Zoltán Kocsis (1952-2016), the Chief Musical Director of the Hungarian National Philharmonic, was a huge fan of French classical music, so he would surely have been delighted that this series will open with a concert featuring the works of French composers. The soloist for the evening is one of the world's most sought-after cellists, the Hungarian István Várdai, while one of the most popular star conductors, Bertrand de Billy, has compiled a wonderful French menu. De Billy, who was born in Paris, regularly conducts the Hungarian National Philharmonic. Though he usually conducts operas, his outstanding dramaturgical and dramatic sensibilities also serve him well in concert hall performances, particularly in large-scale compositions such as Ravel's ballet Daphnis and Chloe, with its crowning, cathartic conclusion. The choir will not only feature in the finale of that piece, but also in a performance of Fauré's prize-winning instrumentation of a church hymn, which he wrote at 19 and which remains immensely popular today, though it is rarely heard with orchestral accompaniment. The charming Pavane, which captures all the elegance of happy peacetime, is another pearl from the composer, who was also a mentor to Ravel in his later years.
The evening's other big statement is the Cello Concerto from Henri Dutilleux, one of the most important composers of the latter half of the 20th century. The composition named after and inspired by Les fleurs de mal, a volume of poetry from Baudelaire, will feature István Várdai.

Presented by: Hungarian National Philharmonic