Semi-Final – Liszt Academy, Budapest
Schedule of the Semi-Final:
5 October 2026 Semi-Final 1. (stream)
16:03–16:40
Virgil FOK CHIN WAI
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Susanna, Recitativo and Aria “Giunse alfin il momento” / “Deh vieni, non tardar” AND Puccini: La Bohème – Rodolfo’s Aria “Che gelida manina”
Judit Varga: DOT-DOT-LINE.
16:40–17:20
Nitai RACH
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – La Contessa, Recitativo and Aria “E Susanna non vien!” / “Dove sono i bei momenti” AND Puccini: Tosca – Cavaradossi’s aria “E lucevan le stelle”
Judit Varga: DOT-DOT-LINE.
17:40–18:20
Yukuang JIN
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Figaro, Recitativo and Aria “Tutto è disposto” / “Aprite un po’ quegli occhi” AND Puccini: Madama Butterfly – Cio-Cio-San’s Aria “Un bel dì vedremo”
Levente Gyöngyösi: Symphony No. 5, 1st movement
19:45–20:25
Fernando GAGGINI
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Il Conte, Recitativo and Aria “Hai già vinta la causa” / “Vedrò mentr’io sospiro” AND Puccini: Gianni Schicchi – Lauretta’s aria “O mio babbino caro”
Levente Gyöngyösi: Symphony No. 5, 1st movement
20:25–21:05
Apor SZÜTS
Mozart: Don Giovanni – Donna Anna, Recitativo and Aria: “Crudele? Ah no, mio ben” / “Non mi dir, bell’idol mio” AND Puccini: Tosca – Tosca’s Aria “Vissi d’arte”
Judit Varga: DOT-DOT-LINE.
6 October 2026 Semi-Final 2. and Announcement of the Results (stream)
16:03–16:40
Drummado WIJNHAMER
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Il Conte, Recitativo and Aria “Hai già vinta la causa” / “Vedrò mentr’io sospiro” AND Puccini: Gianni Schicchi – Lauretta’s aria “O mio babbino caro”
Levente Gyöngyösi: Symphony No. 5, 1st movement
16:40–17:20
Yuji MARUOKA
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Figaro, Recitativo and Aria “Tutto è disposto” / “Aprite un po’ quegli occhi” AND Puccini: Madama Butterfly – Cio-Cio-San’s Aria “Un bel dì vedremo”
Levente Gyöngyösi: Symphony No. 5, 1st movement
17:40–18:20
Yu-Te WU
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – Susanna, Recitativo and Aria “Giunse alfin il momento” / “Deh vieni, non tardar” AND Puccini: La Bohème – Rodolfo’s Aria “Che gelida manina”
Levente Gyöngyösi: Symphony No. 5, 1st movement
19:45–20:25
Francesco CAGNASSO
Mozart: Don Giovanni – Donna Anna, Recitativo and Aria: “Crudele? Ah no, mio ben” / “Non mi dir, bell’idol mio” AND Puccini: Tosca – Tosca’s Aria “Vissi d’arte”
Judit Varga: DOT-DOT-LINE.
20:25–21:05
Sungjin KIM
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro – La Contessa, Recitativo and Aria “E Susanna non vien!” / “Dove sono i bei momenti” AND Puccini: Tosca – Cavaradossi’s aria “E lucevan le stelle”
Judit Varga: DOT-DOT-LINE.
Announcement of the Results
Composers
At the semi-finals, in the Great Hall of the Liszt Academy, Judit Varga’s composition entitled DOT-DOT-LINE. will be performed along with the first movement of Levente Gyöngyösi’s Symphony No. 5. Both composers wrote their new works specifically for the occasion.
Levente Gyöngyösi
A pupil of György Orbán, Levente Gyöngyösi graduated in composition from the Liszt Academy in Budapest. His works have been commissioned and performed by leading ensembles that include The King’s Singers, the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Budafok Dohnanyi Orchestra, the Amadinda Percussion Group, the Cantemus Choir Family and the Stellenbosch University Choir. His choral pieces enjoy worldwide success and he is regularly invited to serve as a jury member at international choral competitions. Since 2018, he has been the resident composer of the Budafok Dohnanyi Orchestra. His achievements have been recognised with the Erkel Prize, the Bartók–Pásztory Prize, the title of Merited Artist of Hungary, and in 2026, the Kossuth Prize.
The first movement of Gyöngyösi’s monumental Symphony No. 5 is dark, at times stormy music that enjoys a kinship with the Sturm und Drang symphonies of Haydn. The movement’s dramatic nature is briefly relieved by a slow central section, which, with its different character and orchestration, hints at hope amid despair.
Judit Varga
Judit Varga’s works have been performed by a number of distinguished ensembles, including Ensemble Modern, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble Kontrapunkte and the Riot Ensemble. The Vienna-based composer, pianist and university professor has written music for several theatre productions and films premiered at international festivals. At the request of the Hungarian State Opera, she composed the opera Szerelem (Love), which premiered in 2016. Her oeuvre has been recognised with the Bartók–Pásztory Prize, the Erkel Prize and the Austrian Outstanding Artist Award. She has been Professor of Composition and Media Composition at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna since 2019.
Her piece entitled DOT-DOT-LINE. is inspired by the duality of the dot and the line. This pproximately eight-minute virtuoso orchestral work alternates rhythmically energetic, groove-based sections with broad, expansive orchestral textures to create a colourful and constantly moving musical process.
The semi-final will be held on 5-6 October 2026, in Budapest, in the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy, with the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra as the collaborating ensemble. Ten competitors will advance to this stage of the competition, where their task is to conduct three works or excerpts in the following order: a Mozart aria, a Puccini aria, and a contemporary piece. The works to be conducted are also decided at random in this case.
The works to be conducted will be selected by random draw, with performances featuring Barna Bartos, Csilla Boross, Ildikó Megyimórecz, Mária Celeng, and Károly Szemerédy.
