Each year the Budapest Spring Festival brings spring to Europe. It is always an occasion for celebration. As well as the rich programme of music (classical music, musicals, jazz), it offers guests top quality dance performances, special exhibitions, a lively festival atmosphere and comfortable hotels.
Renowned international artists ensure the standing and excitement of the event. The festival opens (on March 14th) with Kent Nagano conducting the Bayerisches Staatsorchester in Budapest’s splendid new music venue, the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall that has drawn the warm praise of some of the world’s greatest artists.
The Bamberg Symphony Orchestra will also appear here (March 20th), under the baton of Ádám Fischer, one of the most acclaimed Hungarian conductors. Their varied programme features popular works by Haydn, Mozart and Dvo?ák. Concert-goers are looking forward with great expectation to the performance by John Eliot Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists (March 23rd), where Gardiner will direct his famous choir (Monteverdi Choir) and leading soloists in one of the greatest works of music ever written, Bach’s St John Passion.
Internationally renowned Hungarian musicians offer a special musical treat practically every day. On March 25th Zoltán Kocsis, who has the most intimate knowledge of Bartók’s works, is to conduct the National Philharmonic Orchestra in the Violin Concerto (with Barnabás Kelemen as soloist) and Bartók’s opera, Bluebeard’s Castle.
Two magnetic personalities, violinist Maxim Vengerov and tenor Roberto Alagna will appear in the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall. Vengerov has chosen a programme of works by Mozart, Beethoven, Prokofiev and Shostakovich for his solo recital on March 27th and the following evening Roberto Alagna will sing Puccini arias.
During the Spring Festival opera fans can see performances of Wagner’s Parsifal and Puccini’s La Bohème in one of the most beautiful opera houses in Europe. For those in search of lighter entertainment, we recommend the concert by the Blind Boys of Alabama, a real gospel legend (March 26th).
This year’s dance programme includes performances by Philadanco, one of the leading modern American dance companies, and the company founded by José Limón. These two famous ensembles use a language of form that other companies still do not even attempt to possess.
Further information:
www.budapestspringfestival.com
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