Budapest Festival Orchestra sprinkles fairydust over London

Iván Fischer, Ákos Ács and the Budapest Festival Orchestra

Iván Fischer, Igor Levit and the Budapest Festival Orchestra

By Roy Westbrook, 12 March 2025

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“Principal Clarinet Ákos Ács was superb, delightfully idiomatic”

Reviewed at Royal Festival Hall, London on 11 March 2025

Prokofiev, Overture on Hebrew Themes, Op.34

Prokofiev, Piano Concerto no. 2 in G minor, Op.16

Schumann, Kinderszenen, Op.15: Der Dichter spricht

Prokofiev, Cinderella Suites Op.107 - 109: selection

Prokofiev, Symphony no. 1 in D major "Classical", Op.25 (Gavotte)

Igor Levit, Piano

Ákos Ács, Clarinet

Budapest Festival Orchestra

Iván Fischer, Conductor

Clarity and communion in Budapest Festival Orchestra’s Mahler 3

Michelle Assay, 12th February

On the final leg of their North American tour, the Budapest Festival Orchestra’s Mahler proves a a transformative experience within the intimate setting of Toronto’s Koerner Hall.

*****

Budapest Festival Orchestra plays – and sings – at Carnegie Hall

Susan Stempleski, 6th February

Joined by violinist Maxim Vengerov, the Hungarian orchestra, under Music Director Iván Fischer, is in top form in a program of three highly contrasting pieces.

****1

Budapest Festival Orchestra at the Elbphilharmonie

Mengguang Huang, 11th November

Iván Fischer and Alina Ibragimova transform familiar works into a vivid experience. From Beethoven’s Violin Concerto to Strauss’ Josephs Legende, the orchestra dazzles with colour, energy and cinematic intensity.

****1

Unseduced: Don Giovanni opens the Budapest Festival Orchestra season

Orsolya Gyárfás, 9th September

Iván Fischer's reworking of his 2017 production of Don Giovanni is musically capable, but dramatically unconvincing.

***11

Bluebeard at the Proms with Iván Fischer and the BFO

Roy Westbrook, 6th August

The evening starts with life-affirming Beethoven – and then, the Budapest Festival Orchestra demonstrate just how good native Hungarians can be in Bartók’s chiller.

*****

Earth-shattering Mahler 2 from the Budapest FO at the Mahler Festival

Clare Varney, 11th May

As part of the Concertgebouw's ambitious Mahler Festival, Christiane Karg, Anna Lucia Richter and the Netherlands Radio Choir join the Budapest Festival Orchestra for the Resurrection Symphony.

*****

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.

Budapest Festival Orchestra, Igor Levit and Iván Fischer sprinkle fairydust over London