The ultramodern Concertgebouw  (‘t Zand 34; tel 070/223-302; www.concertgebouw.be), the home base of the Symfonieorkest van Vlaanderen (Flanders Symphony Orchestra; tel 050/840-587; www.symfonieorkest.be), is the city’s main venue for opera, classical music, theater, and dance. This has left the former principal venue for these events in Bruges, the circa-1869 Stadsschouwburg (City Theater; Vlamingstraat 29; tel 050/443-060; www.ccbrugge.be), to back up the mother ship by mounting smaller-scale performances. Theater at both venues is likely to be in Dutch or French, and rarely, if ever, in English.

Contemporary dance, drama by rising artists, rock and pop concerts, festivals, and lots of children’s activities are held in the futuristic Magdalena Concert Hall (MaZ for short; Magdalenastraat 27; tel 050/443-060; www.ccbrugge.be).

For jazz fans: The cozy club 27Bflat (Sint-Jakobsstraat 15; www. 27bflat.be; tel. 32/479-29-7429) hosts live weekly jazz and blues shows in the heart of the city. Kunstencentrum (Arts Center) De Werf (Werfstraat 108; www.kaap.be; tel. 050/330-529) has around 40 jazz concerts annually, mostly from Belgian talents; also on the agenda here are productions for children, contemporary drama, and dance

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.