Early in the new year, the concert offers genuine 20th-century music, which is no Avantgarde. The eponymous piece is a violin concerto whose music is rooted in the Oscar-winning soundtrack of the movie The Red Violin. Corigliano’s work is deservedly popular, and now the Pécs-based audience can also enjoy it live, interpreted by the acclaimed violinist, Elina Vähälä.

Bernstein’s Candide was inspired by Voltaire’s 18th-century writing, while its music is clearly 20th-century American. The popular overture of this light-weight opera, or as indicated, ‘operetta’, is followed by John Corigliano’s Violin Concerto. The movie The Red Violin recounts the exciting life of a centuries-old violin. Strangely, it seems that the long and adventurous story is reflected in the entire programme: originally, the concert was scheduled for last year. Not only that, but even the closing piece had to be changed. Our artistic leadership had planned a real music treat when they picked Dohnányi’s unique Symphony No. 2. Finally, another Dohnányi piece, his Suite in F-sharp minor for orchestra – sometimes referred to as Suite Romantique – will feature on the stage. In fact, the grandiosity of its apparatus, its arrangement of movements could turn it into a symphony, and in a certain way, it is one. Yet, the intonation of the 1st movement evokes the mood of serenades. The variation movement in "Andante"  is a spectacularly orchestrated, dynamic, organically structured, continuously progressing composition. The sonority of the movement recalls the tone of symphonic poems or film scores. As usual, Dohnányi's glamourous work is of the highest quality, so, after a series of challenges, we sincerely hope to present our audience with a memorable musical experience.