The young Hungarian artist won his first national competition after only a year of studying piano, and a few years later went on to reach the finals and win awards in America, at the Van Cliburn International Junior Competition and the New York International Piano Competition. Opening the concert will be the third of the four overtures that Beethoven wrote for Fidelio. Full of fiery and dramatic music, the piece condenses the entire plot of his sole opera. Although the Piano Concerto in C major is listed as the first of the five such superb works that Beethoven wrote for the instrument, it is in fact the second. The composer wrote that the heart-wrenching opening motif of the massive 'Fate' symphony was 'the sound of Fate knocking at the door.' Perhaps for the first time in music history, this work includes the phenomenon of a single basic motif appearing in each movement of a symphony, thus unifying the entire work. This symphony celebrates the 'Man' who does not give in to 'Fate', but instead courageously confronts it, and eventually triumphs.

Presented by: MÁV Symphony Orchestra