Róbert Farkas & Liszt Academy Symphony Orchestra Presented by Liszt Academy

November 14 marks a defining milestone and a celebratory day for Hungarian musical culture: it was on this date in 1875 that the Liszt Academy first opened its doors. This festive evening, performed by the university’s own symphony orchestra, pays tribute to the institution’s legendary figures with a programme spanning from Romanticism to the present day.

The concert opens with the monumental Prometheus by the academy’s founder, Ferenc Liszt – a work originally conceived as an overture to a drama by Herder. Representing the next generation is Ernő Dohnányi, a former student, professor, and Director of the institution; his American Rhapsody dates from his years across the Atlantic. This is followed by the elemental and timeless Dances of Marosszék by Zoltán Kodály, whose legacy remains inextricably linked to the institution.

The programme’s arc is completed by a suite from the ballet Faust, the Damned by László Dubrovay, a Liszt Academy alumnus and one of the most significant voices in contemporary Hungarian music. The evening also features a notable debut: this marks the first time the internationally acclaimed conductor Róbert Farkas takes the podium to lead the university’s orchestra.