When does the performance take place?

The performance takes place on 30.08.2026 at 21:00 in the Foundry Hall at Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord.

How long does BREL last?

The specified running time is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Where is the venue located?

The Foundry Hall at Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord is located at Emscherstr. 71, 47137 Duisburg.

Is the venue accessible?

The venue lists accessibility as part of its infrastructure. For specific requirements, it is recommended to consult with the ticket and venue service.

What is the best way to get there?

Public transportation and the combination ticket are provided for arrival. According to Ruhrtriennale, tickets are valid on the event day throughout the VRR for round trips.

How much does a ticket cost?

The price for the event is listed from 20 euros, reduced from 10 euros.

BREL: Jacques Brel Lives Anew as Dance and Chanson in Duisburg

Name: BREL | Ruhrtriennale 2026
Start: 2026-08-30T23:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-08-31T00:20:00+02:00
Location: Gießhalle im Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord

When Jacques Brel Dances: The Ruhrtriennale Transforms the Foundry Hall into a Vibrant Chanson Stage Set

With BREL, the Ruhrtriennale 2026 brings an evening to Duisburg that leads dance and chanson into a physical and poetic tension. In the Foundry Hall at Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord, a stage experience is created that does not illustrate Jacques Brel's songs, but questions them anew: as movement, as memory, as voice oscillating between delicate melancholy and societal friction. The production is the German premiere and combines the signature of Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Solal Mariotte with the powerful repertoire of Jacques Brel.

A Chanson Cosmos Full of Energy and Vulnerability

Jacques Brel's work is considered a formative force of the chanson genre. His songs range from love songs to sharp social commentary, and it is precisely this range that carries the evening. De Keersmaeker, one of the defining innovators of contemporary dance, and Solal Mariotte, who comes from breakdance, are not searching for mere imitation, but for a lively embodiment. The result promises a staging in which body, voice, and rhythm orbit each other like two figures in an old, never-completed dialogue.

Industrial Backdrop as Resonance Space

The Foundry Hall is perfectly suited for such formats: rough, spacious, historically loaded. Between steel, hall air, and concentrated audience situation, the theater atmosphere gains an almost sculptural presence. Here, precise choreography meets the resonance of a place that itself tells stories of work, upheaval, and memory. It is in this environment that BREL unfolds its unique tension: intimate in expression, grand in space, moving in afterecho.

Dramaturgy between Longing and Social Commentary

The piece structure promises no museum-like homage but a contemporary interpretation. Brel's songs are readable as an emotional score in which humor, weight, and tenderness coexist. The dramaturgy thus follows a line that does not show humanity as a monument but as a fragile, passionate performer. Costumes, light, and movement become instruments of a stage art that does not explain but makes physically tangible why Brel continues to resonate today.

Why This Evening is So Special

BREL unites dance theater, music theater, and chanson into an evening of great expressiveness. Those who appreciate the Ruhrtriennale will experience a production here that combines artistic authority, strong stage presence, and a unique theater atmosphere. For culture enthusiasts, an evening unfolds that not only entertains but also rekindles reflection on voice, memory, and representation.

Conclusion: BREL in the Foundry Hall is a sensual, intelligent, and moving stage experience. Those who want to experience contemporary dance with musical depth and a striking industrial backdrop should secure this date live.