Isabelle Lewis balances on the musical breaking point of opera, classical and refined electronica
Valgeir Sigurðsson, Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe and Elisabeth Klinck present Isabelle Lewis
In 2023, we were completely floored by the triumvirate Valgeir Sigurðsson, Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe and Elisabeth Klinck at our outdoor festival Feeërieën. Detail: by ‘us’ we mean an audience of 2000 who expressed their appreciation through a standing ovation. Extra detail: behind the screens , we immediately made a pact with the sweaty musicians to – together with B-Classic – continue supporting this wonderful project in the future.
After that, countertenor, director and performer Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe and violinist Elisabeth Klinck (see too: the likes of Miet Warlops ‘One Song’) headed to Iceland. There, they worked in the studio of Icelandic producer and composer Valgeir Sigurðsson (see too: Björk, Feist, Damon Albarn, …) on an album that will see the light of day in autumn 2024 on the renowned Bedroom Community label.
The project has since been given a name: Isabelle Lewis, a fictional character who embodies their collective musical spirit, a nostalgic shapeshifter with three faces, each embodying a unique world of sound. Musically, they draw their peculiar pop together with classical influences, moody melancholy and an operatic pulse.
They are radical in their style and new perspectives seem to continuously unfold within their atmospheric landscapes. The poetic and mysterious lyrics, Meirhaeghe’s high operatic notes, or Sigurðsson’s sophisticated electronics, Klinck’s musical finesse, and their charismatic performance make this collaboration an absolute must-see.
This production came about with the support of the Belgian federal government’s Tax Shelter measure, Gallop Tax Shelter, B-Classic and Het Nieuwstedelijk.