When we see a punk with bulging triceps playing the organ in a sleeveless vest and spangled leggings, and producing a veritable orgy of sound the like of which we have never heard before, then in all likelihood we'll find Cameron Carpenter sitting at the instrument. Possessing a breathtaking technique and not averse to showmanship, this artist has rightly been dubbed the Paganini of the Organ. The "devil's violinist” had a similarly ambivalent personality that swept audiences off their fee...t: on the one hand with his unusual appearance, and on the other hand his astonishing musicality and all but supernatural virtuosity.
The same can be said of this 32-year-old American organist, a graduate of the Juilliard School. The title of world's most controversial organist has been well earned given the way in which Carpenter divides public opinion; regardless of this, however, his art marries virtuosity to a high degree of musical intelligence. Besides his outward appearance, his interpretations are also unconventional, as he casts familiar works in a new light. An example of this is in his approach to the compositions of Bach, where - at the risk of being stigmatised as a "provocateur” - he breaks with tradition to present his own individual readings of the score. For Carpenter, artistic freedom often means artistic licence, where the registrations specified by the composer can be overridden.
Whether appealing or not, this taboo-breaking artist cannot possibly be ignored. A special place in his work is assigned to transcriptions of compositions that no one would expect to "work” in such a way. Paraphrasing Ravel's La Valse is no easy task, even for an orchestra, but Carpenter manages to perform it alone, while The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams is one of the most popular works in the English classical repertoire. Both will be heard at what promises to be a very special concert.
A stage conversation under the title Preface will precede the concert from 6.30 pm, giving ticket holders the opportunity to better familiarise themselves with the musicians and the works they will perform.
Presented by: Palace of Arts
Parking information
We wish to inform you that in the event that Müpa Budapest's underground garage and outdoor car park are operating at full capacity, it is advisable to plan for increased waiting times when you arrive. In order to avoid this, we recommend that you depart for our events in time, so that you you can find the ideal parking spot quickly and smoothly and arrive for our performance in comfort. The Müpa Budapest underground garage gates will be operated by an automatic number plate recognition system. Parking is free of charge for visitors with tickets to any of our paid performances on that given day. The detailed parking policy of Müpa Budapest is available here.
Safe ticket purchase
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