About festival

One Genius.
Three Cities. One Musical Tradition.

The Franz Liszt Festival, festival3cities, was founded on the belief that one of the greatest figures in world music deserves a festival of European significance in the region that shaped his life, work, and artistic legacy.

The festival symbolically connects three cities – Bratislava, Vienna, and Budapest – all of which played an important role in Liszt’s life. At the same time, it establishes a tradition of cooperation with the renowned Franz Liszt Festival in his birthplace, Raiding.

Franz Liszt Was
a True European

Franz Liszt did not belong to a single country or city. He was born in what is now Austria, matured artistically in Vienna and Paris, spent many years in Rome, and helped shape musical life in Budapest.

Yet Festival3cities is being created in Bratislava – and not by chance. It is being founded in the city where the story of a future giant of classical music first began.

Liszt – Bratislava –
The Beginning of a World Career

Franz Liszt’s first breakthrough public concert took place in Bratislava.

Franz Liszt’s story in Bratislava did not begin with his birth, but with an opportunity. It was here that, as a child prodigy, he received his first major chance, opening the path to Europe’s most prestigious concert stages.

That is why Bratislava today pays tribute to the artist whose career began to unfold in this very city.

A Landmark Concert
in 1820

When he performed here in 1820 as a nine-year-old boy before an audience of aristocrats and music enthusiasts, he inspired a level of excitement the city had never experienced before.

The Bratislava concert was not merely a musical event – it became a turning point in his life. Thanks to the support of Slovak and Hungarian nobility, won over by his extraordinary talent, he was able to continue his studies and embark on the journey that would make him the greatest piano virtuoso of his era.

The Festival Will Present Liszt
in the Full Breadth of His Personality

• As a brilliant pianist, composer, conductor, teacher, patron, and visionary who profoundly transformed the musical life of the 19th century.
• Visitors will experience iconic works from the world repertoire, as well as lesser-known compositions and fresh interpretative perspectives.
• The festival will include immersive concert experiences as well as educational programs for young audiences.

Festival Vision

The vision of the festival is to gradually build the most significant festival dedicated to Franz Liszt in Europe – an event that becomes a natural meeting place for leading performers, music scholars, emerging talents, and lovers of classical music from around the world.

Yet the festival is not only a celebration of the past. It is an invitation to rediscover the values Liszt embodied – creativity, the courage to cross boundaries, support for young talent, and the belief that music can unite people, nations, and generations.