La Monnaie / De Munt is Brussels' royal opera house and, with around 1,150 seats, one of the most important opera houses in the French-Flemish cultural region. The current building at Place de la Monnaie was erected in 1819 and rebuilt in Classicist style after a fire in 1856. The house has been known for decades for a decidedly contemporary repertoire and bold directorial style — under Gerard Mortier (1981-1991) it became one of the most influential European opera houses. Programming is consistently maintained bilingually in French and Dutch, reflecting the Belgian dual identity of the house.
During a performance of Auber's The Mute Girl of Portici at La Monnaie on 25 August 1830, the Belgian Revolution broke out. The audience stormed out of the theatre to the barricades.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Brussels, Belgium
More venues in Belgium
- Stadsschouwburg Antwerpen · Musical theatre, Antwerp