Klezmer, flamenco & Madame Butterfly

Every year in July and August the Dominican Court in the Castle District becomes home to klezmer, ragtime and operas. The square in front of St. Stephen’s Basilica hosts symphony concerts, whilst the summer opera festival is held at the Hungarian State Opera. It’s all part of the wide-ranging and widespread Budafest summer music festival.

Between 4 and 27 July this year the Dominican Court of the Hilton Hotel in the Castle District offers an operetta gala with evergreen melodies from Kálmán, Lehár and Strauss, performed by the Operetta World Ensemble. The Budapest Klezmer Band, the Budapest Ragtime Band and the 100-member Gypsy Orchestra will also perform. On this occasion the latter will appear on stage with 30 members rather than the usual 100, and is therefore calling itself a “chamber orchestra” for the evening. Andrea Lippai will present a flamenco evening and Handel’s opera Rinaldo will be performed with marionettes in a playful and improvised form, as musical leader László Bartal promises. Tickets for concerts at the Dominican Court cost HUF 4,900.
Events get underway outside the Basilica on 5 July with the Miskolc Symphony Orchestra, followed by the Oklahoma Youth Orchestra on 12 July, the Debrecen Philharmonic Orchestra on 19 July and finally the Liszt-Wagner Symphony Orchestra on 26 July. All four symphony concerts are designed to pay homage to composer Zoltán Kodály, who was born 125 years ago and died 40 years ago. Although it’s possible to follow the music from behind the fence, if you want to get closer, the ticket price is HUF 2,500.
The Hungarian State Opera is also taking part in the Budafest from 1 to 16 August. The summer opera festival opens with a premiere of Verdi’s La forza del destino. On the second evening the Kodály Youth World Orchestra from Kecskemét will celebrate Kodály. Puccini’s Madame Butterfly will be performed twice and Bizet’s Carmen three times. Tickets cost between HUF 3,600 and HUF 15,500.

BUDAFEST

Summer evenings at the Buda Castle
Hilton Dominican Court
District I, Hess András tér 1-3

Summer symphony concerts
St. Stephen’s Basilica
District V, Szent István tér

Summer opera festival
Hungarian State Opera
District VI, Andrássy út 22

For further information and tickets:
V.I.P. Arts Manager and Production Office
District VI. Hajós utca 13-15
Tel.: 332-4816
www.viparts.hu

Lysann Heller
www.budapesttimes.hu - Monday, June 25, 2007