Across four events – including a documentary screening, a panel discussion, two concerts and the world premiere of his latest opera – audiences will gain rare insight into the unparalleled oeuvre of one of Hungary’s most influential composers.

The series opens on 18 February with a screening of the documentary Kurtág Fragments. Directed by Dénes Nagy, the film follows the composer’s daily life over four years, offering an intimate portrait of the artist at work. Internationally acclaimed musicians including Víkingur Ólafsson, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Benjamin Appl and Steven Isserlis also appear in the film.

The screening will be followed by an English-language panel discussion with Nagy, Ólafsson, Aimard and Appl, moderated by musicologist Gergely Fazekas, who served as the film’s music consultant.

On 19 February, a celebratory concert presents landmark orchestral works from Kurtág’s catalogue, performed by Ólafsson and the Danubia Orchestra under the baton of Markus Stenz. The programme spans intimate miniatures to the monumental Stele, while also reflecting Kurtág’s profound artistic dialogue with Bach.

The festival concludes the following evening with András Keller and Concerto Budapest. Featuring outstanding soloists Aimard, Máté Szűcs and László Fenyő, the programme places the centenarian master’s music in dialogue with earlier greats, including Ludwig van Beethoven and Béla Bartók.

The highlight of the evening – and of the entire series – is the world premiere of Kurtág’s one-act opera Die Stechardin, performed for the first time at Müpa with Maria Husmann in the solo role. This sensitive monodrama presents the otherworldly reflections of the young lover of 18th-century German polymath Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, whose life was cut tragically short.

More: 
Kurtág 100
 

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com
 

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