Solti International Conducting Competition 2026: Semi-Final 1/2

Reviving the grand tradition of the iconic international competition first organized by Hungarian Television in 1974, Müpa Budapest launches the Solti International Conducting Competition in 2026! Named for the legendary Sir Georg Solti, one of the uncontested greats of 20th-century conducting, this competition offers a priceless opportunity to young conductors from all over the world to lead some of Hungary's top orchestras in challenging and cherished repertoire before a global audience. In this first of two semi-final rounds, five of the remaining ten competitors must prove the depths of their musical understanding in beloved arias by Mozart and Puccini (including "Dove sono" from The Marriage of Figaro and "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicci), as well as brand-new pieces created by two prominent Hungarian composers for this very occasion, DOT-DOT-LINE by Judit Varga and the Symphony No. 5 by Levente Gyöngyösi. The works are chosen for each competitor by random draw, and feature the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra alongside established vocal stars including Csilla Boross, Ildikó Megyimórecz, Mária Celeng, Barna Bartos and Károly Szemerédy. Make sure to catch the second semi-final and watch the last four competitors in the thrilling final round!