Rehearsal spaces
Choir Room
In opera, the choir plays a crucial role in the unfolding action. Choristers dedicate extensive time to rehearsals in this room ahead of each production.
"A choir is powerful if each voice reinforces the others. To sing in a choir is to be part of a whole." A. K., soprano I
The Chœurs de la Monnaie, featuring separate men's and women's choirs, consist of thirty-three core performers, who are often joined by additional singers for specific performances. For instance, operas like Wagner's Parsifal require the participation of several dozen extra choristers.
From one opera to the next, choir members play very different parts and need to be able to portray these characters individually, while remaining part of the ensemble.
The choir is organised into four sections: sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses.
Each of these sections is further split into two parts (soprano 1 / soprano 2, alto 1 / alto 2, tenor 1 / tenor 2, and bass 1 / bass 2), with part 1 singing at a higher pitch than part 2.
Parsifal (2022)
Soprano Annelies Kerstens and conductor Johannes Knecht on the choir's work in Parsifal
It's a real team effort. It requires mutual trust.
J.K., guest conductor (Parsifal, 2022)
During its many rehearsals, the choir focuses on creating a unified voice that complements the specific opera and its stylistic requirements, paying close attention to nuances and pronunciation among other aspects.
Conductor Antonello Manacorda in rehearsal with the Chœurs de la Monnaie for the Mozart-inspired production Trilogia (2020).
At the helm are the choirmaster and his assistant, who lead the many musical rehearsals that take place before the first encounter with the conductor.
