Season 25/26

'I cherish the warm and friendly atmosphere.'

Interview Alejo Pérez

by By Maarten Boussery / Pictures by Koen Broos, Wed, May 7, 2025

Alejo Pérez will be retiring as music director at Opera Ballet Vlaanderen in the 25/26 season. He will be waving the house and the audience goodbye musically with a farewell concert. Time to look back and take stock. 'The moments when I was able to make music with the chorus and the orchestra are very dear to my heart.'

Alejo Pérez first appeared at the podium with us in 2017, during the rehearsals of Pelléas et Mélisande. 'My first encounter with the chorus and the orchestra of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen was a pleasant discovery', he recalls. 'The working atmosphere struck me in particular: there's a lot of professionalism and at the same time, a warm, friendly and relaxed atmosphere. I cherish that so much, because in many other houses that is less the case. To me it shows that you can strive for quality in an internationally competitive environment without having to deal with a lot of stress. Why would you want it any other way? In the opera world, the rehearsal and performance series are quite long, so you spend a lot of time together. It would be a shame if you couldn't just have fun together along the way.'

‘'I see the work of a music director as taking a flock of birds on a long journey, as a leadership in which you become one with a whole.'’

— Alejo Pérez

When Jan Vandenhouwe was appointed artistic director in 2019, Pérez succeeded Dmitri Jurowski as music director at OBV. 'As a conductor, your task is to inspire the musical talent sitting in front of you and to let them rise above themselves. Being music director means that you have to be able to stretch that inspiration over a period of several years. I like to compare it to a flock of birds on a migration, moving synchronously in the same direction without it being clear who is taking the lead or setting the tempo. I see the work of a music director as taking such a flock on a long journey, as a leadership in which you become one with a whole. You have to be able to feel that everyone seems to know organically where we want to go.'

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Of course, something like that takes time. Pérez got to know the orchestra better over the years. What struck him and continues to surprise him is the stylistic flexibility it displays. 'You feel that the musicians are very aware of the repertoire they play. Attention is paid to the period in which a composer created a work, to the musical tradition and the historical playing style. We have continued to build on that strength in recent years. For example, I am very proud of the way in which the orchestra performed Mozart's La clemenza di Tito. What I also greatly appreciate is the full, German-Russian sound of the string section. Playing the repertoire of Strauss or Wagner with them is always a gift. I look forward to performing the new Parsifal production with the orchestra.'

Despite the heavy orchestrations of such works, Pérez believes that the orchestra has grown in its search for transparency. 'As an opera orchestra, you are always at the service of what is sung on stage. No matter how great the music may be, the orchestra is never intended to blow the singers away. In this too, the musicians show a sensitivity that has only increased.' The orchestra, which saw a large influx of young musicians in the 1980s who are now gradually saying goodbye, is currently undergoing a rejuvenation. 'When I was appointed, we knew that quite a few places would become available for young talent. My task was to ensure that the spirit and knowledge of the orchestra would be passed on smoothly to the new generation. It's great to see how the veterans take responsibility for this, and how the new musicians absorb that information like eager sponges. That can only benefit the sound of the orchestra.'

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'With Das Lied von der Erde, which ends in a Abschied, I am saying goodbye to the orchestra and the audience.'

— Alejo Pérez

For his farewell, Pérez has chosen a concert programme with Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde and Beethoven's 6th Symphony. 'Unfortunately, Beethoven is rarely featured in the opera repertoire. I was lucky enough to conduct his 9th Symphony at OBV. The symphonic concerts with chorus and orchestra that the house has organised will always stay with me. I wanted to add a final touch to that. Mahler is one of my favourite composers. I'm saying goodbye to an opera orchestra, so I definitely wanted to do something with singers. With Das Lied von der Erde, which ends in a Abschied, I am saying goodbye to the orchestra and the audience.'

It certainly won't be a farewell, because Pérez will keep Antwerp as his base. 'I will definitely still be seen in the audience', he says. His plans for the future? 'Make more time available to study scores for new projects and find a good balance in conducting symphonic and opera projects.' His final message for OBV is as follows: 'Continue to experiment and innovate, embrace the position the house has acquired in recent years and be proud of your courage. Keep that fire burning.'