Palace of Arts Prepares for 15th Anniversary

The Palace of Arts (Müpa) in Budapest is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its opening this year with renowned artists, extraordinary collaborations and special programs, the CEO of the institution Csaba Káel told the Hungarian news agency MTI.

The start of the new year at one of the region's most important performing arts centers was marked by the staging of Haydn's large, full-house oratory, ‘The Creation’.

"In March 2020, the 15th anniversary of the opening of the Müpa will mark the anniversary of excellence in international art," the CEO said, adding that twenty-two times Grammy Award-winning jazz legend Chick Corea is composing a new work in the honor of Béla Bartók, one of his favorite composers. This will be heard by the Budapest audience in Müpa on March 24.

In the first half of the year, renowned artists perform at the institution. German singer and actress Ute Lemper will arrive at the Müpa on February 13 with her evening show dedicated to Marlene Dietrich. Then, on May 7, the Dresden Staatskapelle orchestra will be conducted by Christian Thielemann, with Rudolf Buchbinder as the evening's soloist who will also be on stage the next day with the Dresden Staatskapelle chamber formation. Kirill Petrenko and the Berlin Philharmonic will also visit Müpa, and a musical marathon to be launched jointly with the Budapest Festival Orchestra this year will provide a glimpse into Beethoven's lifework. Bellini's The Sleepwalker, directed by Csaba Némedi and conducted by Riccardo Frizza, is to be heard in February, featuring the Czech coloratura soprano with Zuzana Markova.