WinterGlow2026 - with music, film, performance and dance we blow warmth into the castle

After the exuberance of summer, a time of winter peace and coziness begins. De School and the Kasteel van Gaasbeek join forces to let you enjoy wonder, beauty, and encounters. Together we create a warm glow that may not dispel the freezing cold, but does bring light and warmth during the long winter evenings. With music, film, literature, performance, and dance, we bring life to the castle for four days, which awakens from its winter sleep for a moment. A great opportunity to experience the castle even in the darkest months, when it takes on a very unique atmosphere. In Caffè Carletto, the guests of Zonnelied also pamper you with homemade soup: that extra warm spark for the inside. » Thu 10.12 – Music / Zenne Quartet plays Walter Hus » Fri 11.12 – Film / The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover » Sat 12.12 – Performance / Everything in its own time with Paul Demets, Hooman Jeddy and Rico Naessens » Sun 13.12 – Dance / P.A.R.T.S. Music / Zenne Quartet plays Walter Hus - vol. 2 On the first evening of WinterGloed, the Zenne Quartet takes you into the music of Walter Hus. In Paysages pour un ange égaré, nineteen musical miniatures follow one another: landscapes full of contrast, wonder, and stillness that together form an almost cinematic experience. Hus wrote the work during the final months of his wife Marie Brouchot's life and dedicated it to her memory. In addition, Ohne Ungeduld plays, an instrumental elegy inspired by Rilke's story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Music about loss and memory, but also about imagination and wonder. Het Zenne Quartet is a Brussels string quartet that brings together classical tradition and contemporary creativity. Since 2019, the ensemble has been exploring both the classical repertoire and new music, working closely with contemporary composers. With their concerts, the four musicians want to make chamber music accessible to a wide audience. » Thursday, December 10 at 7 PM, Ridderzaal Film / The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989) This theatrical, colorful revenge tragedy by British filmmaker-painter Peter Greenaway (°1942) fits perfectly into the artistic framework of the castle. The turbulent relations between the cook, the thief, his wife, and her lover are given the minimalist rhythm of Michael Nyman and the flamboyant costume designs of Jean-Paul Gaultier. Baroque cinema from the eighties that pulls out all artistic stops. Come experience this grandiose 'moving painting' by Greenaway in the majestic Knights' Hall. With an introduction by film historian and film curator Wouter Hessels and an after-talk in Caffè Carletto for those who do not want to go home yet. » Friday, December 11 at 7 PM, Ridderzaal Performance / Paul Demets, Hooman Jeddy and Rico NaessensEverything in its own time Marie Arconati-Visconti (1840-1923), the last marchioness of the Kasteel van Gaasbeek, loved proverbs and had several installed in the castle. Tout à temps, everything in its own time, is one of them. Saturday, December 12 will be an evening for quiet reflection. Because what does that actually mean: everything in its own time? The ancient Greeks made a distinction between Chronos and Kairos. Chronos is measurable clock time. The time of hours, days, and agendas that sometimes makes us tired. Kairos is time as we experience it. In which a nice moment can fly by and a difficult period seems to last endlessly. Kairos is also about attention, slowing down, and making space for what presents itself at that moment. Through the poems of Paul Demets, film images of Hooman Jeddy, and music of Rico Naessens, time opens up in special ways. Paul Demets is a lecturer at KASK and Conservatorium Gent, poet, reviewer, and essayist. In 2025 his collection De schaamsoort was awarded De Grote Poëzieprijs. In 2026 his collection De doodstrompet (De Bezige Bij) and his youth poetry collection Echt zo (Poëziecentrum) with illustrations by his daughter Judith appeared. Paul is supported in Gaasbeek by dear former students of KASK: Hooman Jeddy studied film there and Rico Naessens graphic design. » Saturday, December 12 at 4 PM, Ridderzaal Dans / P.A.R.T.S. P.A.R.T.S. and Gaasbeek have been finding each other for years. Both during the September Festival and WinterGloed, young dance makers from the Brussels dance school are given the space to share new work with an audience. This winter too, we welcome students from P.A.R.T.S. with new work. » Sunday, December 13 at 4 PM, Knights' Hall