A unique voice of olah Roma folk, Mónika Lakatos spellbinds every single time: music of elemental force, a heritage owned and intensely transmitted breaks out of her petite frame. At WOMEX15’s Opening Concert a wider professional audience got a glimpse of one of the brightest stars of gypsy tradition; her band Romengo have been touring abroad since.  At Budapest Ritmo she presents her newest material from a ‘Hallgató’ album with streamlined acoustic accompaniment by husband and Romengo founder Mihály “Mazsi” Rostás. Plaintive Hallgatós give an essence of olah music: passionate, tragic but recklessly life-affirming, the age-old melodies draw the picture of a whole community. You get to hear them in the best possible rendition at Budapest Ritmo.