François-Xavier Roth celebrates Ligeti with Radio France

François-Xavier Roth will join Radio France in November to celebrate the centenary of György Ligeti by curating and conducting a series of four concerts.

The celebrations begin on 23 November with Roth conducting Orchestre National de France in Ligeti's Lontano, Atmosphères and Ricercare, as well as Liszt's Totentanz and Bartók's Miraculous Mandarin, and close on 2 December with Ligeti's Le Grand macabre in its 1996 revision, and heard for the first time in French.

Roth said: 'The madness and irresistible energy of Le Grand Macabre are certainly representative of the genius of Ligeti, whose centenary we are celebrating this year. Around this masterpiece, we offer programmes that pay homage to this musical colossus of the 20th century.'

Members of the orchestra perform Ligeti's Síppal, dobbal, nádihegedűvel and Bartók's Sonata for two pianos and percussion on 26 November and on 28 November Roth conducts his own orchestra, Les Siècles, with whom he has been marking Ligeti's centenary year with an extensive tour of Europe. Together they perform Ligeti's Kammerkonzert for 13 instruments and the Piano Concerto, with soloist Jean-Frédéric Neuburger, as well as Mozart's Violin Concerto no.3 with Isabelle Faust, and the 'Haffner' Symphony.

All concerts will be recorded by France Musique, with those on 23 and 28 November broadcast live.