The first half of the concert will be unorthodox in format, with the orchestra juxtaposing the original folk music collected by Béla Bartók with the composer's own compositions. Joining them in this will be the most authentic musical partner imaginable, with Márta Sebestyén - whose mother was a student of Kodály's - performing the traditional Hungarian folk songs seasoned with her own personal magic but otherwise unchanged.
Nor will the second half of the evening stray far from folk motifs, as Bartók was also deeply immersed in folk music while composing his ballad-like sole opera. Bluebeard's Castle is an agitated dialogue between a man and a woman in the form of a psychological mystery play that takes us into the deepest recesses of the male psyche. This psyche resembles Bartók own lonely personality, which was prone to melancholy in many respects. Opera Today described the Budapest Festival Orchestra's performance as 'brilliant in every colour of the rainbow'. 'Never in my life have I heard this many colours brought to life,' the author added. 'This was matched perfectly by Krisztián Cser's wonderful, velvety bass.' This time, Cser's partner will be Viktória Vizin: the recognised mezzo-soprano has sung at Covent Garden, Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan Opera.

Presented by: Budapest Festival Orchestra