At a press conference held on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the opening of Budapest’s iconic Palace of Arts, Director-General Csaba Káel pointed out that the decision was made to build the cultural hub under the first Orbán government, in 2012. He thanked both Zoltán Rockenbauer, the Minister of Culture at the time, and the building’s architect Gábor Zoboki for their contribution to the establishment of the capital’s outstanding cultural venue. Mr. Káel also said that a two-day series of events will be held this weekend to commemorate the anniversary, featuring Hungarian musicians and bands that defined the past ten years of the concert hall on the banks of the River Danube.
The press conference on Tuesday also saw the announcement of the Palace’s programme for the 2015/16 season, which will feature performances by world-class artists such as pianist Hélene Grimaud, violinist Gidon Kremer, cellist Sol Gabetta and opera singer Diana Damrau. The Vienna Philharmonic, the institution’s long-standing guest orchestra conducted by Valery Gergiyev and Herbert Blomstedt will take to the stage two times during the season and a jubilee concert will be held in celebration of world-famous Hungarian componist György Kurtág, who is to turn 90 years old in 2016.
The World Music Expo, organised in Central East Europe for the first time this year, promises to be one of the year’s top music venues. Over eighty orchestras from ninety countries spanning five continents will introduce themselves to the Hungarian public.
Budapest’s Palace of Arts was opened ten years ago, on 14 March 2005.
via mno.hu
photo: taximagazin.hu