As the city sparkles with endless strings of shining bulbs surrounding countless decorations of Christmas cheer, Budapest’s beautiful landmarks become even more enchanting amid this festive scenery – and at some of them, the interiors are also especially charming as Yuletide concerts fill hallowed halls with joyful songs of the season. All six of these historic Budapest buildings are hosting diverse musical performances during December’s countdown to Christmas Day 2017, featuring genres ranging from classical masterpieces to traditional folk tunes to modern melodies.
Buda Castle
For centuries this site was the private domain of Hungary’s monarchs. Today Budapest’s majestic Royal Palace is home to the Hungarian National Gallery, stagingthe“Museum+” series of events in the run-up to Christmas, a varied selection of evening extravaganzas. The highlight is a concert of seasonal standards performed with jazzy style by acclaimed Magyar singer Boggie. Guests can also join a guided English-language tour highlighting Christmas-themed paintings, join a workshop to make unique decorations, and enjoy mulled wine and scones.
When: December 14th, 6pm-10pm
Ticket price: 2,800 forints More details
Church of St. Anne
Tucked in the heart of downtown Pest between Deák Square and Váci Street, this gleaming-white Baroque church features an ornate interior of golden statuary honoring Christ, making this an ideal location for a reverent Christmas Eve concert of classical favorites. An eight-piece chamber orchestra fills the Church of St. Anne with timeless works including The Swan by Saint-Saëns, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Schubert’s Ave Maria, Albinoni’s Adagio, and Mozart’s Alleluia Aria.
When: December 24th, 6pm
Ticket price: 33 euros to 47 euros More details
Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music
As Hungary’s most prestigious school for aspiring musicians from around the world, the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music has a busy agenda of concerts, staged in its beautifully renovated Art Nouveau building on bustling Liszt Ferenc Square. This month, within the gorgeous Grand Hall, it hosts two special Christmas shows. On December 18th, renowned pianists Yevgeni Korolyov, Anna Vinnitskaya, and Ljupka Hadzigeorgieva play Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and several of his concerto compositions, while on December 20th, the Anima Musicae Chamber Orchestra performs Mozart.
When: December 18th and 20th, both concerts start at 7:30pm
Ticket price: 2,500 forints to 8,000 forints
More details:December 18th show and December 20th show
Matthias Church
With its tall spire towering over Fishermen’s Bastion and the Castle District skyline, Matthias Church stands supreme among Budapest’s cathedrals as the city’s most historic holy sight. Because this church remains an active house of worship, entry is often restricted to congregants and visitors who pay an entry fee – but as a Christmas gift, this month a free recital welcomes the public to hear János Erdődy playing the century-old pipe organ. Everyone can enjoy uplifting melodies while admiring the spectacular interior of this landmark where Hungarian kings were once crowned.
When: December 17th, 7:30pm
Ticket price: free More details
Pesti Vigadó
Since 1864, this grand riverfront venue on the Danube Promenade has hosted numerous balls, pageants, and symphony orchestras. Following a thorough refurbishment in recent years, this stunning structure has been restored to its original glory to feature premier performances once more. During December, the Pesti Vigadó presents two main Christmas events: vivacious Hungarian folk singer Ági Szalóki joins Baroque songstress Éva Bodrogi and esteemed Magyar musicians for the “May the Whole World Rejoice!” concert on December 14th; then on December 17th, the Symphonia Fantasia ensemble plays a Christmas concert featuring works by Handel, Tchaikovsky, and other major maestros.
When: December 14th and 17th, both concerts start at 7:30pm
Ticket price: 3,500 forints to 4,000 forints
More details:December 14th show and December 17th show
St. Stephen’s Basilica
Throughout December, downtown Budapest’s lively Advent Feast holiday market is illuminating the square outside St. Stephen’s Basilica, but step inside this gigantic cathedral during the days before Christmas and you can enjoy two organ concerts being staged for the season. While admiring the gleaming marble columns, tall stained-glass windows, and gold-framed paintings adorning the church interior, you can enjoy compositions by Beethoven, Liszt, Bizet, and other classical greats, resonating perfectly thanks to the excellent acoustics of this sacred centerpiece building.
When: December 14th and 21st, both concerts start at 8pm
Ticket price: 17 euros to 30 euros More details
