The Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1943 and its first conductor was the chief music director of Hungarian Radio, Ernő Dohnányi. It is one of Hungary’s leading orchestras and one of the most distinguished in Europe. Since its inception it has performed with many of the world’s greatest musicians, and has also toured four continents. The orchestra regularly performs and records the full spectrum of the symphonic-oratorio repertoire, from the Baroque to contemporary music. From 1993 to 2004, its chief music director was Tamás Vásáry who from 2005, took up the post of Honorary Life Music Director. From 2004, its principal conductor was László Kovács. Ádám Fischer took over this post for the 2005 / 2006 season and from September 2006, will be its principal music director.

The Hungarian Radio Choir was formed in 1950. The ensembles conductors have been Endre Székely, Darázs Árpád, Zoltán Vásárhelyi, Cecília Vajda, Imre Csenki, Ferenc Sapszon and Péter Erdei. Since 1992 their choirmaster has been Kálmán Strausz. The repertoire of the Hungarian Radio Choir encompasses all areas of choral music including opera and oratorio in addition to operetta and musicals. Classical and contemporary composers play a great role in the work of the choir. In 1985, the choir’s work was recognised with the Bartók-Pásztory prize. During its existence, the choir has worked with virtually the major world conductors: Antal Doráti, János Ferencsik, Lovro von Matačič, Kurt Masur, Paul Sacher, Peter Schreier, Eric Ericson, Yehudi Menuhin, Lamberto Gardelli, Tamás Vásáry, Giuseppe Patané and Marcello Viotti have all conducted the orchestra. In 2003-2004, the choir enjoyed a very successful tour of Transylvania and Slovakia.

Conductor Ádám Fischer was born in Budapest in 1949 and studied composition and conducting there, before continuing his studies at the Vienna Music College. His international career was launched when he won the Milan competition in 1973. Since then has been a regular guest at the world’s leading opera houses (Wiener Staatsoper, La Scala Milan, Met etc.) and festivals (Salzburg, Bregenz, Maggio Musicale etc.). His recordings, such as the complete Haydn symphonies, are also widely admired. For five years, he was the music director of the Kassel State Theatre and in Autumn 2000, was appointed director of the opera company of the Mannheim National Theatre. He is also a regular guest at the Bayreuth Festival. Ádám Fischer is the spiritus rector and artistic director of the Austrian-Hungarian Haydn Orchestra and Danish Radio Sinfonietta, and also inspired the series of events in homage to Gustav Mahler. He is the principal guest conductor of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra for the 2005/2006 season and from September 2006, will be its general music director.

Kálmán Strausz graduated from the Budapest Franz Liszt Music Academy where he studied with Zoltán Vásárhelyi and István Párkai. In 1974 he joined Hungarian Radio as an editor and from 1977 worked as the conductor of the Budapest Youth Choir and leader of the classical music department of Hungarian Television. He was artistic director of the Debrecen Kodály Choir between 1984 and 1991. He has won many competitions with his choirs; he has made records and television and radio recordings. He is a founder of the biannual Budapest InterNational Choir Competition and its artistic director. He is regularly asked to sit on juries at interNational Choir competitions (Debrecen Béla Bartók Choir Competition, the Stuttgart German Choir Competition, the Lawton University Singing Competition.) He has been a guest conductor in Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Israel, Japan and the United States. In April 1999, he was asked to rehearse the singers for a production of Verdi’s Luisa Miller in Barcelona. Since 1992 he has been the chief conductor of the Hungarian Radio Choir. In 1997 he received the Liszt Prize and in 2004, the Lajtha Prize.

You don’t have to go to Carnegie Hall to hear this phenomenal guitar duo.

According to the opera guide (György Sándor Gál), Puccini’s last opera is “mercilessly beautiful music, mercilessly new and precisely for this reason shattering in its effect.”

This big event of the Hungarian dance house movement and applied folk art attracts tens of thousands of people to the Arena every year.