Update from LOD

UPDATE FROM LOD 

Dear friend of LOD, 

After a beautiful and intense season, we at LOD take the time to reflect on what has been and look ahead to what is to come.

LOD is currently going through a significant transition. Last year founder Hans Bruneel stepped down from his position at LOD. Herewith we officially inform you that General & Artistic Director Tom Rummens is leaving the organization.

Since 2019, Tom has been involved in many LOD productions, first as Head of Distribution and Dramaturgy, and later as Artistic Coordinator. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he launched the Bijloke Wonderland Festival. Emerging music theater talent could count on him as a dedicated coach, for example at the annual Bijloke Summer Academy. LOD had some wonderful years with Tom as a colleague. We wish him all the success and happiness in what the future brings.

Note from Tom: "After a few fascinating and also very challenging years, I have decided to leave LOD muziektheater. I look back on many beautiful memories and am incredibly grateful to have been part of LOD. I wish the organisation a bright future. I want to thank everyone for the great collaborations, the many projects, and the countless encounters. I hope to see or hear from you soon, in the theater or elsewhere." 

The Board of Directors has entrusted the General and Artistic management ad interim to Business Manager Kathleen Treier. After a summer of reflection, an open vacancy for a new Artistic Director will be launched at the end of September. In the meantime, Kathleen Treier and Morgan Verhelle (External Relations and Artistic Development) are the artistic driving forces.

Together with the entire team, we are building a LOD that stays true to its artistic DNA of innovative music theatre and opera. We care for our artists-in-residence, support new and emerging talent in various ways, and continue to position ourselves internationally.

We are extremely proud of our strong and dedicated LOD team. We are also very grateful to everyone who is part of our journey: artists, (inter)national partners, press, from the kitchen to the office, from on the road to a creative process in the studio or elsewhere. A warm thank you.

For the coming seasons, we have worked hard on diverse and innovative program, with loyal and new partners, in Belgium and abroad, with two new creations scheduled for 2024-2025:
The Grief of Red Granny is the new AfrOpera by Gorges Ocloo about individual and collective grief, based on the life story of Queen Elisabeth, the third Queen of Belgium, and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. 
Nenia is characterised as a kaleidoscopic exploration of loss, with a composition by Frederik Neyrinck, by and with audio artist Katharina Smets and ensemble Revue Blanche. Both are promising and deeply moving projects on the important societal position of grief and sorrow.

In addition, The Golden Stool or the Story of Nana Yaa Asantewaa by Gorges Ocloo and Woman at Point Zero by Bushra El-Turk & Laila Soliman will tour internationally. You shouldn't miss out on Josse Jnr. by Ahilan Ratnamohan, Josse De Pauw & Etuwe Bright Junior as part of the selection of the Flemish and Dutch Theatre Festivals (or later on tour), and you can also admire The Time of Our Singing by Kris Defoort and HinkStapSpring by Inne Goris. In our LOD Studio, many artists-in-residence as well as new faces will work on inspiring new music theatre.

For now, you can enjoy Bijloke Wonderland (15/8 to 1/9). Afterwards the eighth edition of the Bijloke Summer Academy, a residency program for new music theatre projects, will take place.

We look forward to seeing you!
The LOD team