January 24, 2009 - Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium, Perelman Stage, NY

	A yearlong festival showcasing contemporary Hungarian visual, performing, and literary arts in New York and Washington, D.C., throughout 2009, organized by the Hungarian Cultural Center, NY

Concert and reception, launching

CELEBRATING HUNGARY at CARNEGIE HALL

a two-week series of classical, folk, and new Hungarian music

BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

This concert is made possible by generous gifts from Mr. George Soros
and Mr. Charles Simonyi in support of the Extremely Hungary festival 2009.

Photos: Gabriella Gyorffy and Tamas Revesz

 Introduction by Iván Fischer, Music Director and Conductor
was followed by  Oszkár Ökrös' cimbalom solo

József Lendvai Sr., Violin and Oszkár Ökrös, Cimbalom

Full house, close to 3,000 music lovers enjoyed Hungarian tunes performed by

Budapest Festival Orchestra

Iván Fischer
Music Director and Conductor

József Lendvai Sr., Violin
József Lendvay Jr., Violin
Oszkár Ökrös, Cimbalom

Program:

TRADITIONAL Gypsy Folk Music
LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No. 3 in D Major
BRAHMS Hungarian Dance No. 15 in B-flat Major
BRAHMS Hungarian Dance No. 1 in G Minor
SARASATE Zigeunerweisen
BRAHMS Hungarian Dance No. 11 in D Minor
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1

 Iván Fischer, Music Director and Conductor

Oszkár Ökrös, Cimbalom

József Lendvai Sr., Violin

József Lendvay Jr., Violin

Special performance by József Lendvay Sr. and Jr.

RECEPTION

Iván Fischer, Music Director and Conductor

Opening Remarks by:

László Jakab Orsós, Director, Hungarian Cultural Center, NY

Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director

Applause to Iván Fischer, Music Director and Conductor
and the Budapest Festival Orchestra

István Hiller, Minister for Education and Culture

Dr. Ferenc Somogyi Ambassador of Hungary to the U.S.

George Soros, co-sponsor of this concert and co-chair of Extremely Hungary

Kati Marton, author and journalist, co-chair of Extremely Hungary

"Global Ambassador of Hungarian Culture - Magyar Kultúra követe"
awards were presented to Kati Marton...

...and Gábor Tompa, General and Artistic Director, Hungarian Theatre of Cluj
(Kolozsvári Állami Magyar Színház)

Anna Tamás and Gábor Tompa

Felicia Szél, Krisztina Danka, Rita Horváth, Eszter Gyárfás,
and Sarolta Nagy - Extremely Hungary staff members

Oszkár Ökrös, Cimbalom