Kerempuh Theatre
JAZZHR 2026 SEASON OPENING
Budapest Strings & Péter Sárik Trio – The Magic of Bartók
We open JazzHR 2026 with a concert that erases the boundaries between classical music and jazz, bringing a powerful, contemporary and exhilarating musical encounter between two outstanding Hungarian ensembles – the Budapest Stringschamber orchestra and the charismatic Péter Sárik Trio.
Péter Sárik, one of Hungary’s most distinguished jazz pianists and composers, is an artist equally inspired by jazz improvisation, popular melodies and the legacy of great masters such as Beethoven and Béla Bartók. Bartók – whose influence on contemporary jazz is almost mythical – stands at the heart of this unique programme. Following two albums dedicated to his music and a notable orchestral premiere in Budapest in 2025, Sárik now brings a new, richly textured version of the project to Zagreb, in collaboration with a string orchestra.
The programme features Bartók’s compositions in fresh, imaginative transcriptions for string orchestra and jazz trio – music that pulses between classical precision and the freedom of improvisation, between tradition and a contemporary sound. The result is a concert of powerful energy, emotional intensity and virtuosity, appealing equally to jazz enthusiasts and classical music lovers.
Budapest Strings, an internationally acclaimed chamber orchestra with nearly five decades of activity and more than 40 recordings, regularly performs on Europe’s and the world’s most prestigious stages.
The Péter Sárik Trio, one of Hungary’s most popular jazz ensembles and a two-time Hungarian Grammy Award winner, is renowned for its explosive performances and distinctive jazz interpretations of classical music.
The opening of the JazzHR season thus brings an evening where superb interpretation, a strong artistic vision and the timeless music of Bartók meet – a concert not to be missed!