If you’ve been a regular reader of our coverage of Hungarian State Opera, you’ll know that it’s a rep company with three opera houses (each with their own very individual character) and a wide variety of repertoire, focused on the 19th and early 20th centuries and laced with Hungarian pieces that you won’t often see elsewhere, all performed by a strong collection of mostly Hungarian singers with a few international guest stars. Plus, of course, a selection of new productions which never fail to pique the interest.
Three of the new opera productions are in the recently restored opulence of the State Opera House on Andrássy Avenue. In November, Puccini’s Turandot is being directed and choreographed by Dóra Barta, which should be intriguing because we’ve admired her choreography in previous productions but not seen her work as a director. The substantial title role is shared between two of Hungary’s top sopranos, Eszter Sümegi and Szilvia Rálik, with Azerbaijani Yusif Eyvasov guest starring for on 21th, 24th and 27th November. By the way, there’s plenty more Puccini in rep: La bohème in December/January, Manon Lescaut in Jan/Feb, La fanciulla del West in February and three concert performances of Madama Butterfly in April/May.
February/March sees a new production of Verdi’s Macbeth (also starring Rálik for some performances). Director Matthew Wild impressed Bachtrack’s Alexandra Richter with his Tannháuser in Frankfurt this year, and he’s assisted here by dramaturg András Almási-Toth, who can generally be relied upon to spring surprises. We can look forward to seeing what they make of the chorus of witches and the other opportunities for special effects. (More Verdi in rep comprises Otello, Falstaff, La traviata, Don Carlo and Un ballo in maschera).
The Donizetti “Three Queens” operas seem to have been enjoying a resurgence of late. That trend will continue in Budapest in May in the shape of Máté Szabó’s new production of Maria Stuarda. The title role falls to Klára Kolonits, whom we have described in the past as “sparkling and dazzling” and as “a singer around whom an entire bel canto revival could be built”.
The fourth new production has already has already taken place: John Adams’ Nixon in China, in the most recent performance space, the impressive Eiffel Art Studios, built on the site of former railway works.
There are also two new productions adapted for young audiences: a double bill of Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne (written when the composer was just 12 and notable for its nonsense aria) and Gian Carlo Menotti’s entertaining two-hander The Telephone, followed in April/May by a new production at the Eiffel of Britten’s The Little Sweep.
Finally – not exactly an opera – Hungarian State Opera are taking up the idea popularised by Romeo Castellucci of producing staged versions of big sacred choral works: in this case, the most operatic of them all in the shape of the Verdi Requiem. We haven’t reviewed Ádám Tulassay’s only previous production (Puccini’s Edgar), so you’ll just have to go to Budapest to find out...
There are more revivals than we have space to list here. For the sake of the curious, it’s worth mentioning three titles on subjects from Hungarian history that you’re unlikely to see outside Hungary: Pongrác Kacsóh’s , Ferenc Erkel’s Bánk bán and Levente Szörényi’s István. The fourth Hungarian title, Béla Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, is well known outside Hungary, although you may still appreciate the chance to hear it with top native Hungarian singers (including the formidable Erika Gál on 5th and 11th April), paired with the less known Mario and the Magician.
Ballet fans will have to wait for June for the next new production: the classic La Bayadère, with the lost fourth act reconstructed by Albert Mirzoyan. Another big draw will be the annual Iván Nagy International Ballet Gala, whose May 2023 edition was described by Bachtrack’s Jonathan Gray as “a refreshing treat and an excellent introduction to an ensemble I had never seen before”.
Amongst the many revivals, we’ve been impressed in the past by Marianna Venekei’s A Streetcar Named Desire and (more recently) by Rudi van Dantzig’s expanded version of Swan Lake. Others include Ronald Hynd’s choreography of The Merry Widow, Wayne Eagling’s ENB production of Nutcracker, Kenneth Macmillan’s Manon, a piece which may be 50 years old but is still delighting audiences as far flung as Tokyo, and the company’s own adaptation of Coppélia.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the heady roster of international stars who will be giving recitals in Budapest during the season: Erwin Schrott, Matthew Polenzani, Vittorio Grigolo, Georg Zeppenfeld, Joyce DiDonato, not to mention Eyvazov being joined on stage by his ex-wife Anna Netrebko. There are also several big choral concerts. Messiah, Carmina Burana and the St Matthew Passion will need no introduction, but I’ll give a special mention (in this anniversary year) to Arnold Schönberg’s Gurre-Lieder, an extraordinary work that should convert even the composer’s most hardened sceptics and which has a strong cast including mezzo Atala Schöck and baritone Zsolt Haja.
See all upcoming events at Hungarian State Opera.
This article was sponsored by Hungarian State Opera
