“Where is the stage? Outside or within?” asks the Bard in the Prologue to Bluebeard’s Castle. This same dilemma appears in all three of Bartók’s one-act pieces – the two works on this programme, as well as The Wooden Prince – because what we see and hear in them is internal drama. The first of these musical lessons exploring the inner make-up of men and women and the relationship between them is one of Bartók’s most beloved works. Bringing to life the plot of The Miraculous Mandarin, full of questions about both body and soul, will be the Eva Duda Dance Company. After the interval, we will descend into the deepest recesses of the male psyche, with Krisztián Cser, winner of the Hungarian Golden Cross of Merit, as Bluebeard and the internationally acclaimed Dorottya Láng as Judith opening the seven most famous doors in the history of music.

Presented by: Budapest Festival Orchestra