Budapest Spring Festival (Budapesti Tavaszi Fesztivál)
12th-26th March, 2012

The Budapest Spring Festival takes place in the last two weeks of March every year. Besides Hungarian artists numerous international stars perform during the two-week event

The largest and most prestigious cultural festival in Budapest attracts many classical music, opera and jazz fans from all around the world.

The festival has developed into one of Europe's major cultural events with a series of opera, concert, ballet and theatrical performances.

You can choose from around 200 events from the festival's rich programme. We've selected a few to give you an impression about Budapest Spring Festival 2011.

There'll be orchestral concerts, chamber evenings, church concerts, opera performaces, musicals, folk dance, exhibitions and a range of other interesting programs. See the selection of programs below.

Orchestral Concerts During the Budapest Spring Festival 2011

Wiener Symphoniker
Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, 21st March, 19:30

Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
Hungarian State Opera House, 21st March, 19:30

Thomas Quasthoff (voice) and Camerata Salzburg
Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, 23rd March 19:30

Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso – concert performance
Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, 24th March, 19:30

An Evening with the Hungarian National Philharmonic on the Anniversary of Bartók’s Birth
Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, 25th March 19:30

Liszt: Christus
Palace of Arts - Festival Theatre, 29th March, 19:00 pm

Zubin Mehta and Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, 2nd April, 19:30 pm

Tickets for orchestral concerts are around 4000-8000 HUF (the cheapest tickets are 1500-300 HUFwhile the most expensive ticket costs 17000 HUF).

Other venues for orchestral concerts include the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, the Ceremonial hall of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on Roosevelt Square at the Chain Bridge.

Church Concerts - Budapest Spring Festival 2011

Church concerts will be performed in the Inner City St. Michael's Church and in St Stephen's Basilica.

Inner City St. Michael's Church Concerts

Zugló Philharmonia – King Stephen Symphony Orchestra and Oratorio Choir
Date: 28th march, 20.00
Tickets: 2500 HUF

Church Music of Franz Liszt
Date: 28th March, 20.00
Tickets: 2000 HUF

Slovak Philharmonic Choir
Date: 29th March, 20.00
Tickets: 3000 HUF

Szokolay 80 - Concert on the composer’s birthday
Date: 30th March, 20.00
Tickets: 2000 HUF

St Stephen's Basilica Concert

Kammerchor Stuttgart
Date: 30th March, 20.00
Tickets: 3500 HUF

The talented German chorus will perform the following pieces Liszt: Pater noster, Liszt: Psalm 13, Verdi: Quattro Pezzi Sacri

Opera, Operetta, Musical - Budapest Spring Festival 2011

Opera and Operetta perfomances will be held on the main Stage of the Thália Theatre (Nagymező u. 22-24., district VI.), in the Hungarian State Opera House and in the Budapest Operetta Theatre ((Nagymező utca 17., district VI.).

Opera Performances

Gyula Fekete: EXCELSIOR! – world première
The Ascension of Franz Liszt
Date: 18th March, 19.00
Venue: Thália Theatre (Nagymező u. 22-24., district VI.)
Tickets: 3900, 5900 HUF

and Franz Liszt going to Heaven
Date: 20th March 19.00
Venue: Thália Theatre (Nagymező u. 22-24., district VI.)
Tickets: 3900, 5900 HUF

Donizetti: Don Pasquale
Date: 19th March, 19.00 and 26th March 19.00
Venue: Hungarian State Opera House (Andrássy út 22., district VI.)
Tickets: 17900, 13700, 10200, 6200, 2800, 1900, 1000 HUF

Verdi: Macbeth – première
Date: 22nd March, 19.00
Venue: Hungarian State Opera House (Andrássy út 22., district VI.)
Tickets: 15800, 12500, 9300, 5700, 600 HUF

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
Date: 24th March, 19.00
Venue: Hungarian State Opera House (Andrássy út 22., district VI.)
Tickets: 12700, 10500, 8700, 5500, 2800, 1900, 1000 HUF

Liszt: Dante Symphony / Don Sanche – première
Date: 25th March, 19.00 and 27th March 19.00
Venue: Thália Theatre (Nagymező u. 22-24., district VI.)
Tickets: 3900, 5900 HUF

Verdi: Il Trovatore
Date: 1st April 19.00
Venue: Hungarian State Opera House (Andrássy út 22., district VI.)
Tickets: 12700, 10500, 8700, 5500, 2800, 1900, 1000 HUF

Operetta Performances

Johann Strauss: A Night in Venice, or War of the Balls – première
Date: 25th March, 19.00 and 26th March 19.00
Venue: Budapest Operetta Theatre (Nagymező utca 17., district VI.)

Folk Dance Programs - Budapest Spring Festival 2011

60 YEARS - Performance by the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble
Date: 22nd March 19.00
Venue: Thália Theatre - Main Stage (Nagymező u. 22-24., district VI.)

Franz Liszt in Pest-Buda
Date: 24th March, 19:30
Venue: Hungarian Heritage House (Corvin tér 8., district I., Buda)

100-Member Gypsy Orchestra
Date: 26th March at 15.00 and at 19.30
Venue: Thália Theatre - Main Stage (Nagymező u. 22-24., district VI.)

“Hear the Word!” – 30th Anniversary of the Dance House Gathering
Date: 1st April, 19.30
Venue: Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall

The 30th National Dance Houes Gathering & Arts and Crafts Fair will be held on 2nd-3rd April in the Papp László Budapest Sport Arena (Stefánia út 2., district XIV.).

This is a folk festival with lots of folk music, folk art, and dancing performed by both professionals and amateurs. The aim of the festival is introducing the rich folk heritage of the Hungarian people living in the Carpathian basin and the ethnic minorities of Hungary.