Edited by Anna Popper
At the start of the 2024 concert season, sensational news thrilled Budapest’s vibrant music community: the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (OPRL), led by its Hungarian Music Director, Maestro Gergely Madaras, would perform in Hungary for the first time. The orchestra’s tour, featuring performances in Budapest, Pécs and Veszprém, took place from 22 to 24 November 2024.
For this special occasion, His Excellency Jeroen Vergeylen, Ambassador of Belgium in Budapest, and Mrs. Edit Ránky, Trade and Investment Counsellor for the Wallonia Export & Investment Agency, representing Wallonia-Bruxelles International in Hungary, invited members of the diplomatic community to attend the inaugural concert on 22 November at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music.
The OPRL’s debut tour in Hungary was a celebration of the rich cultural ties between Belgium and Hungary, brought to life through the artistry of one of Europe’s leading symphony orchestras and the vision of its distinguished conductor, Gergely Madaras.
The Grand Hall of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, a masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture in Budapest, was filled with passionate music lovers eager to experience the Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which has maintained a close connection with Hungary since 2019 through its Hungarian Music Director and conductor, Maestro Gergely Madaras.
The orchestra brought César Franck’s Symphony, a signature piece that underscores their role as cultural ambassadors. The ensemble was joined by Hungarian cellist István Várdai, an extraordinary virtuoso who enchanted the audience with his interpretation of Elgar’s Cello Concerto, highlighting its noble and deeply emotional tones.
The long-anticipated concert started with La Lugubre Gondola (The Funeral Gondola) by Franz Liszt, originally composed for solo piano.
The piece was arranged for orchestra by the American composer John Adams in 1989 and was performed in this version for the first time in Hungary during the tour. This work was created in the final period of the composer’s life.
Liszt began composing The Funeral Gondola when he visited Richard Wagner in Venice, during the weeks before his son-in-law’s death in 1883. He wrote about it as follows: “In my mind, the rhythmic movement of the oars of a funeral gondola pulses.”
This was followed by the Cello Concerto in E minor for solo cello and full orchestra in four movements of the English composer Edward Elgar. Today it is hard to believe that the London premiere in 1919 was a failure for the composer. At the concert in Budapest, however, with István Várdai’s brilliant performance, the audience had a very different experience as one of the greatest cello soloists of the time took the stage. His interpretation of Elgar’s work was received with great respect and enthusiasm, and is considered one of the most beloved works in the cello repertoire.
At the concert, Hungarian cellist István Várdai played a Stradivarius cello from 1673, which he received in Budapest in December 2016. This remarkable instrument, once played by world-renowned cellists Jacqueline du Pré and Lynn Harrell, was purchased by a German patron from its previous American owner for the exclusive use of Hungarian cellist István Várdai from Pécs. The German benefactor had a deep commitment to ensuring that such exceptional instrument was played by the finest musicians, and the choice of Várdai underscores his world-class stature. It is a great joy that this extraordinary instrument, called “Ex du Pré-Harrell”, has returned to Europe after many decades.
Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737), the most renowned Italian luthier and craftsman of string instruments, created this cello in his Cremona workshop. During his lifetime, Stradivari crafted approximately 1,100 instruments, of which 750 still exist today, including only 65 cellos. The value of a Stradivarius cello is measured in millions of dollars. This instrument has additional significance as it was the first cello Stradivari created independently after completing his apprenticeship in 1673.
The highlight of the evening was César Franck’s Symphony in D minor. This performance of the orchestra conducted by the brilliant Gergely Madaras, offered an authentic interpretation, showcasing the exceptional synergy of the conductor with his orchestra and their deep connection to Franck’s music.
César Franck (1822-1890), a native of Liège (now part of Belgium), is one of the most important composers of the 19th century, and his only symphony is intimately connected to the last years of his life.
In 2022, to celebrate the bicentennial of Franck’s birth, Maestro Madaras conducted the complete symphonic works and operas of Franck, including monumental pieces such as the opera Hulda, the symphonic poem Psyché, and the oratorio Les Béatitudes. This monumental undertaking established him as an expert in Franck’s oeuvre and was a highlight of the orchestra’s performances and recordings, both in Liège and internationally.
The Hungarian tour with the performance of Franck’s Symphony holds special significance. It marks an important chapter in Gergely Madaras’ six-year professional tenure in Liège (2019–2025), strengthening his role and reputation as a passionate advocate for Franck’s legacy on the world stage.
The audience at the Music Academy in Budapest was enchanted by the entire concert, greeting the artists with enthusiastic rounds of applause and a standing ovation, clearly moved by the performance and the orchestra’s exceptional interpretation of each musical work under the baton of its conductor, and was treated to an encore.
Reception at the Academy of Music
Concluding a very successful evening, Ambassador Jeroen Vergeylen and Mrs. Edit Ránky, representing on this occasion Wallonia-Bruxelles International in Hungary, hosted a reception in honour of OPRL and Gergely Madaras, with the involvement and financial support of Wallonia-Bruxelles International. A special attention was given to this mission by CEO of Wallonia-Bruxelles International, Ms. Pascale Delcomminette and Ms. Aline Sam-Giao, CEO of OPRL.
Following such a remarkable performance, Mr. Madaras, accompanied by his wife, joined the guests to receive their congratulations and praise. The Ambassador conveyed his appreciation and sincere gratitude to Gergely Madaras and the orchestra members for their impressive performance, exceptional artistry and creation of a truly unforgettable experience.
Gergely Madaras then took the floor and, with deep emotion, remarked that it is always a profound honour and pleasure to return to a place that served as an alma mater for him and many great musicians who received their musical education and inspirations within its legendary walls. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to perform on the stage of the Liszt Academy, an important venue in his life that he has cherished throughout his career.
In his words: “It has long been my dream to make this tour a reality, and with the strenuous work of our talented team at Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (OPRL) in collaboration with Zeneakadémia / Liszt Music Academy, Filharmónia Magyarország, Embassy of Belgium in Budapest, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles / Officiel and Askonas Holt, the outcome surpassed all my expectations and wishes.
A meaningful tour like this bonds us musicians both artistically and spiritually, and enhances our accomplice on and off the stage. As for me personally, it made me proud on so many levels. I was proud to present my dearest OPRL to the Hungarian public – a public that knows me so well since my beginnings as an artist -, and to show them what we have been working on together during the past 6 years.
I was proud to show my liègeoise friends and colleagues my hometown, Budapest; its buzzing cultural life, its majestic architecture and rich heritage, and to guide them through a part of my beautiful country. I am proud to have been able to play in three venues, the first of which is probably the closest to my heart among all concert venues in the world. The Great Hall of the Liszt Academy, where – as a child – I dreamt of becoming an artist, then later, as a young boy, witnessed some of my most memorable concert experiences, then I spent five years among its walls as a student, then have been returning every single year to perform as an artist. To step on this stage with my musical family from another corner of the world, in front of my closest Hungarian friends and family, is a feeling that is incomparable with anything.
Thank you, Hungary, for this warm welcome, and thank you, OPRL, for making this tour a memorable milestone in our shared history!”
Liège Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (OPRL)
The OPRL, founded in 1960 and led by Gergely Madaras since 2019, is the only professional symphonic orchestra in the French-speaking region of Belgium.
Composed of 97 musicians from 19 countries, the orchestra is based in one of Belgium’s most beautiful concert halls, the Salle Philharmonique de Liège, built in 1887, which serves as the venue for their rehearsals, concerts and recordings.
The OPRL excels in French repertoire (Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saëns), as well as German and Austrian-Hungarian works (Mahler, Strauss, Liszt), and is also known for its contemporary music (Philippe Boesmans, Pascal Dusapin, Magnus Lindberg). Its identity is rooted in the works of emblematic French-Belgian composers such as César Franck, Joseph Jongen, and Henri Vieuxtemps. In his role as Music Director of the OPRL, Gergely Madaras has long been dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of his homeland while passionately advocating for French-Belgian composers’ music.
http://www.oprl.be http://www.gergelymadaras.com
Source: Embassy of Belgium in Budapest, oprl.be
Photos by the Embassy of Belgium in Budapest, oprl.be, Diplomatic Press Agency
