kamara.hu /5 Presented by Liszt Academy

Frida and Diego, Clara and Robert, Izabella and Dénes – inspiring romances and extraordinary legacies. To open the 2026 Kamara.hu Festival, the legendary partnership of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera finds its musical mirror in the works of the Schumanns, performed by the festival’s own husband-and-wife artistic directors.

A Swiss composer’s musical reimagining of a Frida Kahlo painting, a Czech masterpiece rooted in Slavic folk song, a song cycle based on the verses of a Russian poet, and a French take on Spanish dance music – all brought to life by an international ensemble. This vibrant programme marks the finale of the 2026 Kamara.hu festival’s tribute to the legendary Mexican artist.

Frida Kahlo’s painting The Broken Column bears witness not only to her lifelong physical suffering but specifically to the injuries from the bus accident that changed her life forever. David Philip Hefti has translated this iconic image into a work for string quartet, receiving its Hungarian premiere tonight. In Dvořák’s contribution, the focus shifts to folk roots, mirroring Frida’s own passion for her heritage and her signature Tehuana traditional dress.

Shostakovich’s song cycle reflects the trajectory of Frida’s own life: shifting between the tragic and the idyllic, filled with imagery, folk influences, and, of course, passion. To bring the festival to a resounding close, we hear the world-famous Bolero, performed in the composer’s own arrangement for piano four-hands.

The artistic directors dedicate this year’s festival to the memory of Imre Földes, the beloved and highly respected professor of the Liszt Academy, who passed away recently.