Some music festivals begin with a story…
The inaugural edition of the Franz Liszt Festival – festival3cities will open on 16 October 2026 in a place that represents one of the lesser-known chapters of the composer’s life.
The opening concert will take place in Rusovce, a village where Liszt’s grandparents lived and where several generations of his family remained until the end of the 19th century.
The Festival’s Opening Concert Will Take Place at the Church Where Liszt’s Grandparents Were Married
This will be much more than a concert. The festival’s opening event will symbolically bring Franz Liszt back to his family’s roots while commemorating a place that played an important role in the history of the Liszt family.
The concert will be held at St. Mary Magdalene Church, where Liszt’s grandparents, Barbara Schlesak and Georg Adam Liszt, were married in 1775.
Music in the Places That Shaped Liszt’s Story
The Franz Liszt Festival was founded with the ambition of bringing music to places where it acquires a deeper meaning—not only to concert halls, but also to locations intrinsically connected with the composer’s life. Rusovce is one of those places.
In the historic setting of St. Mary Magdalene Church, audiences will experience works by Franz Liszt alongside music by other distinguished composers, performed in a space that forms part of his family’s history.
The unique combination of music, history and an authentic location transforms this evening into an unforgettable cultural experience unlike any other.
A Memorial Plaque Restoring Historical Memory
The festival’s ceremonial opening will also include the unveiling of a memorial plaque on the house where Franz Liszt’s grandparents and other members of his family once lived.
For the first time, this permanent memorial will highlight Rusovce as an integral part of the life story of one of the greatest figures in the history of music.
The festival’s ambition reaches beyond presenting concerts. It seeks to rediscover forgotten historical connections, celebrate places of cultural significance, and restore them to Bratislava’s collective cultural memory.
A Landmark Occasion for Rusovce and Bratislava
The opening of the festival will also mark a significant occasion for the local community of Rusovce.
The municipality is preparing to rename its local School of Arts in honour of Franz Liszt, ensuring that his name becomes a lasting part of community life and an inspiration for future generations of young musicians.
The Franz Liszt Festival connects the past with the present and the future. It honours a composer who forever shaped the history of European music while drawing attention once again to the places where his family’s story began.