China-Hungary "New Four Seasons" concert held in Budapest

Alsharq Tribune- World News 

A China-Hungary musical joint premiere was held Monday evening in Budapest as the European tour of "The New Four Seasons of Hungary and China Concert" opened at the Liszt Academy of Music.

The concert featured The Hungarian Four Seasons by Hungarian composer Peter Stefan and The Chinese Four Seasons by Chinese composer Wen Ziyang.

Hungarian pianist Gergely Kovacs performed Stefan's piano work, which incorporates more than 50 Hungarian folk melodies and depicts scenes of the changing seasons.

Chinese violinist Lu Siqing led the United Chinese-Hungarian Chamber Orchestra in performing Wen's The Chinese Four Seasons, a composition inspired by China's traditional 24 solar terms.

Although created in different cultural contexts, both works reflect a shared understanding of time and seasonal change. "This is a moment when we are united through the power of arts," Stefan told Xinhua.

Kovacs said he is honored to share the stage with Chinese musicians, inviting the audience to savor both the similarities and the differences in the two pieces to enjoy their "collaboration."

Wen said the composition concludes in a joyful tone ahead of the 2026 Chinese Spring Festival, conveying a uniquely Chinese sense of anticipation for spring. The European tour provides an opportunity to present Chinese music on the international stage, said Lu, voicing hope that continued collaboration will further deepen mutual understanding between China and Hungary.

Following its Budapest performance, the concert will continue touring in Bulgaria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland