"A joint production by the Palace of Arts and the Budapest Festival Orchestra with Iván Fischer as the artistic director.The first “composer’s marathon” took place in 2008: then it was dedicated to the best of Tchaikovsky and there were concerts from morning to late evening. The event was a huge success and all the concerts were played to full houses. It has been decided to continue the project in 2009 with the popular Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. His art will be presented in eleven concerts; the venue for the symphonic orchestral concerts will be the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall while the chamber music events will take place in the Festival Theatre.
These concerts are all without breaks and (with the exception of the opening oratorio) all 45 minutes in duration, so anyone with the desire can attend all eleven concerts. Tickets for all events are 600 Ft each but anyone who buys three receives a fourth one free. Music lovers who would like to attend all the concerts can do so for the price of a standard concert ticket.
The artistic director of the marathon, Iván Fischer has compiled a programme which features not only the composer’s most popular works but also some rarities such as the dramatic cantata, The Spectre’s Bride which receives its Hungarian première, a selection of Dvořák’s lesser known songs and choral works, as well as the four hand piano version of Legends. Dvořák works not programmed can be viewed for free on screens and the event is rounded off with an exhibition dedicated to the great composer’s life."
Source: hungarystartshere.com
07.01.2009