Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Presents Enchanting Triple Bill ‘Rites’

Opera Ballet Vlaanderen is set to deliver one of the season’s most extraordinary dance evenings with the triple bill Rites, uniting three orchestral masterpieces by Ravel and Stravinsky under the unifying theme of rituals: Boléro, La Valse, and Le sacre du printemps. Performed live by the acclaimed Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Symphony Orchestra under conductor Karel Deseure, these intense scores will challenge both dancers and musicians in a true tour de force.

The programme opens with Shahar Binyamini’s pulsating Bolero X, marking a historic collaboration as the three leading Antwerp ballet institutions, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Junior Ballet Antwerp, and the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp, join forces for the first time. Over 50 dancers, blending youthful energy with professional experience, bring Binyamini’s vibrant and overwhelming choreography to life, reimagined specifically for this expansive ensemble.

At the heart of the evening lies a poignant tribute to Flemish dance history. Exactly 100 years after the scenic world premiere of Ravel’s La Valse took place in Antwerp, choreographed by Russian director Sonia Korty for the opera house’s ballet company in 1926, Algerian French choreographer Nacera Belaza reinterprets the swirling score. Her new creation is an intimate, hushed solo for dancer Austin Meiteen, transforming the music into a fascinating ritual of self-reflection and connection with the audience.

The evening culminates triumphantly in Pina Bausch’s legendary choreography for Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps, a milestone in dance history that underscores Opera Ballet Vlaanderen’s privileged partnership with the Pina Bausch Foundation, one of the few companies worldwide authorised to perform this iconic work.

Rites promises an unmissable feast for the eyes and ears, blending historical reverence with bold contemporary vision in a celebration of ritual through movement and music. Performances run from 17 January to 5 February 2026, with evening shows at 8:00 pm in Antwerp (Stadsschouwburg: 17, 21, 22, 24 January) and Ghent (Capitole: 31 January; 3, 4, 5 February), plus matinees at 3:00 pm (Antwerp: 25 January; Ghent: 1 February).

Tickets are now available; book here.

Le Sacre du printemps, Photo credit Phile Deprez