How does Béla Bartók's exemplary cultural heritage affect us in 2021, how can the composer's spirituality be caught in the act and why is the new, all arts festival of Müpa named after him? How can we connect with the big cities of Europe and after all, what is Bartók Spring?

In the spring of 2021 on the 140th anniversary of the birth of the world-famous Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, the large-scale, free of charge, streamed series of art events, the Bartók Spring International Arts Weeks will take place on online platforms, broadcasting world premieres and concerts from Europe's famous concert halls between April 2-18.

The festival program gives a glimpse into Bartók's fascinating oeuvre, but not only are the compositions of the world-famous composer aligned, but rather Bartók's spirituality, creativity and creative approach are portrayed in countless genres from contemporary classical music to world music, jazz, dance and fine arts to light music, through the best works of the domestic and international art life.

The aim of the program series is to make Hungary an even more attractive destination for international cultural tourism in the coming years, in cooperation with domestic and European partner institutions. The Bartók Spring International Arts Weeks is organized by Müpa, and the aim is to gradually become a national - and even cross-border, regionally embedded series of events with the participation of key cultural partner institutions and involving other big cities, so that the domestic and international audience can meet the most colourful and richest possible art program.

Taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the broadcasts, not only the Hungarian performances can be followed from anywhere in the world through the online surfaces of the Bartók Spring International Art Weeks, but the spectators can also gain insight into some of the legendary concert halls in the world. Due to the epidemic situation, the international ensembles and star conductors of the series of events will give a streamed concert from their own city to the audience of the Bartók Spring International Art Weeks.

Viewers can come across big names such as Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, György Kurtág, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the English Baroque Soloists & Monteverdi Choir, Riccardo Chailly and the Filarmonica della Scala or René Jacobs and the Kammerorchester Basel. But we can also see the cream of Hungarian classical, world and light music: the renewed Kelemen Quartet, György Vashegyi, the Orfeo Orchestra and the Purcell Choir, Makám, the Bagossy Brothers Company, Charlie, Henrik Nánási, the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra, and The Szeged Contemporary Ballet, the Pécs Ballet, the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble, as well as Félix Lajkó and the Győr Ballet are preparing with exceptional dance productions.

And what does all this have to do with one of the greatest Hungarian composers of the 20th century? In addition to leaving us with a historical oeuvre as a composer, Béla Bartók strongly believed in the search for and public dissemination of cultural public treasures. It has influenced the identity development of generations, if you like, the consciousness of Hungarians, who know a significant slice of our culture partly through him and thanks to him.