On April 14, the fourth Bartók Spring International Art Weeks came to an end with a concert by Oscar- and Grammy-winning world-famous Chinese composer Tan Dun, with more than 80 programs in sixteen different locations in Budapest, evoking the spirit of the eponymous Béla Bartók. The ten days of events included Hungarian premieres, dance theater premieres, record releases, film screenings, exhibitions, and concerts, reports Magyar Nemzet.
“The Bartók Spring International Art Weeks was founded with the aim of bringing Béla Bartók’s legacy to life through the art of today,” said Csaba Káel, Government Commissioner and President of the National Film Institute, summing up the essence of the event. “Nothing proves that we are on the right track than the fact that artists from America to China have come to pay tribute to the composer’s legacy through their art.” In addition to the great artists of the country, the festival was attended by artists from all over the world: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Macedonia, Monaco, Serbia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United States, Japan, Canada, China, and even Venezuela.
At this year’s event, there were several rounds of applause. Over the course of two nights at the Erkel Theater, more than 3,000 spectators cheered on the dancers of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, including Marianna Barabás of Hungarian origin, and multi-Grammy-winning jazz singer Samara Joy received a standing ovation from the audience. Japanese audiovisual artist Ryoji Ikeda performed for a full house, and Spiritualized’s first concert in Hungary was attended by fans and the world of popular music. Rudolf Buchbinder could not rest after playing all of Beethoven’s piano concertos, as there was a long queue of people waiting for his signature, just like after the joint concert of Söndörgő and the Kelemen Quartet.
Photo via Facebook/Müpa Budapest
Budapest Ritmo offered perhaps the most colorful program of recent years:
intimate concerts and exciting collaborations brought deep moments, messages of distant cultures, and a party, but also film screenings and professional programs during the three-day world music event.
A five-part creative poster series advertised the festival across Budapest, presenting an unparalleled performing arts experience. This year’s Bartók Spring Magazine was also published in print and online, the festival blog featured a number of interesting articles related to the program and Bartók, and behind-the-scenes videos were uploaded on Facebook and YouTube.
Fact
The Bartók Spring International Art Weeks, a unique series of all-arts events, was launched in spring 2021, on the 140th anniversary of the birth of the world-famous Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. Each year, the festival program offers a glimpse into Bartók’s fascinating oeuvre, but rather than exclusively showcasing the compositions of the world-famous artist, it aims to reflect Bartók’s spirit, creativity, and creative approach in a wide range of genres, from contemporary classical music to world music, jazz, dance, visual arts, and popular music, through the works of the best Hungarian and international artists.
Hungarian composer Béla Bartók (1881 – 1945) – Photo via Wikipedia.
The aim of the series of programs is to make Hungary an even more attractive destination for international cultural tourism in the coming years, in cooperation with Hungarian and European partner institutions.
Via Magyar Nemzet; Featured image via Facebook/Müpa Budapest
