Eric Whitacre, the man who made choral music cooler than ever, brings a playful twist to the holidays with two musical Christmas stories. Add to that a selection of traditional carols (and who knows—he might just get the audience to sing along!), and you’ve got a festive concert for the whole family.

With a wonderfully absurd text by Ogden Nash, Whitacre pulls out all the theatrical stops in The Boy Who Laughed at Santa Claus—a spirited, witty Christmas triptych. It’s a tale that will make parents chuckle and children behave just a little better… hoping to avoid the fate of young Jabez.

The Gift of the Magi is Whitacre’s dramatic take on a classic American holiday tale: a young couple wants to surprise each other with a gift on Christmas Eve. What they lack in money, they more than make up for in love—leading to an ending that’s both unexpected and heartwarming.

Flagey, Brussels Philharmonic, Vlaams Radiokoor

SING-ALONG!

Let's sing some Christmas Carols together! We invite everyone who loves to sing, clap their hands or hum to join us on the square in front of Flagey: together, let’s light up the dark December night with the joyful sound of traditional Christmas carols!