Cultural Compass: Music to Accompany a Departure, free galleries and 800 years of Begijnhof

Every Sunday, Belga English picks its favourite events from the cultural agenda. This week: Grief comes to life through music, free entrance to two stunning galleries at the Art & History Museum and delving into the fascinating past of Bruges' Begijnhof.
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Music to Accompany a Departure, 15 June, BOZAR, Brussels

​This deeply personal meditation on grief and farewell draws its inspiration from Heinrich Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien (Music to Accompany a Departure), a luminous 17th-century requiem composed in response to the plagues of his time. In a staging by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and renowned director Peter Sellars, 24 singers gather for a quiet, heartfelt ritual of communal mourning. Blending poignant solos and choral sections with evocative choreography, the performance becomes both a lament and a celebration.

^{© LOS ANGELES MASTER CHORALE}

Schütz, the most significant German composer before Bach, wove together the florid expressiveness of Italian Baroque with the grounding strength of the German chorale. The result is a work that speaks across centuries with emotional clarity and spiritual depth. Through its reflective interludes and passionate outbursts, this contemporary interpretation captures the beauty of life and the mystery of death. It reminds listeners that grief and transformation are intimately connected, and that in saying goodbye, we may also find presence, resilience and renewal.

New Galleries at the Art & History Museum, 13 - 15 June, Brussels

The Art & History Museum is offering a rare opportunity to explore exceptional collections of 19th- and early 20th-century decorative arts with free access to two newly opened galleries. These beautifully redesigned spaces bring to light long-hidden treasures that showcase Belgium’s rich artistic heritage.

The first gallery is dedicated to Belgian Art Nouveau and Art Deco. Born in Brussels in 1893, Art Nouveau flourished across Belgium, marked by sweeping lines, floral motifs and craftsmanship of the highest order. Highlights include masterpieces by Victor Horta, Henry van de Velde, Paul Hankar and others. A true standout is the fully restored Winter Garden of the House of Cousin, designed by Horta and painstakingly reassembled after being dismantled in the 1960s. The gallery then transitions to Belgian Art Deco, a bold and varied style that gained prominence after the 1925 Paris Exhibition. The collection reflects Belgium’s celebrated contribution to this movement, capturing the elegance and innovation of the interwar years.

The second gallery focuses on the decorative arts of the 19th century, tracing the evolution of Empire, Neo-Gothic and Japonisme styles. It also explores the rise of the bourgeois lifestyle, with themes such as industrialisation, travel and leisure. Rare masterpieces include furniture from the Duchess of Richmond’s 1815 ball and candlesticks by the prestigious Odiot silversmiths. Together, these galleries offer a rich and immersive journey through design, history, and everyday life.

800 years of Begijnhof, until 28 September, Beguinage, Bruges

The City of Bruges will celebrate the 800th anniversary of its Beguinage with a vibrant cultural programme that brings this historic women’s community to life. Under the theme Sauvegarde (preserving and cherishing what is valuable), the site will host free exhibitions, lectures and concerts that honour the Beguinage’s timeless spirit of spirituality, care, solidarity and female strength.

The festivities last until September, when the festival finishes with a musical finale during the final weekend. The Bruges Academy DKO presents works inspired by the Beguinage’s traditions, ranging from explorations of rituals and slowness to shelter and resilience created by student artists working across media and generations.

One highlight is the exhibition in Beguinage no. 3, which offers insight into a newly developed master plan that safeguards the site's future. Meanwhile, visitors can reflect on the lives once lived here and the values that still echo: peace, purpose and connection.

(MOH)

^{#FlandersNewsService | ©} BELGA PHOTO STEPHANIE LINSINGH

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