Recently, Iván Fischer, conductor and founder of the Budapest Festival Orchestra announced that he would make no more public appearances in Hungary, following a five year battle with the city over public funding of the orchestra. Now, international music institutions, including the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican Centre in London, the Cité de la Musique in Paris and Carnegie Hall in New York, have sent a letter to Budapest saying: “We will turn to all the responsible officials with our appeal that the necessary means be taken to provide the necessary funding which will ensure the long-term existence of the Budapest Festival Orchestra.” – Budapest Sun