Biography
Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège
Executive Director: Aline Sam-Giao
Music Director: Gergely Madaras
Music Director Designate: Lionel Bringuier
Created in 1960, the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (OPRL) is the only professional symphony orchestra in French-speaking Belgium.
Funded by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, the city of Liège, and the province of Liège, the OPRL performs in Liège, in the prestigious setting of the Salle Philharmonique (1887), all over Belgium (in Brussels, Bruges, Charleroi, La Louvière, Namur, Saint-Vith, Tournai, Turnhout, etc.), at the biggest venues and festivals in Europe (Amsterdam, Paris, Vienna, Spain, Switzerland), and in Japan, the United States, and South America.
Under the guidance of its founder Fernand Quinet and subsequent music directors (Manuel Rosenthal, Paul Strauss, Pierre Bartholomée, Louis Langrée, Pascal Rophé, François-Xavier Roth, and Christian Arming), the OPRL has forged a musical identity for itself that is at the intersection of the Germanic and French traditions. Gergely Madaras has continued that work since September 2019. As well as a strong commitment to supporting new talent, promoting Franco-Belgian heritage, and exploring new repertoires, the OPRL boasts an impressive catalogue of more than 130 recordings. (See Discography)
Recent and planned recordings include Franck’s complete symphonic works and Les Béatitudes (Fuga Libera), Franck’s opera Hulda (Bru Zane Label), Respighi (BIS), the complete symphonic works of Ernő Dohnányi (Alpha Classics), Abbey Road Concerto (Alpha Classics), Liszt (BIS) and concertante works by Ysaÿe (Musique en Wallonie).
For 20 years, the OPRL has been committed to bringing the best music to as many people as possible, through original projects (such as Music Factory, Les dimanches en famille, Happy Hour!, and OPRL+) and special series (such as Musiques anciennes, Musiques du monde, Piano 5 étoiles, and Orgue). Since 2016, it has been working in partnership with the television channel Mezzo Live HD (in Europe, Asia, and Canada) and, since 2021, with Medici.tv.
The OPRL is also committed to fulfilling its social mission all year round, by attempting to reach audiences that lack access to classical culture. It especially targets young people, through activities in schools, themed concerts (such as L’Orchestre à la portée des enfants), du Festival Symphokids, and, since 2015, by setting up neighbourhood orchestras with the organisation ReMuA (El Sistema Liège). In a spirit of collective engagement, since 2016, the musicians of the OPRL have been involved in developing two series of concerts (Happy Hour! and Musique à midi) and an original educational project (PédaHOP). (See Asbl HOP)
