Chief Conductor Riccardo Frizza opened the 80th Anniversary season of the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra on 20 September, leading a spectacular concert in Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt Academy Hall. Frizza brought the audience on a fascinating journey to Italy through the Hector Berlioz’s Harold en Italie and Giuseppe Verdi’s Quattro Pezzi Sacri.
Frizza said, “After a year of intense work, our programmes have become even more mindful towards diversifying the repertoire and highlighting the virtuosity of each individual musician and that of the orchestra as a whole. It’s no coincidence that we will end 2023 with the Jubilee Concert to celebrate the orchestra’s 80th anniversary. The programme will include three challenging pieces entrusted to three conductors: I have chosen to conduct Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss, the pinnacle of orchestral technique, constructive knowledge and nostalgic beauty.”
Frizza returns to conduct the orchestra on 1 October in a programme featuring Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture Op. 80, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique” and Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, performed by the phenomenal winner of The Cliburn competition, Yunchan Lim, on his first European appearance with orchestra. The concert will be live streamed on Bartok Radio.
On 19 December, Frizza will conduct the Orchestra’s Jubilee Concert, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Hungarian Radio Orchestra. The orchestra’s first public concert took place in 1943, conducted by Ernst von Dohnànyi.
Riccardo Frizza will also have the pleasure of conducting the Hungarian National Philharmonic and a stellar cast in a concert performance of Verdi Aida. The performance will take place on 26 October at the MUPA. Visit: mupa.hu for more information.
