The stage was on fire. Two powerhouse talents were responsible. Columbian-born conductor Andrés Orozco-Estrada leading the esteemed Budapest Festival Orchestra (BFO), and Spanish violinist María Dueñas, considerably raised the temperature in Müpa Budapest’s Béla Bartók Hall.

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I’m not referring to excess volume, which I regard as a cheap thrill with little depth. I’m referring to Orozco-Estrada’s astonishing expertise in master-minding the wide dynamic contrasts and tempo vicissitudes within three pieces: Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s “Overture to Julius Caesar,” Lalo’s “Symphony Espagnole” featuring Dueñas, and Berlioz’ “Symphonie Fantastique.”

Of course, BFO’s ability to follow the Maestro’s direction also guaranteed the essential electricity — this orchestra is one of Budapest’s jewels, and their performances of this program on April 14, 15, and 17 brought out their finest skills under Orozco-Estrada, whose level of passion and energy is sky-high.

Also sky-high was the 22-year-old Dueñas, whose prowess in the technically demanding Lalo score was simply astounding. Her performance of this violin showpiece lifted it out of the show-biz show-off category and into the realm of highly polished mastery. Kudos to her evident genius and her teachers.

The “Overture to Julius Caesar” was a lesser-known surprise. It revealed so much pomp and drama that I wondered what opera it was created for. Despite being inspired by the Shakespeare play, Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s didn’t write an opera dedicated to that Roman emperor.

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve heard Berlioz’ famously surreal “Symphonie Fantastique,” a work which marked an historical exit from classical structure and into bold orchestral experimentation. Orozco-Estrada’s treatment was the best I have experienced. What lifted it into the thrill category for me was his injection of dramatic tension into the Pastorale section – a movement that usually puts me to sleep. Here, he carefully built up the spooky drama, especially between the English horn and the timpani, creating a sensitive prelude to the upcoming witches’ ride and the sudden brass outbursts in the march to the guillotine. The shrieking clarinet solos shined here, as did the frantic bassoon trajectories and the basses’ elephant steps on the offbeats – all of it was a wonderfully sculpted musical scenario.