Behold the wonders of the Kralingse Bos
De Grote Schijn is back during the autumn holidays! From October 24 to November 10, 2024 you are welcome every evening for a special spectacle of whispering trees, fascinating light projections and sounds in the Kralingse Bos.
Director Christophe Van Hostauijen and producer Piet Winten have many surprises in store for the special anniversary edition! For the fifth time, during a breathtaking performance spanning two kilometrers, you will be immersed in a world where technology, music and nature come together while walking. This year, for the first time, walkers will be treated to live music from a 100-member choir.
The Kralingse Bos is the largest piece of nature in our city. And it is also very close to the centre. This autumn holiday, the forest comes to life during an awesome walking route.
Christophe Van Hostauijen, director and creator of De Grote Schijn, gives a glimpse of what we can expect: “This year we are using a lot of light, sound and network technologies to make everything seem even more immersive and impressive. We want to immerse visitors in an almost cinematic world as soon as they walk through the gate. It is best for them to discover for themselves what exactly awaits them during this fifth edition, but for the highlight of the walk they will witness an intense and surreal live experience.”
What is certainly very special about this edition is that you can enjoy live music during the walk. The melodies of the 100-member choir, led by conductor Hans Primusz, make the colours during De Grote Schijn more intense, the light projections more lively and the enchantment complete.
Primusz: “I have performed with pop-up choirs in large concert halls and on squares before, but with De Grote Schijn I was in the middle of nature for the first time. The vibrations of the voices are converted into light and colour in real time and the entire environment responds to the sounds produced by the choir. Not only will we be heard live in one place in the forest, but hikers will encounter our sounds throughout the entire hike. In total we need about 1,000 singers and we are still looking for enthusiastic participants. Anyone who likes to sing and wants to be part of De Grote Schijn can register now!”
More information about joining the pop-up choir of De Grote Schijn with Hans Primusz via hans.primusz.be.
One of the most impressive scenes during De Grote Schijn will be the 'flower splendor'. While walking you see blooming flowers appear and disappear. Every step you take brings new flowers to life. It is a virtual sea of flowers with the Kralingse Bos as a compelling backdrop. In addition to the latest technologies, this year the makers are also experimenting with minimalism and simplicity: a huge number of luminous dots in a large forest field called 'the forest freckles'.
Although De Grote Schijn takes place in the forest, it is absolutely not the intention to disturb nature. That is why the organization ensures that the walking route follows existing paths and is determined in close consultation with the area manager and ecologists, who carefully monitor the flora and fauna in the area. The time slots regulate the number of visitors on the route, and at 11:00 PM all lights go out.
In addition, they also try to offer local and organic catering to visitors in biodegradable materials, and use environmentally friendly cleaning products and as few organic disposables as possible.
De Grote Schijn is open every evening from Thursday, October 24 to Sunday, November 10 until 11:00 PM. The starting time varies between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
