The Budapest Festival Orchestra has announced the program for its traditional end-of-summer free outdoor performance. The August 31 concert in Budapest’s Heroes’ Square will be held under the title Plea for Peace, and is intended to serve as a means of calling attention to the human suffering caused by armed conflicts and war in the world, and to take a stance for the values of peace, respect, friendship and love. The performance will feature international guest musicians who – by virtue of performing together – prove that music can alleviate mutual fears and mistrust.

Recognizing the suffering caused by wars, Iván Fischer has made an effort several times this year to seek opportunities to respond through art. Following his January visiting appearance as conductor in Israel, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, under his leadership, presented at Easter, a unique performance of the passion of Christ. Compassion, which supplemented the St. Matthew Passion with inserts reminiscent of other Passion stories, already demonstrated the power of making music together, involving Israeli and Palestinian musicians. The outdoor concert is an organic continuation of this initiative, with the BFO’s music director noting that, “The Budapest Festival Orchestra’s members will be joined this time by musicians from regions affected by war. Together, through music, we intend to express our shared hope that the suffering caused by armed conflict may end, and that the future will be based on mutual respect and peace.” The series of concerts taking a stance for peace is expected to continue in November in Istanbul.

The program in Heroes’ Square will kick off with a short work entitled Plea for Peace by contemporary American composer Augusta Read Thomas, performed by the BFO’s chamber music ensemble and soprano Mirella Hagen. Next, Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins in D minor will feature a Ukrainian and a Russian musician performing the solo parts: Diana Tishchenko, born in Simferopol on the Crimean Peninsula, and Alexander Sitkovetsky, born in Moscow. Israeli songwriter Idan Raichel will sing three of his pieces, accompanied on an Arab folk instrument, the oud, by Palestinian musician Taiseer Elias. The concert will conclude with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, conducted by Iván Fischer, performing the finale from Mahler’s Symphony No. 3, “Was mir die Liebe erzählt” (“What love tells me”).

Click here for the detailed program.

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