classical music, opera, theatre

Budapest Festival Orchestra

one interval
Béla Bartók National Concert Hall

Ticket prices


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This concert will whisk us from the enchanting world of French bohemians via the grimness of the Stalinist Soviet Union to the congenially grotesque setting of Russian folk tales, all under the baton of Pinchas Steinberg, an Israeli conductor whose links extend to Budapest.

Raised in Montmartre, Georges Bizet was 17 when he wrote his Symphony in C major, his first such work, as a simple school assignment. The piece brimming with transcendent gestures and fresh momentum has gone on to become far more than that. Referred to as 'enchanting and charming' by critics, this work has become an important part of the Romantic repertoire. Dmitri Shostakovich's Cello Concerto in E-flat major - which the composer wrote for his friend and student Mstislav Rostropovich, the giant of the cello - is one of the world's most difficult concertos for the instrument. It is a profound and personal testimony full of ambivalent feelings about an unpredictable and antagonistic world (the Stalinist Soviet Union) in which it was never possible to know whether one would wake up the next morning as a hero or a scapegoat. The soloist performing the piece, the likewise Russian Alexander Knyazev, is considered a worthy successor to Rostropovich.
The concert will close with what is perhaps the most popular work from another Russian composer, Modest Mussorgsky, although it was made truly great with the revision by Maurice Ravel. Mussorgsky originally wrote his 1874 cycle Pictures at an Exhibition for the piano after the premature death of painter Viktor Hartmann; Mussorgsky took inspiration from a memorial exhibition of his good friend's pictures. Coming to life in musical notes are a fantastic gnome character, an ancient castle, a lumbering cart, little chicks, market-goers and witches - Russian fairy tales and countless colourful moods.

Presented by: Budapest Festival Orchestra

Sections

  • Pinchas Steinberg
  • cello
    Alexander Knyazev

Parking information

We wish to inform you that in the event that Müpa Budapest's underground garage and outdoor car park are operating at full capacity, it is advisable to plan for increased waiting times when you arrive. In order to avoid this, we recommend that you depart for our events in time, so that you you can find the ideal parking spot quickly and smoothly and arrive for our performance in comfort. The Müpa Budapest underground garage gates will be operated by an automatic number plate recognition system. Parking is free of charge for visitors with tickets to any of our paid performances on that given day. The detailed parking policy of Müpa Budapest is available here.

Refreshments – Without the Queue

Thanks to our new catering service at the Átrium Snack Bar, you can forget about waiting in line during intermissions for some refreshments and get your order prepped especially for you by the time the intermission actually starts. Find out more about pre-ordering here.

Safe ticket purchase

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