Holiday Concerts in Budapest

Classical Concerts at Christmas, New Year’s Day

A series of Christmas and New Year concerts will be held in various venues in Budapest in 2020/2021: festive performances in the

• Danube Palace,
• the Vigadó
• the Basilica,
• St. Michael Church in Váci utca
• and in other churches

Quick Links:

Christmas Gala Concerts – New Year Concerts – Cathedral & Church Concerts

Nothing will put you in a joyous year-end holiday mood than a great concert in a sacred venue.

Budapest has quite a few lovely churches, elegant concert halls where a wide variety of concerts are held each year.

The choice of classical music performances is even greater during the festive season. Here’s a list of our favourite concerts around Christmas and New Year’s Eve/Day.

Christmas Gala Concert in Danube Palace

Date & Time: 25. December 2020. at 17.00 and 20.00,

Duration: 2 x 45 minutes

Location: Duna Palota, Zrínyi utca 5., district V.

Ticket prices:

Enjoy a symphony concert by Mozart, Liszt or Gershwin

• in a unique way, combined with
• a Hungarian cimbalom (hammered dulcimer: a wooden box in trapezoid shape with metal strings stretched on its top, see the photo in the left) play.

Cimbalom is a percussion folk instrument widely-used in Central and Eastern Europe that enhances a traditional classical music concert rewarding the audience with a memorable experience.

Operetta songs and balett performances by professional dancers enhance the festive program.

You can be part of this experience now on a cc. 90-minute concert during Christmas time in Budapest.

Concerts start at 20.00, and consist of two parts, 40-45 minutes each, with a small break in between.

Gala Concert + opt. Danube Tour with Dinner

Date & Time: 27. December & 30. December 2020., 17.00 and 20.00,

optional Cruise starts at 22.00

TIP: Enjoy two programs for less by booking the a Gala Concert together with a sightseeing boat trip with buffet meal.
This way you’ll not only have a wonderful evening but save some money by booking the two programs as a package.

Tickets:

• Full price: 3. cat: 76 EUR, 2. cat: 80 EUR 1. cat: 84 EUR,
• Student: 3. cat: 74 EUR, 2. cat: 77 EUR, 1. cat: 82 EUR

Christmas Concerts – Palace of Arts, Basilica & Churches in Budapest

J. S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, 25. December, Palace of Arts

Date & Time: 19. December/Saturday, 19.30 – 22.45

Venue: MÜPA, Palace of Arts, Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, Address: Komor Marcell sétány 1., distr. IX.

Tickets: 3 300 HUF, 4 500 HUF, 5 900 HUF, 7 900 HUF, 9 900 HUF

Conductor: György Vashegyi

Featuring: Julia Doyle – soprano, Marianne Beate Kielland – mezzo-soprano, Eric Stoklossa – tenor, Johannes Weisser – bass

The Purcell Choir together with the Norwegian Baroque Orchestra will perform Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, a musical retelling of the birth of Jesus.

See more details about the program on the Mupa’s official site.

Advent Concerts in St. Stephen’s Basilica

Venue: St. Stephen’s Basilica, Szt. István tér, district V.

Nothing beats a church concert around Christmas time to help you get in the holiday mood and the city’s largest temple is perfect place for listening to classical music.

Enjoy this wonderful concert series and the stunning architecture of the Basilica.

Organ Concert Series in the Basilica

Dates:

• November 2020: 07, 14, 21, 28,
• December 2020: 05, 12, 19, 28, and
• 03. January 2021.

The program of the concert was adapted by Miklós Teleki.

Together with Virágh András, they belong to some of the best organ artists in Hungary.

The arias of the program are performed by Kolos Kováts, one of the most famous concert and oratorio singers in Hungary.

A flute piece performed by Eleonóra Krusic makes the concert

Find out about other organ concerts in Budapest!

Program:

• J. S. Bach: Toccata Air
• G. F. Haendel: Oratorio Messiah – Rejoice
• T. Albinoni: Sonata di Chiesa
• G. F. Haendel: Xerxes – Largo
• A. Vivaldi: The four seasons – Largo from winter
• Ch. Gounod: Ave Maria
• C-M Widor: Toccata from the Organ Symphony No. 5 Op. 42 No. 1
• F. Liszt: Ave Maris Stella
• T. Albinoni: Adagio
• C. Franck: Panis Angelicus
• J. Massenet: Thais Meditation
• F. Schubert: Ave Maria
• W. A. Mozart: Alleluja from Exultant, Jubilate

Händel: Judas Maccabeus, St. Michael Church

Date & Time: 21. and 28. December 2020, 20.00 – 21.30

Address: Váci u. 47., 1056 Bp., in Váci Street

Tickets:

• full price: 18 EUR
• students: 16 EUR

Can be bought on the spot every day from 10.00 am.

Handel’s oratorio will be performed by the ETUNAM Chamber Choir with organ player Gábor Szotyori Nagy and conductor András Virágh.

Program:

J. S. Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Air
J. Arcadelt Ave Maria
A. Vivaldi Concerto in A Minor – I. Allegro
W. A. Mozart Ave verum
W. A. Mozart Benedictus sit Deus
Gruber-Harmat

Silent night
Liszt Ferenc Weihnachten – In dulci jubilo, Adeste fideles
C. Franck Panis angelicus
J. S. Bach Fugue in D Major
J. S. Bach Magnificat – Suscepit Israel
G. F. Händel Judas Maccabeus – See, the conqu’ring hero comes
G. F. Händel Hallelujah

Advent Concerts, Inner City Franciscan Church

Address: Ferenciek tere 9. (Belvárosi Ferences templom)

Do visit the church in the weeks preceding the year-end-holidays beacuse it will be home to some great festive concerts.

Jubilee Concert of the Franciscan Church’s Cantorate, 21. December, 19.30

Entry: free

Program:

• J.P. Sweelinck Cantiones Sacrae (part)
• Advent and Christmas motets by G. Dufay, G.P. da Palestrina, A. Scarlatti and others

Nativity with the Kecskés Ensemble, 24. December/Christmas Eve

Time: 15.00

Christmas Eve Organ Concert, 24. December, 23.00

Entry: free

Organ recital performed by László Deák and Mónika Kecskés.

New Year Concerts at Various Venues

TIP: New Year’s Eve Gala Celebration in Danube Palace

Date & Time: 31. December 2020, 19.00

Celebrate the coming of 2020 on a festive gala concert with full-service dinner and bar in the historic Duna Palota near the Basilica.

• Following the multiple-course dinner,
• a 2-hour concert starting at 22.00 by the Danube Symphony Orchestra complete with
• a dance performance by professional ballet artists will take palce in the theatre hall of the 19th-century building.

Further meals and drinks (open bar) will be served at a salon reception where you can enjoy the first hours of the New Year in great company.

More New Year Concerts in the Danube Palace

The historic downtown Palace, Duna Palota also gives home to festive concerts on 1st January 2020.

A 70-minute Chamber Concert welcomes music lovers at 17.00, while at 20.00 a 90-minute long Gala Concert takes place in the grand theatre hall.

Tickets are avaliable in 3 categories + VIP.  TIP: You can also combine a concert with a river excursion plus dinner.

Concert of the 100-Member Gypsy Orchestra

Date & Time: 30. December 2020., at 18.00

The famous gypsy orchestra performs a festive concert titled Wine and Music in Budapest Congress and World Trade Centre. A perfect program to say good bye to 2018 and welcome the New Year.

Classical pieces by well-known composers, wine tasting and folk dance show followed by a gala dinner ensure an unforgettable evening.

Tickets: from 45 EUR.

See reservation.

TIP: see also the New Year’s Day Concerts in Budapest.

Basilica – New Year Gala Concert on 2nd January 2020

Date & Time: 02. January, Thursday, at 20.00

Tickets: 1. category: 28 EUR, 2. category: 24 EUR, 3. category: 18 EUR

Program of the Concert:

Performers: András Virágh & András Gábor Virágh – organ, Ildikó Szakács – soprano, Zsuzsanna Gion – mezzo-soprano, László Borsódy -trumpet

Program:

• Charpentier Te Deum – trumpet
• T. Albinoni Adagio
• Ch. Gounod Ave Maria
• J. S. Bach Toccata, Air and Fugue in D Minor – big organ
• W. A. Mozart Alleluja
• G. F. Händel Water music – trumpet
• M. Reger Mariä Wiegenlied
• Liszt Ferenc Hosannah
• A. Vivaldi: Gloria – Duett
• H. Purcell Trumpet voluntary – trumpet
• P. Mascagni Ave Maria
• Hark! The Herald Angels sing
• Ch. M. Widor Toccata from 5th Organ Symphonie – big organ

Find out more about the program on the organiser’s website.

More Church Concerts in Budapest During the Advent/New Year Period

Concerts in St. Michael Church, Váci Street

Venue: Inner City St. Michael Church in Váci Street, (Belvárosi Szt. Mihály templom, Váci utca 47/b.).

Tickets: 4 500 HUF/18 EUR, students: 4 000 HUF/16 EUR (can be bought on the spot prior the concert)
See exact concert dates.

The lovely 17th-century St. Michael Church in downtown Budapest gives home to a series of organ concerts on

• Wednesdays at 18.00 till October 31. and
• on Saturdays at 19.00 all year round, including December.

On Wednesday evenings a soloist and on Saturday evenings a choir performance complement the tune of the historic organ.

Concert Program (example)

Ildikó Szakács – soprano
Gábor Szotyori Nagy – organ

• M-A. Charpentier: Te Deum
• G. Caccini: Ave Maria
• T. Albinoni: Adagio
• W. A. Mozart: Alleluja
• J. S. Bach: Air
• J. S. Bach: Aria – Magnificat ‘Quia respexit’
• J. S. Bach: Prelude in C Major BWV 547
• C. Franck: Panis angelicus
• C. Franck: Sortie in G
• Franz Liszt : Consolation in Des
• Ch. Gounod: Ave Maria
• J. S. Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

Advent Concerts in St. Anne’s Church, Buda

Address: Batthyány tér 7., district I. (M2 (red) metro

Mozart & Vivaldi by the Duna String Orchestra

Dates: 06., 08., 13., 25. December 2020:

The concert is between 19.00 – 20.00.

Entry: 48 EUR/40 EUR/32 EUR

Program:

• J. Pachelbel Canon
• A. Vivaldi Gloria
• T. Albinoni Adagio
• F. Schubert Ave Maria
• W. A. Mozart Church Sonate in D major Ave Verum
• Saint-Saens The Swan
• W. A. Mozart Alleluja
• A. Vivaldi The Four Seasons

Conductor: Imre Dumbaridisz

16. December/Saturday: Charity Concert

The concert is at 19.00 – 20.30.

Entry: FREE

The Youth Orchestra of the St. Anne Church and the Syrinx Chamber Choir of the University of Veterinary Science will perform

Program:

• Antonio Vivaldi: GLORIA (RV 589), Soloist singer: Krisztina Rákóczy, Roberta Szklenár
• Eleanor Daley: Rejoice and sing and This Christmas morn
• Christmas Eve – organ improvisation
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Adagio
• The First Nowell: an English Christmas song for orchestra and choir4

Featuring: Enikő Szödényi-Nagy gordon artist and Barnabás Balasi organist

Conductor: Darko Farkasházi and Attila Tapodi

Inner City St. Anne Church, Szervita Square

Address: Szervita tér 6., district V.,

Open: Mon – Sat: 10.00 – 18.30, Sun: 8.30 – 18.30

This lovely Baroque church, built between 1725-33, right in the heart of the city on Szervita tér hosts free organ concerts at noon on Wednesdays as well as concerts (these are not free) by the Duna String Orchestra on Fridays.

The church also will be a venue for festive concerts in the Advent period – a less imposing, but a very charming place to meditate and pray or just relax by the melodies of classical church music.

I personally prefer smaller churches like the Inner City St. Anne on Szervita Sqr. to drop by in the Christmas season than the more popular, larger temples (Basilica or Matthias Church).
Event website

Mozart- Vivaldi, Christmas Eve, 24. December 18.00

Tickets: VIP: 10 000 HUF, Cat. A: 9 000 HUF, Cat. B: 8 000 HUF, Cat. C: 7 000 HUF

A wonderful performance by the Duna String Orchestra.

Program:

• J. Pachelbel: Canon
• A. Vivaldi:  Gloria
• T. Albinoni: Adagio
• F. Schubert: Ave Maria
• W. A. Mozart:  Church Sonate in D major
• Ave Verum
• Saint-Saens: The Swan
• W. A. Mozart: Alleluja
• A. Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Summer, Winter, Spring, Autumn4

TIP: See also a fantastic Hungarian Folk Show and Cruise

See more December Events and Programs in Budapest.

Related:

Christmas Markets in and out of Budapest City Centre – Christmas Programs & Hungarian Traditions – Classical Concerts in Danube Palace/Pesti Vigadó – Cultural Centres, Theatres, Exhibition Halls – Budapest Opera House