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Concerts
Advent Greetings Around the World
On December 6th, the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Budapest’s richly decorated Art Nouveau music-hall masterpiece, stages an astonishing Advent Concert that brings a mix of classical and folk-music pieces from around the world under one roof, including a divine Greek-Byzantine anthem, Romanian folk songs, American gospel, and various numbers by globally famed composers like Tchaikovsky, Bach, or Spohr, all performed by outstanding Magyar musicians.
Price: 3,900-6,500 forints
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Concerto Budapest
On December 18th, well-known festive hits resonate inside the Palace of Arts during the Concerto Budapest performance, an event that brings memorable melodies to this contemporary venue, including Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker or the Hungarian Dances by Brahms. During the concert, acclaimed Russian pianist Anna Vinnitskaya hits the stage at Hungary’s major performing-arts center as a guest soloist .
Price: 2,200-5,900 forints
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Symphonia Fantasia Christmas Concert
Towering above Budapest’s beautiful Danube Promenade since the 19th century, Pesti Vigadó has been rebuilt in recent years to serve its original purpose and offer sophisticated artistic programs to guests. To kick off the festive season on December 18th, a classic concert show enchants guests with historic compositions by Haydn, Vivaldi, and Mascagni.
Price: 3,600-4,400 forints
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Winter Wonderland
On December 22nd, the Papp László Budapest Sportaréna hosts a visually impressive stage show to evoke Christmas traditions, blended with old-time Hollywood glamour with songs by Frank Sinatra and other star performers of his era, all presented onstage by celebrated Hungarian musicians and an artful dance ensemble.
Price: 5,100-16,800 forints
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Pipe-organ concerts in churches
Budapest’s churches are enveloped with a joyous spirit as the birthday of Christ approaches, which is often celebrated with concerts hosted in these holy settings. Throughout December on every Friday evening, spirit-lifting tunes resonate through the massive walls of Budapest’s central cathedral, as the immense pipe organ at St. Stephen’s Basilica starts playing classic compositions at 8pm, including works from Bach, Händel, or Hungarian maestro Ferenc Liszt – and in addition to the Friday sessions, similarly melodious pipe-organ concerts are held at the Basilica on December 5th, 12th, and 19th beginning at 5pm. Also in downtown Pest, St. Michael’s Church on Váci Street hosts organ concerts accompanied by a choir on December 3rd, 10th, and 17th at 7pm – additionally, there is a Christmas concert at this church on December 27th at 7pm, featuring festive music like Silent Night, Ave Maria, or Händel’s Hallelujah.
Prices: Friday concerts at the Basilica – 4,000-7,000 forints; Monday concerts at the Basilica – 2,500-3,000 forints; organ concert at St. Michael’s Church – 4,000-4,500 forints
More details: organ concerts at the Basilica; organ concerts at St. Michael’s Church
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Theater and Ballet
Advent Musical Gala
Tune into Christmas at the Palace of Arts on December 7th with a grand musical gala, where excerpts are played from popular compositions, including Romeo and Juliet or the Notre-Dame de Paris, while such heroines come to life on stage, like Scarlett from Gone with the Wind, or Hungary’s beloved Queen Elisabeth.
Price: 4,500-7,900 forints
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Cirque de Monte Carlo & Edvin Marton
There’s no Christmas without Tchaikovsky, and his grandiose spectacle The Nutcracker: on December 20th, the Papp László Budapest Sportaréna presents the spectacular extravaganza on stage as an acrobatic ballet performance and contemporary-circus gig, where stunts are accompanied by fantastic violin tunes.
Price: 7,000-22,000 forints
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Gospel performances
Harlem Gospel Choir sings an homage to Adele
Clap along with a spirit-lifting gospel show performed by the internationally acclaimed Harlem Gospel Choir that spices up the religious songs with a touch of jazz and blues. Filled with modern gospel pieces performed alongside some of Adele’s most powerful songs, the ensemble throws two inspirational shows at Buda’s Millenáris Cultural Center on December 9th at 3pm and at 7pm.
Price: 15,000-18,000 forints
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Joy Gospel Music
Immerse in a special Christmas show performed by one of Hungary’s best gospel choirs on December 14th at Budapest’s subterranean Akvárium Klub in the heart of downtown. The concert, starting at 8pm, creates a unique festive atmosphere with delightful songs composed by the ensemble.
Price: 3,490-8,490 forints
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London Community Gospel Choir
On December 28th, the Budapest Congress Center (Budapest 1123, Jagelló út 1-3) welcomes the UK’s premier gospel choir on stage to provide an inspirational night to the audience – the multinational ensemble takes gospel to new heights by fusing the soulful sounds with such musical genres as funky, swing, or R’n’B.
Price: 4,900-11,900 forints
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Family events and children’s shows
Dima’s Christmas
Open year-round, the Capital Circus of Budapest (Budapest 1114, Állatkerti körút 12/A) in City Park demonstrates a child’s dream of a fantasy world, where the elephant starts dancing, white doves are soaring high, and wild animals live in harmony with the people – Dima’s Christmas is all about this ideal realm, presented through amazing acrobatics, mind-boggling juggling, and many other incredible acts. The performance is on view from November 12th through January 8th.
Price: 1,000-4,500 forints
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Advent Sundays at the Várkert Bazaar
Every Sunday from November 27th through December 18th, Budapest’s beautifully restored neo-Renaissance Várkert Bazaar offers plenty of festive programs for families with children, including artisanal workshops, interactive children’s shows, dance performances, concerts, and much more.
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The Nutcracker
The Palace of Arts is now presenting a child-friendly version of the globally famed Tchaikovsky piece to bring the famous performance closer to kids, by taking the play on stage as a playful puppet show on December 23rd. The result is equally entertaining for parents and kids.
Price: 2,100-5,200 forints
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