BEETHOVEN WARS: the raw energy of motion manga meets the power of the symphony orchestra

On 20 and 21 March, the OPRL ventures into the realm of space opera, set to the humanist and heroic music of Beethoven.

With OPRL+ Manga: Beethoven Wars, the OPRL explores the world of space opera—with its intergalactic adventures—and presents a truly original artistic experience. The concept is simple: to combine the raw energy of motion manga with the expressive power of Beethoven. On stage, the Orchestra performs live while a large screen unfolds an intergalactic epic created by Antonin Baudry.

Premiered in 2024 at La Seine Musicale in Paris by Laurence Equilbey and the Insula Orchestra, and presented at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in 2025, Beethoven Wars transforms the concert into a resolutely contemporary visual and sonic spectacle. At the heart of the project lies the desire to open classical music to new imaginative worlds and to show just how strikingly relevant Beethoven remains today. Rather than revisiting stories of the past, the work embraces a dynamic, futuristic narrative while remaining rooted in timeless humanist themes.

he presence of the Chœur Symphonique de Namur—whose voices blend with the Orchestra—further amplifies the emotional impact of the key scenes.

The story unfolds on a planet torn apart by an age-old conflict. Beyond clashes and battles, the narrative explores universal themes—resistance, hope and the quest for identity—that resonate directly with the works performed. The Ruins of Athens, King Stephen and Eleonore Prochaska thus become the soundtrack to a world in transformation, infusing each scene with renewed intensity. The audience does more than simply watch a film: thanks to the live music, they feel the vibration of the battles, the fragility of the characters and the dramatic tension running through the entire epic. The musical component therefore becomes a fully fledged scenographic element.

The presence of the Chœur Symphonique de Namur, whose voices blend with the Orchestra, further amplifies the emotional impact of the key scenes. The choir carries moments of tension and reveals surges of heroism, heightening the concert’s cinematic dimension.

With Beethoven Wars, the Orchestre Philharmonique Royal de Liège, under the direction of Luis Castillo-Briceño, presents a generous and accessible spectacle, capable of surprising seasoned music lovers and newcomers alike. An opportunity to rediscover Ludwig van Beethoven through a concert that propels us into a distant galaxy—yet one that feels strikingly close to our own.