Speaking about Igor Stravinsky, Iván Fischer said: “For me, with his provocative, modern language, he embodies the character of the 20th century. He discovered new sounds, rhythms and harmonies and, above all, a highly intellectual, witty and humorous new musical style. In every genre, he created brilliant works that have remained modern to this day and have become favourites.”

For his neoclassical Violin Concerto from 1931, our Honorary Conductor has once again joined forces with our former Artist in Residence, Patricia Kopatchinskaja. After the interval comes the brilliantly orchestrated Concerto for Orchestra, in whose five movements his compatriot Béla Bartók skilfully blended Western musical tradition with Hungarian folk music in 1943 – a literary home run for Iván Fischer!