Carmina Burana by candlelight

An intimate choral explosion of fate, passion, and medieval poetry — in the fantastically atmospheric Royal Municipal Theatre in the heart of Bruges on September 25th at 8.00 pm. Feel the fire of fate and the pulse of human desire in this chamber performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana — brought to life under the direction of world-renowned conductor Ralph Allwood MBE DMus — all surrounded by hundreds of flickering candles.

This exclusive performance offers a rare and intimate version of one of the most iconic works of the 20th century. A daring, visceral cantata based on 13th-century texts — part pagan, part sacred, part scandalous — Carmina Burana speaks to the eternal cycles of luck, lust, love, and loss.

Composed in 1935–36 and based on 24 poems from the medievalCodex Buranus, Orff’s explosive choral writing transformed these ancient verses into one of the most iconic works of the 20th century, opening with the thunderous O Fortuna, a hymn to the cruelty and unpredictability of fate.

This concert follows the traditional three-part structure:

1. Spring’s Awakening
2. The Tavern
3. The Court of Love
   
   

Framed by a dramatic prologue and epilogue that remind us: the wheel of fortune never stops turning.

Newly adapted from original manuscripts and arranged specifically for this space, the programme offers a bold and emotionally charged experience that reveals the inner intensity of Orff’s vision.

The concert organisers are the creative agency RED EVENTS & Distribution ltd, which makes exceptional cultural events in ancient mansions, on rooftops, in greenhouses and in other most atmospheric venues of Europe, Great Britain, Azerbaijan, Georgia and other countries. Also in the repertoire – a collection of concerts by candlelight and with complete immersion in the space of video art and sound. 

Start at 8:00 pm.