Best of Budapest & Hungary

A short film by the organizer, the Hungarian House of Music and Budapest Airport, entitled Csontváry: Levante, has debuted at the Brain Bar festival. The film brings twelve paintings by Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry to life, accompanied by eight musical pieces, giving a taste of the painter’s unique style. Starting from Budapest Airport, our virtual journey takes us through exotic landscapes, through paintings tending towards surrealism, which surround the viewer, thanks to the unique technology of the Sound Dome.

    Budapest Airport, in cooperation with the Hungarian House of Music and Brain Bar, has prepared an inimitable performance for the Brain Bar festival on 21-22 September. In the Sound Dome located on the second floor of the Hungarian House of Music, a special visual and musical journey will take the audience from the Gulf of Naples, through Greece and Jerusalem to Lebanon, with the help of twelve animated Csontváry paintings. The film also captivates the viewer with an unprecedented intensity, thanks to the venue’s unique features - 32 channels of sound and 360-degree visuals.

    “The airport connects the world with Hungary and Hungary with the world. You could say that we bring closer what is far away,” began Katalin Valentínyi, chief communication and government relations officer for Budapest Airport. She added: “Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka was not only a brilliant painter, but also a great traveler. His works brought people closer to landscapes that we all long to explore. We are proud to support Hungarian artists and creative professionals for the second year now, providing a memorable experience for lovers of travel, fine art and music alike.”

    The paintings were adapted and animated by Miss Virgács (Nikolett Németh), the sound design is the work of Ádám Kalamár and Ákos Lovász, and the music was compiled by Melinda Erdőháti, the film’s artistic director. Special thanks go to Vazul Mandli, Péter Tóth, Jordi Savall, Matteo Silva, Roy Smila, Veronika Varga, Dhafer Youssef and the Museum of Fine Arts for the production.

    Csontváry: Levante will be showing at the Hungarian House of Music for a year.