Closing concert

Over the years, we have come to appreciate the versatility and exceptional artistry of the Budapest Festival Orchestra under the direction of Iván Fischer. Their mastery spans a vast repertoire—symphonic, operatic, chamber, and folk music—embracing styles from the Baroque to contemporary compositions. Their performances consistently exceed the highest standards, securing their place among the world’s most esteemed orchestras.

If there is one composer to whom this ensemble is most closely linked, it is undoubtedly Gustav Mahler. Their complete cycle of Mahler’s symphonies, recorded for Channel Classics, showcases a hypnotic attention to detail that unveils unexpected beauty—an achievement made possible by the extraordinary musicianship of the BFO and the visionary artistry of Fischer.

For the traditional Closing Concert in Piazza Duomo, the Budapest Festival Orchestra returns to Spoleto in full force to perform Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Composed during one of the happiest periods of his life, while deeply in love with Alma, Mahler intended this symphony—like all his others—to encompass the entire universe. And in the Fifth, that universe expands: the orchestration is monumental, the horizon broadens, and the journey stretches beyond an hour.

At the heart of this vast musical landscape lies the radiant fourth movement, the Adagietto, a tender love letter to Alma. Likely Mahler’s most famous and frequently performed work, the Adagietto has resonated far beyond the concert hall. It became a defining element of Luchino Visconti’s Death in Venice (1971), was conducted by Leonard Bernstein at Robert Kennedy’s funeral in 1968, and, more recently, appeared on Cate Blanchett’s music stand in the 2023 Oscar-nominated film TÁR.

Mahler’s Fifth Symphony is one of those masterpieces that musicians approach with almost religious devotion, as if handling something infinitely precious, something that must not be broken.

Iván Fischer—conductor, composer, opera director, thinker, and educator—is widely regarded as one of the most visionary musicians of our time. As the founder of the Budapest Festival Orchestra, he has always placed music at the center of his artistic inquiry, reimagining concert formats and redefining the structure and working methods of the modern symphony orchestra.