Generations have enjoyed István Fekete’s 1937 novel, The Testament of the Aga of Koppány, and the film of the same title, which was made thirty years later. These works inspired Benjamin Eredics’s lively, eventful music for dance, in which the distinctive figures of the period and the romantic setting of the castles on the frontier are brought to life in the language of dance. The music of the piece compellingly blends the musical milieu of the late 16th century with folk music, the modern instrumental effects with the temperament of dance music. Replete with colour, this sumptuous world is conveyed by musicians who are at home in different styles, and the symphonic sound blends exhilaratingly with the tone of folk instruments. An awardee at Müpa Budapest’s 2020 Composition Competition, Benjamin Eredics’s work will be performed in its entirety for the first time at the Bartók Spring, while the choreographed dance theatre production will be premiered by the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble in the autumn, at the Liszt Fest.

This concert of the Bartók Spring is presented by Müpa Budapest as a joint event with Liszt Academy.