New Years Eve Opera Gala And Ball

We have already written about the New Years concert of the London Philharmonic Orchestra taking place on the first of January, 2009. But, if you are looking for an event on the 31st of December this might be the one. If you want to finish the year in beautiful surroundings and with elite company, the Hungarian State Opera might be the place. The famous Gundel Restaurant will serve the food!

Program of the Gala Night:
20.00 Welcoming of guests in the aula with a welcome cocktail
20.30 Parts of the popular operetta of Johann Strauss, the Bat
21.30 GUNDEL dinner
Served on the stage, banquet halls and galleries of the Hungarian State Opera,
23.00 Performance by the popular Erox Martini
24.00 National Anthem
Champagne
Opening dance by professional dancers
Ball until early morning

Other events in Budapest

Hungarian food in McDonalds

Hungarian food in McDonaldsMcDonalds just started their new campaign where they serve “Hungarian” food in their restaurants. On the menu you can find Paprica Chicken hamburger, French toast (Bundás kenyér), Scone (lángos), Rissole (fasírt), Golden Dumplings and Porksandwich with horseradish. We somehow managed to drop by a McDonalds yesterday evening and tasted the Paprica Chicken Burger and the Golden Dumplings. I had great expectations, especially as Golden Dumplings is among my favorite desserts in Hungary.

Maybe you were hoping that you can skip the Hungarian restaurants as of now to eat in McDonalds… I would not do so! The two things that we tasted were not at all good, and worst of them was the Paprica Chicken burger. The dressing, or whatever was supposed to give the burger paprica taste rather destroyed it all. The Golden Dumplings tasted a little bit better, but still… it is not often I have eaten so bad dumplings. Today I read a review chef.hu were they mostly agreed with us concerning the two things we ate, but they were slightly more positive to the Rissole and the Porksandwich, so maybe we will have to try them later!

Restaurants in Budapest

Paris of the east = Budapest?

I have often heard people speaking of Budapest as the Paris of the east. It sounds really nice, and I must admit, that Budapest is a really beautiful city, just as Paris. Having some seconds today I just typed in on google “Paris of the east”, curious to see what it would show me. To my great surprise there are many “Parises” of the east. Tehran, Prague, Shanghai, Bucharest and Istanbul were some of the cities mentioned, and it seemd to me as if Bucharest was the most “popular” one with the title “Paris of the east.”

There are probably many cities fighting for the title, but for many tourists coming to Eastern-Europe the question is not whether to go to Budapest or Shanghai, or Budapest or Istanbul, but rather if they should go to Budapest or Prague. As editor of this page, and as a person who loves Budapest, I would for sure recommend Budapest, but if you have time, I would visit both Budapest and Prague. After that you can make up your own oppinion what city has most right to the title “Paris of the East”; Budapest or Prague.

Some pictures from Budapest
Budapest by nightSzabadság TérSchöne DonauDanube and the CastleStreet in BudapestSaint Stephens Basilica

New Years concert of the London Philharmonic Orchestra

With the aim of starting a new tradition, the Palace of Arts decided to celebrate the new year of 20008 not by the usual, light music played in other places but with the exquisite oratory of Joseph Haydn which involves the magic of the creation and which has been a constant favourite with audiences for 210 years.

The orchestra will be led by Ádám Fischer, who is the most experienced and most inventive representative of the composer’s music. The orchestra is the famous London Philharmonic Orchestra founded by Sir Thomas Beecham, accompanied by the London Philharmonic Choir. The invitation of the London orchestras and choir is not a coincidence: Haydn composed the Creation in London.

The large-scale composition took Haydn two years to complete; it was first shown in Vienna at the end of April 1798. It meant him a huge artistic acknowledgement and financial success. “Since then the Creation has become one of the emblematic masterpieces of European music, an icon. But the respect that surrounds the composition is not the only reason for gaining a place amongst the “compulsory” pieces – such as the passions of Bach, oratorio of Handel and the Missa solemnise of Beethoven of the repertoires in the music life of the world. We actually need the Creation. We need somebody to show us the beauties of the world and convey the message that living on Earth is a good thing.” (András Batta)

Ticket prices: 4000.- 6300.- 8300.- 9900.- HUF.
You can get hold of tickets from Interticket (be aware: the page is hard to use, and the english is not too good)
Source: Budapestinfo.hu

Other concerts and events in Budapest

Delirious in Budapest, December 19

After 17 years and 14 albums, Delirious? will be playing its Central European farewell show in Budapest, Hungary. They are touring “Kingdom of Comfort”, their last studio album that revolves around the heavy theme of social justice. Tickets can be bought from eventim and BudapestGospel.

Event info
Date: 19 December 2008, Friday 7.30PM
Venue: Petőfi Csarnok Main Hall
Zichy Mihály u. 14., 1146 Budapest, Hungary

More concerts and events in Budapest


Opera Ball 2009, 21 February

The annual Opera Ball will take place on the 21 February in 2009. The star guest will be Richard Clayderman, so if you like him you have one more excuse to come visit the Hungarian State Opera.

The event is not a cheap thing; tickets start from 84.000 forints. For ticket booking, programme and more information go to operabal.com.

Richard Clayderman BudapestRichard Clayderman

Short History of the Budapest Opera Ball: (source: operabal.com)
A social event has been reborn where the leading persons of the middle class that is to say the Hungarian culture, knowledge, power and money meet one another each year. The opera ball had been first organised in 1886 and, after an interval of 62 years, it has revived in 1996. Representing the 111 years’ tradition, it has become the largest and most important meeting of the participants of the Hungarian public life winning the keenest attention of the public opinion already the first time.

Other events in Budapest

A picture from the Vörösmarty Square


Gerbeaud by night, Originally uploaded by GuideToBudapest

At this square there will in not to many weeks be a christmas market. The Vörösmarty Square, the main square of Budapest, is the place where the traditional Christmas Market will be held this year for the tenth time.

At the picture you can see the Gerbeaud building, and totally in front a nice coffee place where you can get some hot drinks and cold drinks.

Just as a little nice thing; today it has been measured almost 20 Celsius in Budapest. Quite nice, ey? This Thursday we had a guided tour with some Norwegians, and during the tour one received a phonecall, because they needed him to remove the snow from some norwegian roads… I just though; man it is good, at least from the perspective of climate, to live in Hungary.

Lots of pictures from Budapest