“I would like for everyone attending the BFO’s concerts to feel perfectly safe, by excluding the risk of infection altogether. Only individuals testing negative will be allowed inside the auditoriums and on stage: the virus cannot be present in the concert halls! This will ensure that everyone is able to immerse themselves in the enjoyment of the music, without needing to worry. Come out to our Safe Concerts”, said Iván Fischer, Music Director of the Budapest Festival Orchestra.

The BFO wishes to take care of its audiences beyond just adhering to official regulations. Antigen rapid tests will be administered to everyone attending a concert, and the BFO is working on finding an even quicker, cheaper and more effective way to screen visitors in the future. Details will be shared with audiences in the orchestra’s newsletter and on its website.

The Municipality of Budapest also supports the introduction of the concept of Safe Concerts. Tests will be deployed first at the new concert series entitled Musical Journey and at the Night of Music performances. The Night of Music will take place this year on the occasion of Budapest Day, November 17, hosted by the Budapest Festival Orchestra and Budapest Brand Nonprofit Zrt., with the support of the Municipality of Budapest.

“The leadership of the capital remains convinced that widespread and regular testing, along with the sharing of factual information, is critical to the fight against the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. For that reason, we have welcomed, since its inception, the concept of ‘Safe Concerts’ proposed by the Festival Orchestra. I am certain that art and music help the soul endure in this uncertain time. This is just as important today as physical safety. Let us take care of one another, and of the artists, and let us keep the capital’s cultural life alive to the extent possible and for as long as possible in the current situation,” said Erzsébet Gy. Németh, Deputy Mayor for Human Resources.