The Budapest Spring Festival brings spring to Europe each year. This is a real celebration. In addition to the rich offering of music (classical, musical, jazz) and high standard dance performances on the program, unique exhibitions, a bustling festival atmosphere and comfortable hotels await the visitors. The prestige and the temperature of the event is provided by the great personalities of international artists.

In March 2010, for the thirtieth time, we will once again bid farewell to winter with a festival. We are preparing for a modest celebration; we would not like to fall into a mood of nostalgia and we do not intend to draw up a balance of the last three decades either as that is not our task. But the Stravinsky Evening to be given by our “twin”, the 30-year-old Győr Ballet will in a way be a reminder of the early days of our festival, but even more of the mutual inspiration of Classicism and Modernity that could even be the motto of the festival. We have always considered it important to transmit classical values on a high standard and to ensure scope for new impulses.

For three decades the Budapest Festival Orchestra and the Hungarian National Philharmonics have been stable pillars of the Budapest celebration of spring. The former figures in the programme with a Beethoven Evening and the latter with a Bartók concert traditionally held on the anniversary of the composer’s birth and this time promising surprises. The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra too was there at the beginning; this year at the final concert of the festival they will appear with two world famous young artists, pianist Denis Matsuev and trumpet player, Gábor Boldoczki.

Our guest will be Denmark. This Nordic country known for its colourful culture will be sending the Royal Danish Ballet, one of the oldest ballet companies, and Hotel Pro Forma, a highly original formation that defies genre classification, to delight us with their classical and disturbingly beautiful productions. The world famous Ars Nova Copenhagen choir brings a blend of old and new, archaic and modern. The Danish National Chamber Orchestra will perform works by the modern classic of Danish music, Carl Nielsen, and the “interpreter” helping us to overcome the language barriers will be Ádám Fischer. For lovers of chamber music the Trio con Brio Copenhagen are bringing a programme that includes a composition by Bent Sørensen, an outstanding figure of new Danish music. In keeping with tradition, our guest country this year is bringing not only music and dance programmes but also art exhibitions. The gala opening event of the festival will be held in the Ludwig Museum where visitors can see the work of Danish artists and art groups. The exhibition titled Power Games examines current social and political problems as well as the role of contemporary art. Our public has become accustomed to the appearance of a whole series of world stars at the Spring Festival. We have grouped the programmes of outstanding figures of the international arts world under the title of “Meeting of Worlds”. Yuri Bashmet, the most sought after viola player will return to Budapest to give a concert at the head of the Moscow Soloists. At the romantic aria recital by South American-born artist, Uruguayan Erwin Schrott we will be able to meet a singer who has had a meteoric career, the ideal Don Giovanni for our age. The playing of the Italian ensemble Il Giardino Armonico has long been enjoyed not only by the cognoscenti. They are bringing to Budapest a wonderful early Handel oratorio, La Resurrezione. The international team of young soloists are all artists who could become big stars in the future. Virtuoso percussionist Evelyn Glennie is already a well known personality. The highly versatile artist regards her body as a resonator and generally performs barefoot because she feels the deep notes through the soles of her feet. Emma Kirkby, Michael Chance and the Florilegium early music ensemble are also coming from England. They will perform rare works by Vivaldi and Pergolesi. Nigel Kennedy and Paco de Lucía represent the peak of refined entertainment. In his latest programme Kennedy plays Baroque and jazz, Bach and Duke Ellington. Festival-goers can meet the master of stirring Andalusian rhythms and melodies, Paco de Lucía in the Palace of Arts. Admirers of Spanish temperament should definitely not miss the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía’s Lorca evening either. And for fans of modern dance we recommend the performance by the Arnie Zane Dance Company with choreographies by Bill T Jones. The year 2010 is bringing many musical history anniversaries and true to its traditions the Spring Festival is paying tribute to great achievements of the past with a rich programme.

Our Festival’s major project will be the fullest possible presentation of the oeuvre of Ferenc Erkel who was born 200 years ago. The programme features six of his operas: besides the popular Hunyadi László and Bánk bán, such rarely heard works as Sarolta, Dózsa György, Bátori Mária and Brankovics György. There will be introductory discussions before the performances with András Hajós, Mariann Falusi, Miklós Fáy, Sándor Fábry and Kentaur keeping the mood light. Encouraging social responsibility is one of the most important missions of the arts today and we too give priority to initiatives of this kind when we put together the programme for the Festival. A series of events titled “I Am Gypsy – I Am Hungarian” will present the work of creative artists of Roma origin. During the festival we are planning to hold the première in the Arizona Studio of Thália Theatre of Feather Picking, a new work by the young Roma actor-director Rodrigó Balogh dealing with the recent Roma murders as seen by Roma youth. An ensemble formed of young Roma musicians who have graduated from the Academy of Music has brought a new colour to the range of chamber ensembles. The Roma Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra will be playing a programme of popular Baroque concertos. On the same theme there will be an exhibition in the Karinthy Salon titled Roma Genre Scenes where visitors will be able to admire the works of Mara Oláh, a contemporary Roma painter. The International Theatre Festival was launched last year as a festival in the festival to fill a gap. Now, in co-operation with the National Theatre, we have invited companies experimenting in the theatre genre and internationally acclaimed productions. Operation : Orfeo, an unusual production by the Danish theatre company Hotel Pro Forma, is built up from the play of lights, sounds, movements and words. The Thalia Theater Hamburg is bringing a piece premiered in September by one of the most renowned directors, Luk Perceval. The truth about THE KENNEDYS, based on documents of the period, presents the major episodes in the 160-year history of the Kennedy family like a contemporary “royal drama”. Münchner Kammerspiele, voted theatre of the year by German critics, is bringing HIOB, a performance that meets daunting acting and directing challenges. The Zajc Croatian National Theatre (Rijeka) is coming with Turbo Folk, a mould-breaking play that shows the dark remnants of the Yugoslav legacy in a way that is both shocking and refined. The guest performance by the Inbal Pinto & Avshalom Pollack Dance Company, Hydra, was inspired by the Japanese tale and is a blend of dance, mime and acrobatics. The Hungarian première in the National Theatre will be Lear directed by Péter Gothár, in a new Hungarian translation by Dániel Varró. Come and celebrate with us the thirty-year-old Budapest Spring Festival!

Mor einformation: www.btf.hu