Iván Fischer received his third vaccine shot at the Budapest Festival Orchestra’s open-air concert while conducting. The members of the orchestra also joined the action, which emphasized the importance of protection against the epidemic: they performed a quick self-test during the concert, while the music never stopped.
Iván Fischer had himself vaccinated with his third COVID-19 vaccine shot in front of thousands of people during the Budapest Festival Orchestra’s free open-air concert in Budapest on Wednesday night. The world-renowned conductor aims to encourage people to get vaccinated; he wants to set an example and to draw the public’s attention to the importance of fighting the epidemic. Besides their conductor, the members of the orchestra also took part in the special initiative: the musicians tested themselves for the virus during the concert to emphasize the importance of protection against the disease. Mr Fischer received his third shot on stage from Dr Dávid Becker, deputy director of the Semmelweis University Heart and Vascular Center, who had, of course, previously consulted with the conductor about the date of his second vaccination, the type of his first two vaccine shots, and other important health aspects.
For the concert, which was only open to those with a valid COVID certificate, Iván Fischer compiled a surprise selection from the program of the new season, and the new “Storytime with Iván” concert format was also introduced: between each piece, the music director turned to the audience to briefly talk about the music.
The Budapest Festival Orchestra’s 2021/22 season kicks off on September 9 with Monteverdi’s opera L'incoronazione di Poppea in Budapest, followed by symphonic concerts at the Lucerne Festival on September 11 and 12.
