The second edition of the Bach Bridges Festival at BMC has been realised in cooperation with musicians of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and Festivallinks with the artistic direction of Michael Gieler and Péter Szabó. In Festivallinks a number of European music festivals cooperate to create innovative artistic content, which will travel across Europe between 2018 and 2020.

Bach Bridges I. - Crossing Borders
3. October 19:30 at BMC Concert Hall

The first part of the concert is brought to you by Hiljaisuus Festivaali, based in the very north of Finland. Their programs combine old and contemporary music with acrobatics. Circus artists and musicians join forces to find new forms of poetic expression. Trumpet player Miroslav Petkov and pianist Dimitar Bodurov feel equally comfortable playing Bach as they are in jazz or avant-garde electronic music. Nevertheless they always stay close to their own musical roots: Bulgarian folk music. Musical friends from the Budapest Festival Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from Amsterdam join them on a unique musical journey.

Bach Bridges Extra: Gloire
4. October 13:30 at BMC Concert Hall

Directed by Michael Curtiz, the Academy Award winning director of Casablanca, Gloiretells the epic tale of Napoleon Bonaparte. The silent movie inspired Didier Benetti to compose a new score which will be performed live at BMC alongside the movie screening. Gloire was originally presented at the Sorru in Musica Festival in Corsica.

Bach Bridges II. - Ladies Night
4. October 19:30 at BMC Concert Hall

In collaboration with Bach Festival Dordrecht (the Netherlands) and the International Bach Festival (Gran Canaria)

Cellist Lidy Blijdorp has been recognized internationally both for her refined playing and her original artistic choices. Her musical dialogue with cymbal-player Vasile Luca proves her status as one of the most interesting young musicians from the Netherlands. The second half of the program represents the International Bach Festival from Gran Canaria. After Bach’s joyful 4th Brandenburg Concerto it will feature a world-premiere with a new work from Finnish composer Lotta Wennäkoski. We round off the evening with the great Spanish singer Esther Alfonso da Costa and the seductive sounds of Astor Piazzolla.

Bach Bridges III. - Concertante
5. October 19:30 at BMC Concert Hall

The original meaning of word concerto means competition. Our Concertante program is a friendly battle between giants: Bach versus Vivaldi. Back in the old days Vivaldi had the status of a rock star. His fresh style inspired many colleague-composers, including Bach. Today we all love Bach’s works, such as his Concerto for two violins. But we are just as happy to introduce to you the delightful concerto for two cellos with Péter Szabó and Lidy Blijdorp or the extravagant Concerto Grosso Mogul, played by the South-Korean violinist Jae-won Lee.

With the kind support of:

Festivallinks • Music Stages • NKA - Nemzeti Kulturális Alap • Nemzetközi Szabó Csaba Társaság • TelepART