Returning to nature: for a great deal of time, some of the most prestigious composers in the history of Western music were occupied with the question of how to best represent the animals that live with and around us through musical notes. In the main, composers chose to assign animals sounds that could easily identify them to the listener, while at other times they were supported by characteristic movements or even individual characteristics culturally linked to specific animals. There is an endless list of works that dealt with this topic: Saint-Saëns, Rimsky-Korsakov, Ravel and Rossini were just some of the many composers inspired by the animal kingdom. From concert halls to puppet theatres, Prokofiev's symphonic fairy-tale work, Peter and the Wolf, has captured the hearts of child audiences. As well as being highly entertaining, by creating the illusion of the sound of animals found close to our homes, the piece helps teach young viewers the basics of listening to music as they learn how to link an instrument with an animal. The Polovtsian Dances is a popular excerpt from Borodin's opera Prince Igor. The sound of conquering horses galloping across the fields is easily identifiable in this intermède, which is performed to try and cheer up the title character after his capture.

The event will be followed by a free activity session on Banner Square entitled Reverberation for groups holding tickets to the performance.

Age: 10-14 year
Presented by: Müpa Budapest