At the press conference were Teodóra Bán, who founded the festival, conductor Gergely Kesselyák, the festival?s arts advisor, Ildikó Ottó, concert organiser for the festival, Attila Csikós, stage designer, opera singer István Kovács and conductor Domonkos Héja.
The Budafest Summer Music Festival comprises three programmes at different venues: Budavár Summer Nights: Opera to Jazz, in the Dominican Courtyard of the Hilton, July 4?27; the Inner City Summer Symphony Concerts at the Basilica, on Szent István tér, July 9?25; and the 15th Summer Opera and Ballet Festival, at the Hungarian State Opera, August 2?17.
Each year, the Summer Opera and Ballet Festival begins with a completely reworked production of an opera. This year, the festival will start with Tosca. Gergely Kesselyák noted that the opera, to be performed on August 4, 6 and 8, would feature extraordinary artists in the leads: Gabriella Felber as Tosca and Attila Fekete as Cavaradossi. The other opera at the festival will be Othello, with Patrick Raftery in the lead. As a tenor, Raftery brings to the role, which is written for a baritone, a unique and special sound, said Kesselyák .
Teodóra Bán offered her assurance that the Budafest Summer Music Festival would continue to collect money from sponsors, regardless of how difficult the task, in order to offer a programme for the enjoyment of all.
Source: Fidelio
