Was the 20th century beautiful? According to Gergely Kesselyák, it certainly had a beautiful side. He considers it one of his most important missions to show the audience the allure of 20th-century music, and he compiled the programme of the series' opening concert in this spirit.

Rezniček was a Viennese-based composer born around the same time as Mahler. In his Donna Diana Overture, a symphony orchestra turns into a ballet troop, and the instruments dance with such ease in perpetual motion that they nearly put gravity into question. Korngold was born in Brno, but his Violin Concerto, written in 1945, was already composed in America. As a composer, he was also influential in Hollywood, and the impact of the cinema can be perceived in this concerto, too. The turn-of-the-century work of the Russian Scriabin affects us with all the colours of the orchestra. Passion, drama, emotions, melody and exuberance will emanate from every beat.