Stravinsky: wild, modern, stunning

17-18-19 February, Müpa Budapest

Igor Stravinsky changed the history of music with his shocking, modern approach. He was a provocative composer, sassy, smart and filled with humour. Fans and rivals alike were taken aback by Stravinsky’s constantly changing style. At the February concerts, the Budapest Festival Orchestra will be sharing some of his most popular pieces, along with some seldom-performed ones. The big ones will include the Symphony of Psalms and The Rite of Spring, which in the words of conductor Iván Fischer are “like a narcotic for the listener.”

French bohemia and romance

27-28 February and 2 March, Müpa Budapest

A concert, with the Israeli conductor Pinchas Steinberg as our guide, taking you from the enchanting milieu of French bohemia to the land of Russian folk tales. Bizet’s charming symphony, so full of youthful momentum, and Shostakovich’s cello concerto hold all the promise of a personal confession. The concert will conclude with one of the best-known pieces of romantic music: Pictures at an Exhibition. And the soloist: Alexander Kniazev, said to be Rostropovich’s worthy successor. For our 2 March concerts, in the afternoon, couples are welcome to bring their children.

A concert filled with sunshine

7-8 March, Liszt Academy

Fervour, easy elegance and so much ingenuity. A concert to welcome spring, the March performance will feature Haydn’s Symphony No. 80, full of humour; a bright and festive Mozart serenade adorned with violin solos; and a unique tuba concerto where anything may change in the blink of an eye.