Lines of Life

12 October 2026, 7:30pm - 9:15pm

Benjamin Appl met the Hungarian composer György Kurtág, who turned 100 in February this year, in 2019 and has worked with him ever since. About his recent recording of songs by Kurtág and Schubert, he wrote that Kurtág has ‘shaped me both as a musician and as a human being, perhaps more than anyone else’, and that the programme gives listeners ‘a glimpse into the infinite universe of György Kurtág, a shy procrastinator, stern self-critic, hesitant researcher, introverted questioner, unpretentious intellectual, brilliant composer and an extraordinary human being.’ The programme includes Kurtág’s settings of Friedrich Hölderlin, as well as songs by Schubert.

Emerging Artists
At the start of this evening's concert, and at most of our evening concerts in the first week of the Festival, one of our eight exceptional Young Artist duos will give a 15-minute showcase performance. These emerging professionals are the stars of the future, and can also be heard during the Mastercourse later in the Festival.