Heritage day: haha humor

On Heritage Day 2026, the Orpheus Institute will explore the theme of “HAHA Humour” – and believe us, there's more to laugh about in music than you might think! On 26 April, we will reveal heritage treasures from the Ton Koopman collection in Koetshuis d'Hane-Steenhuyse. Did you know that Baroque composers poked fun at their colleagues in humorous novels? Or that entire operas were written as parodies in the eighteenth century? From mild jokes to biting satire about historical abuses, from medieval mocking songs to jesters experimenting with sound and image – come and see and hear musical satire, admire manuscripts full of puns, and discover how humour was the secret weapon of rebellious composers.

Admission: free