Xpat Preview: Hungary's Top 7 Cultural Events In 2016

  • 4 Feb 2016 11:45 AM
Xpat Preview: Hungary's Top 7 Cultural Events In 2016
Classic music, folk traditions, contemporary cinema and much more – for sure a great selection of programmes will characterize 2016! We have collected 7 of the most exciting ones below, among them unusual folklore festivals, cool art programmes, and open-air opera events.

Busó Festival of Mohács (Busójárás) – Mohács, 4-9 February
 
Frightening furry figures say farewell to the winter at the town of Mohács, on the bank of the Danube. Besides the traditional programmes like the parade, the ritual burying of the winter, canon shooting and dancing we can also taste local culinary delicacies. Children can enjoy the music of Alma ensemble, can lear how to dance and also can try handcrafts, while adults will be entertrained by Kátya Tompos, lacework workshops and folk dance programmes.

Budapest Spring Festival – Budapest, 8-24 April

From year to year, more and more programmes await us at Budapest Spring Festival. This year a significant number of programmes pay tribute to Ferenc Liszt: not only Christus oratory will be preformed, but we can also enjoy artworks which were inspired by the master. Among them Faust, the damned by László Dubrovay, presented for the firtst time for the public. On the premiere dancers of the Ballet of Pécs will also perform.

In 2016 we also celebrate 135th anniversary of the birth of Béla Bartók. Viola Concerto of Bartók, presented by David Robertson and Kim Kashkashian, will also be performed during of the Festival.

Budapest Summer Festival – Budapest, 1 June – 31 August

Margitsziget and OpenAir Theater of Városmajor will host one of the most vivant summer event: Budapest Summer Festival. We can enjoy Verdi's Traviata at Margitsziget, and The Three Tenors will also give a concert – this time a world premiere!

The Night of Museums – Countrywide 25 June

'Heroes, explorers, conquerors' – in 2016 this will be the motto of The Night of Museums. The aim of the organisers is to show that everyone has some kind of hidden values. Even in the smallest local collections we can find memories of a personality who's life can be exemplary for the wider public. And as everything during history, art is renewing itself again and again.

Many Hungarian artists have created wonderful treasures of fine and applied arts. If we haven't done yet, it's time to visit one of the most popular museums of the countryside outside Budapest, or to explore some yet unknown galleries.

Open-Air Festival in Szeged – Szeged, 1 July-27 August

Mamma Mia! and the Flying Dutchman of Wagner both fit into the selection of programmes of the Open-Air Festival in Szeged! The Last Dance of Dracula, performance of Hungarian National Dance Ensemble will be a real cultural delicacy, and favourite of 2015, The Comedy of Errors will also be included again in the repertoire.

Pro tip: It's worth returning to Szeged in the autumn too, during the XII. Szeged Autumn Festival of Jewish Culture.

Festival of Folk Arts – Budapest, 18-21 August

We can abound in vitreous enamel jewellery, blue-dying, lavandel stuffed pillows and many other types of beautiful handcrafted products during the 30th Festival of Folk arts in Budapest. After exploring the methods of the blacksmiths or the brushmakers, we can enjoy folk music concerts and performances of comedians.

Café Budapest – Budapest, October 2016

Contemporary art festival Café Budapest will offer programmes of new-wave circus to contemporary design, from opera to electric music, from fashion to children's show. Cinemas, cafés, open-air join the series of events, thus creating one of the biggest contemporary art festivals.

Source: gotohungary.com

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