DANISH PROGRAMS AT THE BUDAPEST SPRING FESTIVAL
[15 January 2010.]

The Budapest Spring Festival takes place for the thirtieth time between 19 March and 5 April in 2010, with the opportunity to finally say goodbye to frosty winter times. The special guest of this year’s festival is Denmark; therefore several Danish programs and performances will make the event more memorable.

The Royal Danish Ballet, which is one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe, is going to present both a classical and a modern work in order to enchant the audience with their fantastic dance.

The worldwide famous choir, called Ars Nova Copenhagen, is going to present a medley of old and new, archaic and modern songs as well. The Danish National Chamber Orchestra has the most varied repertoire among Danish orchestra’s covering music of the present time as well as classical music. Denmark’s only professional chamber orchestra usually performs on stage with ballet companies, rock and jazz bands.

In addition, their Mozart-interpretations are regarded as brilliant. Fans of chamber music may enjoy the performance of Trio con Brio Copenhagen performing a composition of Bent Sorensen, who is one of the representatives of the so-called new Danish music. The opening ceremony of the festival takes place in Ludwig Museum (a museum of contemporary arts), where fine works of Danish artists will be on exhibition. The exhibition named Power Games aims to investigate the relationship between today’s social and political problems with contemporary art.  

Dán Királyi Balett - Balanchine (Photo: Kyle Froman)

Ars Nova Copenhagen

Budapest Spring Festival 2010
„Our Guest Denmark”

Orchestral concerts

The Danish National Chamber Orchestra (Photo: Per Morte) March 20th Palace of Arts - Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, 7:30 pm The Danish National Chamber Orchestra Nielsen: Aladdin Suite Nielsen: Flute concerto Mozart: Two concert arias Mozart: Symphony in D major (“Haffner”), K 385 Conductor: Ádám Fischer With: Dóra Seres – flute Works by the famous Danish composer Carl Nielsen, a contemporary of Bartók, are conducted by Ádám Fischer, a compatriot of Bartók. The ambassadors of Danish music, the musicians of the Danish Radio Chamber Orchestra, will have their eyes on his baton. The ensemble founded in 1939 has the biggest repertoire of all Danish orchestras, ranging from light music to the most demanding forms of music. It plays in ballet productions, appears in the company of rock groups and its musicians are also at home in jazz. Their Mozart playing is simply brilliant. Ádám Fischer has given many highly successful concerts with the resident ensemble of Danish Radio and their major project of recording Mozart’s great operas and symphonies is being followed with special attention throughout the world. Our Guest Denmark (With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Danish Cultural Institute and The Danish Arts Agency.)

Chamber evenings

Trio con Brio (Photo: Tue Schiorring

March 22nd
Festetics Palace, Hall of Mirrors, 7:30 pm
Trio con Brio Copenhagen
Bent Sorensen: Phantasmagoria (2007)
Ravel: Piano trio in A minor
Smetana: Piano trio in G minor, op. 15
Members of the ensemble: Soo-Jin Hong – violin, Soo-Kyung Hong – cello, Jens Elvekjaer – piano
The group formed in Vienna in 1999 has participated with success in a number of international competitions and has appeared in prestigious concert halls all over Europe. In addition to popular works, at the Budapest concert they will perform a composition by Bent Sorensen. The renowned Danish composer is not entirely unknown to Hungarian audiences: several of his works were heard in 2008, at the Arcus Temporum festival in Pannonhalma.

http://www.trioconbrio.dk/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60OP2IXRfFg&hl=hu
Our Guest Denmark

(With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Danish Cultural Institute and The Danish Arts Agency.)

Church concerts

March 21st
Inner City St Michael's Church, 8:00 pm
Ars Nova Copenhagen
Arvo Pärt and Tudor music
Taverner: Kyrie Leroy
Taverner: Gloria from “The Western Wind” Mass
Arvo Pärt: Most Holy Mother of God
Christmas carols: Nativity Carols
There Is No Rose (Anon. C15)
Ah My Dear Son
This Enders Night (Anon. c. 1500)
Arvo Pärt: Magnificat

Arvo Pärt: The Deer’s Cry
Tallis: The Lamentations (Part I)
Arvo Pärt: Morning Star
Byrd: Agnus Dei (from the Mass for Four Voices)
Conductor: Paul Hillier

The Danish chorus in inspiring touch with early (mediaeval and Renaissance) and contemporary music is one of the best known vocal ensembles. Since 2002 they have been working under the direction of the famous British conductor, Paul Hillier. Their concert promises to be one of the greatest experiences of the festival. Ars Nova Copenhagen have made many recordings arousing great international interest and since their establishment have given more than a thousand concerts in Europe, Israel, Japan, South America and the United States. Choirmasters have included Bo Holten and Hungarian-born Tamás Vető. Peter Philips (The Tallis Scholars), Bruno Turner (Pro Cantione Antiqua) and of course Paul Hillier (The Hilliard Ensemble, Theatre of Voices) have worked with the chorus. Among the great masters of earlier ages mainly the works of Josquin, Tallis, Lasso, Palestrina and Taverner form the core of their repertoire, but they have also helped audiences to discover the art of Pierre de la Rue, Nicolas Gombert, Philipe de Magalhaes, Giaches de Wert and Jacob Obrecht. The contemporary composers include both Scandinavians (Per Norgard, Ib Norholm, Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, Sven-David Sandstrom, Poul Ruders, Hans Abrahamsen) and world famous composers (Takemitsu, Gorecki, Pärt, Terry Riley, John Cage) and Ars Nova Copenhagen have given the first performance of many new works. The chorus is not averse to crossover experiments either and has already worked with renowned jazz musicians (including Jan Gabarek, Palle Mikkelborg, Pierre Dorge, Marilyn Mazur and Egberto Gismonti).

http://www.arsnova.dk
Our Guest Denmark

(With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Danish Cultural Institute and The Danish Arts Agency.)

Dance

March 19th
Hungarian State Opera House, 7:00 pm
Royal Danish Ballet
Bournonville: La Sylphide
Choreography: August Bournonville
Music: H.S. Lovenskiold
Set design: Mikael Melbye

Balanchine: Symphony in C
Choreography: George Balanchine
Staging: Merrill Ashley and Stacey Cadell assisted by Heidi Ryom and Anne Holm Peyk Jensen
Music: George Bizet
Costume Design: Annette Norgaard
Bournonville: La Sylphide
A sylph is an ethereal being that has inhabited European mythology since the ancient Greeks. They are born of pure air and retain their ravishing and seductive beauty for more than 300 years. Sylphs are akin to elf girls and mermaids; they are supernatural, mystical beings that pose grave danger to the souls and minds of men.
A sylph cannot be possessed and may never be touched with erotic intent, lest they lose their crystalline wings and perish.

Balanchine: Symphony in C.
A brilliant, virtuous, and sophisticated rush of classical ballet will bring the evening to a close when the entire company stages Symphony in C, which is one of the great finale ballets of the international repertoire and among Balanchine’s finest works.
http://www.kglteater.dk/
Our Guest Denmark

(With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Danish Cultural Institute and The Danish Arts Agency.)

March 20th
Palace of Arts - Festival Theatre, 7:00 pm
Royal Danish Ballet
Othello
Choreography: Louise Midjord
Music: Zaki Youssef
Set and Costume Design: Nicolaj Spangaa
Light Design: Mikael Sylvest
Dramaturg: Camille Hübbe
There is so much to lose and Othello loses everything! Love, his footing… himself.
For years he has endeavoured to belong, and has succeeded. Now he is part of the Venetian social elite, a successful leader and married to the city’s it-girl. But cracks soon appear in the façade when the scorned Jago starts to work on Othello’s shaky self-esteem.
Choreographer Louise Midjord, composers Zaki and Gabriel Flies and set designer Nicolaj Spangaa put a new spin on Shakespeare’s immortal tragedy in a special staging for the very young at the Royal Danish Playhouse, Portscenen.

http://www.kglteater.dk/
Our Guest Denmark

(With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Danish Cultural Institute and The Danish Arts Agency.)

March 22nd, 23rd
National Theatre - Main Stage, 7:00 pm
Operation : Orfeo
Guest performance by Hotel Pro Forma
With: Lisbeth Sonne Andersen – dance, Baiba Berke – voice, Latvian Radio Choir
Conductor: Sigvards Klava
Choreography: Anita Saij
Lighting: Maja Ravn, Jesper Kongshaug
Costumes: Annette Meyer
Technical director: Jesper Sonderstrup

A joint programme with the National Theatre.

Hotel Pro Forma (Photo: Roberto Fortuna)

The Danish company offers an unusual form of performance, artistic and natural, an unforgettable, unique experience. Hotel Pro Forma operates in an unknown territory to be conquered, on the border of art and non-art, simultaneously theatre and the denial of theatre. It is both physical and metaphysical, cerebral and intuitive, concrete and abstract. Precisely for these reasons the performance constantly roam among different forms, opera, theatre, concert and visual arts.

http://www.hotelproforma.dk
http://www.hotelproforma.dk/side.asp?side=2&id=411&ver=uk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0djxO9WyJ4w
Our Guest Denmark
(With the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the Danish Ministry of Culture, the Danish Cultural Institute and The Danish Arts Agency.)

Exhibitions

March 19th
Ludwig Museum, 3:00 pm
Power Games
Contemporary art from Denmark
PowerGames aims to create a space for showing a wide range of approaches that problematize the relations between art and its political and social impact, its possible influence on our community. Featuring already existing and commissioned new works made by Danish artists and artist groups, the exhibition endeavours to open a dialogue and to give Hungarian audiences access to attitudes that shape common thinking and responsible behavior, exploring critical points on relevant and topical social and economic issues. PowerGames wishes to challenge our understandings of nationality, tolerance, responsible social and political thinking, and the role of contemporary art in our changing world. The exhibition attempts to investigate and reflect on a number of themes, ranging from social rights, disposition of power in society and social construction of identity, through economical and climate issues to the border between the public and the private space. It also attempts to address the issue of emerging nationalism, as well as the relation and interaction between history and memory and how they are constructed notions. The works featured at the exhibition investigate the territories and borderlines as they appear in the social landscape of today and show new spaces and possibilities of action, alternatives in relation to the society we are part of, challenging a number of power structures in various ways.
Curated by Kati Simon
Our Guest Denmark
March 19–May 30

March 19th
National Széchényi Library, 4:00 pm
Mask Games
Exhibition and series of programmes in the National Széchényi Library
The “MASK GAMES” programmes give a glimpse mainly into 19th-20th century Danish literature (Andersen, Jacobsen, Kierkegaard, Hoeg, Jensen), as well as the most prominent representatives of contemporary Danish music and dance in documents published for the domestic public. Visitors can also see a selection of works by the leading Danish filmmaker (Lars von Trier).

The following exhibitions can be seen during the programme:

- The travelling exhibition organised for the centenary of the Society of Danish Graphic Artists (2009) presents the work of 116 Danish graphic artists.

- The Karen Blixen commemorative exhibition pays tribute to the memory of the grande dame of Danish literature, presenting the writer’s unusual career and her main works.

- The selection of works of Danish literature published in Hungarian from the collection of the National Széchényi Library gives a glimpse into the range of Danish works available to Hungarian readers.
Our Guest Denmark
March 19–April 10

March 19th
Hungarian Fine Arts University, Barcsay Hall Barcsay Hall, 4:00 pm
Silent Signs
Following the concept of an international exhibition held in Denmark, the Hungarian Fine Arts University deals with minorities and intolerance related to minorities. A Minority Report: Challenging Intolerance in Contemporary Denmark was part of the interdisciplinary programme of the Aarhus Contemporary Art Festival, where 116 artists dealt with the theme of intolerance and exclusion.
In conjunction with the Spring Festival’s themes “Our guest Denmark” and “Roma theme in fine art”, the exhibition focuses on minorities of the Central European region, including the Romas, approaching them with the concept and methodology of the Minority Report examining minority existence. Following the concept of the Danish model, the Hungarian exhibition places the emphasis on the parallel existence of different voices, the colourful, heterogeneous appearance in society and the arts.
Our Guest Denmark
March 19–April 12

March 21st
Museum of Applied Arts
Casket of Denmark
March21st - April 11th

March 23rd
Gallery Museion No. 1
Hot Spots
March23rd – April 5th

March 25th
Csók István Gallery
Denmark in Images and Music
On the theme of “Our guest Denmark”, the exhibition Denmark in Images and Music is being held with the motto “Musical postcard from Denmark” with the participation of members of the Hungarian Art Studio Society.
Members of the society: Árpád Balázs (composer), János Giczy (painter), György Kiss (sculptor), Tamás Vilmos Kovács (painter), Kinga Villő Mara (painter), Gábor Nagy (actor), Mária R. Török (arts manager), Mária Raunio (painter), József Szentgyörgyi (painter), Boldizsár Szmrecsányi (BOLDI) (sculptor), Ernő Tóth (painter), Gábor Véssey (painter).

Danish children’s and folk songs arranged by Árpád Balázs will be heard at the opening, while the artists are creating variations on themes from the tales of Andersen.
Our Guest Denmark
March 25–April 8

March 25th
Nessim Gallery
Danish Light Waves
Contemporary Photographers from Denmark – Inner Journeys
The Budapest Gallery and the Nessim Gallery are holding a double exhibition of work by the most striking artists of contemporary Danish photography.

In the Nessim Gallery a selection from the latest series by Trine Sondergaard and Torben Eskerod can be seen.

Trine Sondergaard is one of the most productive Danish photographers. For close to 15 years her series reflecting constantly renewing approaches have been catching public attention from Japan to New York, from Istanbul to Essen. She was awarded the Albert Renger-Patzsch Prize for her first documentarist series and in 2006 the ParisPhoto special prize.

For many years Torben Eskerod has focused his attention on the human face. What is interesting for him is not the faces of friends and strangers but all representations related to the human face: statues, death masks, portraits. An album of his works was published in autumn 2009, based on his latest series titled Campo Verrano.
Our Guest Denmark
March 24–May 2

March 25th
Budapest Gallery
Danish Light Waves
Contemporary Photographers from Denmark – Possible Meaning
On the theme of “Our Guest Denmark”, the Budapest Gallery in co-operation with the Nessim Gallery is holding a double exhibition of works by the most striking contemporary Danish photographic artists.

Two widely differing artists can be seen side by side in the Budapest Gallery.
Ebbe Stub Wittrup uses found images to create a possible reality that certainly never existed. The image created becomes the symbol of a situation that never was.
In contrast Charlotte Haslund-Christensen’s images are almost like a diary. They could be a tourist’s botched photos except that they reveal a very clear conception. Charlotte Haslund-Christensen leaves no doubt that every single image is also a stand taken.
Our Guest Denmark
March 24–May 2