Ferenc Liszt was an artist well ahead of his time who boldly chose the untrodden path: daringly experimenting with the possibilities of artistic virtuosity, he was also ready to draw on tradition. The Liszt Fest evokes the same spirit, which is why members of the press were introduced to the programme of the all-arts festival, which starts in less than a month, in an unusual setting: in one of the world’s leading chemistry teaching laboratories, the SuperSmartLab at the Faculty of Science of Eötvös Loránd University, itself a pioneer in chemistry training.

The attendants of the press conference could carry out chemical and physical experiments – play with colours, liquids, rhythmic reactions and sounds – to see how closely related the questions of art – and life – are.

In the classical music programme of the Liszt Fest, venerable tradition is well complemented by contemporary experimental, cross-genre thinking. Saluting the 90-year-old Steve Reich, the London Sinfonietta, which is considered one of the world’s best contemporary music ensembles, brings a programme to the Liszt Academy that includes a piece whose inspiration were Radiohead songs. The performance of the legendary Electric Counterpoint will feature Bálint Gyémánt on the guitar. The next day, The Cleveland Orchestra, whose numerous ties with Hungary include emotional ones, will come to Müpa Budapest with Franz Welser-Möst, who is in his twenty-fifth and final year at the helm of the world-famous ensemble, thereby surpassing – albeit with a tiny margin – the record set by the legendary George Széll, who was music director between 1946 and 1970. Along with a symphony each by Martinů and Brahms, their programme also includes Liszt’s Orpheus.

Vakhtang Kakhidze’s ambitious Requiem, which has been performed to resounding success in several cities across Europe, is informed by the unique sound of Georgian music. In this production, alongside the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra, the Cantemus Mixed Choir and the Budapest Academic Choral Society, the Rustavi Ensemble and the Chanters Quartet ensure an authentic rendition of the catchy Georgian melodies.

Liszt regarded the cimbalom more than just an instrument; for him, it was a key symbol of his Hungarian identity. At their joint concert in the BMC, Balázs Fülei and András Szalai will perform piano and cimbalom transcriptions of some of the composer’s late works.

One of the world’s leading symphony orchestras, the Elbphilharmonie’s resident ensemble is coming to Müpa Budapest with Alan Gilbert, who will conduct them through a programme of Brahms, Ravel and Liszt. In Brahms’ particularly challenging Piano Concerto No. 2, which Alan Gilbert has called a ‘lyrical monster,’ the solo part will be played by the Norwegian star pianist Leif Ove Andsnes.

The festival’s classical music programme is crowned by the performance of one of the eponymous composer’s most monumental works, the oratorio Christus. The Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Choir and outstanding international soloists, conducted by Gergely Kesselyák, will perform the work in its entirety, first at the Musikverein in Vienna, and then on 22 October at Müpa Budapest.

The pop and world music programme of the Liszt Fest also aims to break new ground. Autechre, one of the most influential acts in the international electronic music scene, is performing at the House of Music Hungary – in a darkened hall, as is their wont, because they consider the music itself as the event in which the audience can lose themselves completely.

The Snétberger Music Talent Centre, which supports disadvantaged talents, is celebrating its 15th anniversary at the Liszt Academy, where in a joint concert, past and present students and their teachers will explore different musical universes, from Baroque to contemporary music, and from jazz to pop.

Launched in 2022, Isolation Budapest continues to cater to those who are hungry for the music of the future now. Jointly presented by the Liszt Fest, Müpa Budapest and Akvárium Klub, this festival features, among others, Walter Astral from France, who blend psychedelic pop and acid techno; Prismala from Berlin, who combine neo-soul with alternative rock; Charlotte Colace, who draws on her French-Cuban roots; and Jeszcze from Poland, who venture into the many branches of electronic dance music.

The dance programmes explore themes of identity, change and tradition. The FrenÁk Company’s new show, FrenÉsie – RoadMovi(e)ng, explores the uncertainty of the future, standardization and human connections in a dynamic, whirling composition. The Duna Art Ensemble’s new production, Romany Face – Romangi faca, reveals another facet of the performing arts when it evokes the captivating diversity of the Roma culture of the Carpathian Basin through archaic dances, music, costumes and the inspiration of Roma poetry and visual arts.

Literature lovers will appreciate the chance to see Marcsi Tóth, the author of There’s a Forest Inside and the winner of last year’s Margó Prize, at her meet-the-writer event, and then the Autumn Margó Literary Festival will take up residence in the National Dance Theatre. Alongside leading figures from Hungarian literature, the programme also features international authors such as Bernardo Atxaga, Mart Kivastik, Grzegorz Musiał, Beatriz Serrano, Steinunn Sigurðardóttir and Karin Smirnoff. The Margó Prize will be presented for the twelfth time, and there will be numerous book launches. Also at the book festival, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary, MORDÁI will pay their tribute to the work of Ferenc Sebő; the musical show based on Tibor Noé Kiss’s novel, Thaw, can be enjoyed live; and there will be a literary-musical time travel over the past fifteen years.

The subjects that the visual arts events draw attention to run the gamut from the everyday to the long suppressed. The Ludwig Museum’s exhibition, Walk This Way: The Art of Walking, explores how walking can become a means of discovery, reflection and artistic creation, and how it can open up new perspectives on the physical and social spaces around us. The Hungarian National Gallery’s exhibition, Dedicated ones – Hungarian Women Artists in the First Half of the 20th Century, focuses on the stories of artists whose careers were hindered by both the social and institutional constraints of the period. Alongside well-known artists like Margit Anna, Valéria Dénes, Noémi Ferenczy and Anna Lesznai, the exhibition also features more than fifty lesser-known female creators.

Between 15 and 18 October, Art Market Budapest will welcome visitors to the MTK Sportpark with thousands of works of contemporary visual art and photography. In addition to some one hundred exhibitors from around thirty countries, Art Photo Budapest, one of the region’s most important international photography fairs, will make a return, while the ART+ event series and the sCULTURE open-air sculpture park will add further special attractions to this festival of the arts.