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Those who live in
Budapest are justly proud of their country's musical heritage. It's certainly no mean feat for such
a small nation to have produced two of the world's greatest 20th century composers in Zoltán
Kodály and Béla Bartók. And, in such an emotive city, where you start to think
that even taxi rides should be accompanied by a soul stirring rhapsody, it's not surprising to
learn that the classical music and opera scenes are flourishing here.
What's more, local appreciation isn't just limited to the nationalistic verve
of traditional folk songs sung late into the night after a few beers. All of the orchestras and
venues that existed during the Kádár years which, back then, relied heavily on state
subsidies, still exist today. And that's not because tourists keep these places afloat. Rather,
that Hungarians are a cultured bunch who, by and large, have not yet succumb to the western ideal
that going to a classical recital is a 'fairly extravagant' thing to do.
The same is also true of the opera. Unlike London or Sydney, tickets aren't
the sole remain of a select few. A royal box in the majestic State Opera House for instance costs
the princely sum of £25, while the cheapest seats start at only £5.
With an impressive number of decent venues, chances are that whatever time of
year you travel to Budapest, it won't be difficult to plan a great evening out. The impressive
Zeneakadémia, a huge arena near Oktogon, is the city's principle concert hall with acoustics
matched only by the MATÁV Zeneház (see below). Other halls, including the famous
Pesti Vigadó, are also listed below:
Budapest Congress Center (Budapesti Kogresszusi
Központ)
XII. Jagelló út 1-3, Tel: 372 5400, 372 5700, Fax: 372 5735,
Website: www.bcc.hu, Box office open 1:30pm-6pm
Wed, Fri and on performance days, Metro: M2 Déli pu, bus no.
8 and 112, tram 61
A large modern auditorium adjacent to the Novotel Hotel which functions as a conference centre as
well as concert hall. While it doesn't have the charm of the Zeneakadémia, the acoustics are
surprisingly good (certainly better than those of the Pesti Vigadó). Performance schedules
vary, so check listings on the BCC
website - which has performance listings for the next three months - or at Koncert Kalendárium (in
Hungarian only).
Bartók Béla Memorial House (Bartók
Béla Emlékház)
II. Csalán út 29, Tel/Fax: 394 4472, Website: www.bartokmuseum.hu, Bus 5, 29, Tickets on
sale during museum opening hours: 10am-5pm Mon-Fri (closed Mon)
One of the more intimate halls in Budapest, part of the house is also given over to the Belá
Bartók memorial museum. A concert series by the world famous Bartók String Quartet
takes place from September onwards (most Fridays). Arrangements from other guest groups make for
one of the most well-balanced and innovative programs around.
Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music (Zeneakadémia)
VI. Liszt Ferenc tér 8, Tel: 462 4600, Fax: 462 4616, Websites: www.musicacademy.hu and www.zakbk.hu, Metro: M1
Oktogon, Tram 4/6 to Király utca
Built at the turn of the 20th century, the Academy is without doubt Budapest's premier concert
hall. Art-Nouveau in style and with a huge auditorium seating 1200 people, the only real
alternative to a grand night out here is the State Opera House. The Zeneakadémia closes
during July and August, when the equally fine (but much smaller) Kisterem is used. Listings, which
can be found at Koncert
Kalendárium and Fidelio (both
Hungarian only) are also posted outside the hall's Király utca entrance.
Opera House (Operaház)
VI. Andrássy út 22, Tel: 353 0170, Website: www.opera.hu, Box office open: Mon-Sat
10am-5pm (or until the start of the programme on performance nights), Metro: M1 Opera
As Budapest's principle venue for opera and ballet productions, Miklós Ybl's fine
neo-Renaissance building has, over the years, played host to the likes of Ferenc Liszt and Gustav
Mahler. The main season here runs from September to mid-June and includes over 50 major
productions, many of which are familiar to opera lovers abroad. For tickets, it's advisable to book
a couple of days in advance, though cheaper seats are often available at the last minute.
Performance listings (which are posted in the main box office) are easy for foreigners to decipher -
unlike, it has to be said, the official State Opera House website, which is currently in Hungarian
only. Best then to book online via Jegymester (Ticketmaster) at: online.jegymester.hu
(English and Hungarian). See
also our sightseeing page for a detailed description of the Opera
House.
Vigadó (Pesti Vigadó)
V. Vigadó utca 5, Tel: 318 4619, Fax: 318 9167, Website: www.vigado.hu, Metro: M1
Vörösmarty tér
Although the acoustics of Budapest's second largest concert hall are sadly lacking, the building
itself (designed by Frigyes Feszl in 1859) makes a bold impression along the Pest embankment. Built
to replace another concert hall on the same site (which was destroyed by fire in the 1848 War of
Independence) Feszl's Vigadó was also badly damaged, this time during World War II. The
post-war reconstruction, which took some thirty-six years to complete, remains faithful to his
original design and continues to attract leading conductors and performers from around the world.
Performance schedules can be found at: www.vigado.hu/rendezv/index.htm.
VIII. Köztársaság tér 30, Tel: 333 0540, Box office
open: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm (or until the start of the programme on performance nights), Metro: M2 Blaha Lujza tér,
The other major venue for opera and ballet in Budapest, the Színház is neither as
grand or atmospheric as the State Opera House. Listings and online ticketing can be found at: online.jegymester.hu.
Elsewhere in Budapest
Between June and August, a whole host of temporary concert venues spring up,
bringing classical music to the masses. The beautiful outdoor setting of the Hilton Hotel's
Dominican Courtyard is the scene for recitals in July, while the nearby Mátyás
templom holds regular organ concerts until the end of September. Most impressive of all however, is
the Dome Hall of Budapest's Parliament building, which stages concerts on the second Friday of each
month, running from June to September. Other established venues in Budapest include St. Stephen's
Cathedral, the Óbuda Social Circle and the MATÁV Zeneház (home of the
MATÁV Symphony Orchestra).
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