B-Classic - 19.06.2026 The Cabinet Sessions #6

Looking for a cosy summer evening filled with live music? Join us on Friday 19 June for the sixth edition of The Cabinet Sessions at the Rubens House. Curator B-Classic once again shapes the musical programme and invites the band Isabelle Lewis for an exclusive premiere.

Isabelle Lewis

This summer, Isabelle Lewis returns to the stage with new work. After an intense writing residency in Rome, the trio headed back to the legendary Greenhouse Studios in Reykjavík to develop a new body of songs. The material deepens the musical language introduced on their debut album Greetings: richer in texture, darker in tone and even more radical in emotional intensity.

What began as a meeting between Valgeir Sigurðsson, Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe and Elisabeth Klinck has grown into a singular musical universe where theatrical vocals, sculptural electronics and fragile violin textures merge into a sensual and genre-blurring live experience.

After a short break, Isabelle Lewis returns to perform live during The Cabinet Sessions, set within the intimate courtyard of Rubens’ artists’ residence. Those who witnessed last year’s magical encounter between Jef Neve and Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe know this place has the power to unlock something extraordinary.

Dinner in the garden

Dinner in one of Antwerp’s most beautiful gardens? Yes please. We will serve an exclusive three-course menu in the middle of Rubens’ green city oasis. Expect warm flavours, an intimate atmosphere and summery vibes.

A separate ticket is required for the dinner, including access to The Cabinet Sessions.

Rubens’ Reverie

Pjotr Durlet and Elise Bauwens dive into the rich archive Peter Paul Rubens left behind. Using this material, they create a contemporary reflection on how Antwerp has evolved and how Rubens’ work relates to the city today. Combined with soft beats and immersive melodies, they ask: what if Rubens were wandering through Antwerp as an artist today? How peacefully would he still rest in his garden?

Lie down beside him, beside us, and let yourself be carried back to a summer evening in 1620 as if it were 2026.

Elise Bauwens and Pjotr Durlet are Antwerp-based artists working at the intersection of poetry, theatre and music. Their practice explores vulnerability, connection and the tensions between language, performance and techno.

Mini lecture on a new acquisition: a rare drawing and letter by Rubens

Temporarily on display in the Rubens Experience is a newly acquired artwork from Rubens’ Italian period. Confidence radiates from this double-sided sheet dating from 1607. Rubens likely sketched three apostles in a spontaneous burst of inspiration. On the reverse side, he drafted a letter to a fellow artist working on a painting for Duchess Eleonora de’ Medici. At the time, Rubens was based in Rome, advising the duchess and overseeing artistic commissions.

Curator An Van Camp explains why the combination of an original drawing and handwritten letter by Rubens on a single sheet is so unique.

Also on the packed programme: a creative gelliplate workshop inspired by the shapes and details of the Rubens House, Rubens storytellers guiding you through the garden and library, and fresh pizzas, drinks and summery beats echoing through the Rubens House late into the evening.

About curator B Classic

Each year, the Rubens House entrusts the key to its cabinet to an inspiring curator. Also in 2026, B Classic welcomes audiences into its artistic world.
B-Classic fosters encounters between artists, genres and audiences. It opens up classical music and explores how music, both past and present, is created and experienced.
B Classic supports artists and creators with an open mind, offering them space to create, experiment and present.