings

* 2008: Georg Philipp Telemann ''Suites for Strings'' * 2009: Georg Friedrich Händel ''Concerti grossi, Ouvertures'' * 2010: David Petersen ''Speelstukken'' * 2011: Vivaldi/ Cage ''8 Seasons'' * 2014: Georg Friedrich Händel ''Orlando'' with René Jacobs * 2015: Georg Friedrich Händel ''Der Messias'' with Peter Dijkstra *2018: Franz Peter Schubert ''Symphonies 1 & 6'' with René Jacobs *2020: Franz Peter Schubert ''Symphonies 2 & 3'' with René Jacobs *2021: Franz Peter Schubert ''Symphonies 4 & 5'' with René Jacobs *2022: Franz Peter Schubert ''Unfinished and Great Symphonies'' with René Jacobs *2022: Philippus van Steelant ''Antwerp Requiem c. 1650'' with CantoLX en Frank Agsteribbe *2023: Georg Friedrich Händel ''Water & Fire'' with Dmitri Sinkovsky *2024: Box set of the complete Schubert recordings with René Jacobs

References

External links

Website of B'Rock Orchestra
{{authority control Baroque music Belgian orchestras