Festival of Flanders Mechelen

Eternity in an Hour

Vlaams Radiokoor and soloists from the Brussels Philharmonic led by Eric Whitacre

New work by Eric Whitacre: a microcosm of timeless beauty inspired by William Blake

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

from Auguries of Innocence, William Blake (1757-1827)

Inspired by the opening lines of William Blake’s Auguries of Innocence, this brand-new work by one of the world’s most celebrated composers, Eric Whitacre, uses the human voice and a small selection of instruments to create a microcosm of timeless beauty.

Eternity in an Hour will be premièred at the BBC Proms in London before coming to Mechelen. The composition builds an aural and visual environment that slows down our minds, so that we can see a world in a grain of sand and a heaven in a wild flower as we focus on the calm and beauty of the present moment through music.

Can you capture the sound of eternity? And if so, what would that sound like? READ MORE

03.05.2025
20:15 — 21:30

Saint Rumbold's Cathedral, Onder-den-toren 12, Mechelen