NOVEMBER 12

Anyone who has read Andrei Codrescu’s rivetingly gruesome novel The Blood Countess may understandably be skittish about Hungarian nationalist impulses. Of course, actually expressing reservations about the nation that gave us such excessively enthusiastic worthies as Elizabeth Bathory seems especially uncharitable now, as its Washington representative celebrates the 1100th anniversary of the Magyar settlement with a gala concert. Extremely dramatic soprano Eva Marton (due back in D.C. to play the ultimate daddy’s girl in Washington Opera’s Elektra in March), cellist Janos Starker (pictured), and the Bartok Quartet join Hungarian ambassador Gyorgy Banlaki for the bash, performing along with the Paramount Brass and the National Symphony under Leonard Slatkin’s baton. On the program: Music of Bartok, Zoltan Kodaly, Berlioz (his Rakokcy March, natch), arias from Puccini and Verdi, and unaccompanied Hungarian folk songs, courtesy of La Marton. At 7 p.m. at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. $11-35. (202) 467-4600. (Trey Graham)