Budapest’s Congress Center at 1–3 Jagelló Street is rolling out a packed calendar for 2025–2026, with concerts, shows, and family events throughout the year—especially dense around the holidays. Heads-up: tickets aren’t sold at the venue. All passes are available only through online ticketing platforms.
Holiday kickoff with Attila Kökény and Viktor Rakonczai
Two festive shows light the fuse on Saturday, December 20, at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., following their MVM Dome success. Attila Kökény and Viktor Rakonczai bring a Christmas-themed concert to the Budapest Congress Center, with their regular band joined by the Colour Quartet and a surprise guest to be announced. Expect a warm, glowing start to the season with a set built for winter magic.
Danubia Orchestra’s Classic Christmas
On Sunday, December 21, at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., the Danubia Orchestra presents a heartwarming pre-Christmas concert where young talent steps into the spotlight. The choir of the Zoltán Kodály Hungarian Choir School joins, and the program threads together seasonal favorites and cinematic sparkle.
Program highlights:
– Rimsky-Korsakov: Christmas Eve – Polonaise
– Bizet: Jeux d’enfants (Children’s Games) Suite
– Mozart: Violin Concerto in D major, K. 211 – Andante
– Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker – Act I Pas de deux and Waltz of the Snowflakes
Intermission
– John Williams: Home Alone – Main Title
– Jenkins: Adiemus
– A joint piece, Christmas Common Voice (Karácsonyi közös hang), by Danubia and the Maltese Symphony
– Rezső Ott: Children’s Christmas (Kicsinyek karácsonya) – old and new children’s Christmas songs
This edition shifts the spotlight to the next generation—dancers, singers, and musicians celebrating with the most beautiful music tied to the season.
Vera Tóth’s “Holiday: Voices of the Soul” (Ünnep: Lélek hangjai)
Monday, December 22, 7:00 p.m., marks Vera Tóth’s return to the Congress Center for a soul-lifting Christmas headliner with the Vera Tóth Band and a string section. The show blends music, theater, film, and psychology—designed to refocus on the essence of the holidays. Under the banner “Holiday – Voices of the Soul” (Ünnep – Lélek hangjai), original songs and intimate Christmas classics intertwine with reflective narration. The aim: raise the spirit and tune the heart to the season’s core notes.
The Nutcracker by the Ukrainian Classical Ballet
On Tuesday, December 23, 8:00 p.m., The Nutcracker returns in a new staging by the Ukrainian Classical Ballet, a troupe known for marrying high classical standards with fresh staging and modern projection. They’ve chalked up over 800 performances in 20 countries, and last season their Nutcracker dazzled nearly 50,000 viewers across Europe. Expect a lush visual world, inventive direction, and the timeless pull of Clara and her wooden soldier—an event poised to be one of Advent’s most memorable family outings in Budapest.
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with star soloists
Friday, December 26, 7:45 p.m., brings Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio—Cantatas 1, 2, 3, and 6 (BWV 248)—with a starry lineup: tenor Julian Prégardien as the Evangelist, soprano Julia Lezhneva, mezzo-soprano Olivia Vermeulen, and bass-baritone Hanno Müller-Brachmann. The legendary Collegium Vocale Ghent (artistic director: Philippe Herreweghe) joins under the baton of Iván Fischer.
Despite its name, the work is essentially a cycle of six stand-alone cantatas, composed in Leipzig across 1734–1735 for services spanning December 25 to January 6, tracing key moments from Christ’s birth to Epiphany. Across 66 movements, the music narrates the Nativity, the proclamation of the good news, the shepherds’ adoration, the circumcision, and the Magi’s homage—interweaving biblical recitatives, four-part chorales, and reflective arias. Bach repurposed some earlier secular celebratory music, now perfectly suited to the jubilation around the Savior’s birth. The evening’s four cantatas traverse textures from trumpet-and-timpani brilliance to oboe-draped pastorals, culminating in a majestic closing ode—an architecturally unified journey anchored in D major with framing motives that resurface in the finale.
Károly Nyári’s 18th Jubilee Christmas Concert
On Saturday, December 27, 7:30 p.m., pianist-vocalist Károly Nyári hosts his traditional Christmas concert for the 18th time, with guests Aliz Nyári and Edit Nyári, plus surprise stars. The Budapest Jazz Symphonic Orchestra—founded by Nyári—performs in unique arrangements that amplify the drama and glow of the setlist. Expect intimate Christmas standards, signature hits, and beloved family productions recreating the warmth of home. Enhanced staging and visuals are set to deepen the experience. Celebrate with loved ones at a cornerstone of Budapest’s holiday calendar.
Film Music Concert 2025
Monday, December 29, 7:00 p.m., delivers a symphonic sweep of cinema’s greatest hits. Details on the exact program are pending, but this one traditionally pairs blockbuster themes with big-orchestra punch.
“Music–Wine” (Zene–Bor) – Season Finale of the 100 Member Gypsy Orchestra
Tuesday, December 30, 7:00 p.m., pours vintage virtuosity with “Music–Wine” (Zene–Bor), the year-end gala of the 100 Member Gypsy Orchestra (100 Tagú Cigányzenekar). The two-part program stretches from dazzling Gypsy music and familiar classics to folk pieces in the orchestra’s distinctive, one-and-only “100 Member” sound. A tradition worth keeping, and a toast to close the year in style.
Plan your visit: dates, accommodations, and food-and-drink tips are available alongside each event through online listings. And remember—tickets are online only.
