Bánk bán evokes the loneliness of the Magyars at the Erkel Theatre

By George Jahn, 02 November 2021

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“Medveczky’s conducting was virile or melancholy, lyric or proud, as dictated by the score”

Reviewed at Erkel Színház (Erkel Theatre), Budapest on 31 October 2021

Erkel, Bánk bán

Hungarian State Opera

Ádám Medveczky, Conductor

Attila Vidnyánszky, Director

Oleksandr Bilozub, Set Designer

Viktória Nagy, Costume Designer

Eszter Orbán, Dramaturgy

András Palerdi, Endre II

Erika Gál, Gertrud

István Kovácsházi, Bánk bán

Orsolya Hajnalka Rőser, Melinda

Gergely Boncsér, Otto

Mihály Kálmándy, Tiborc

Zoltán Kelemen, Patúr-Petur bán

Antal Cseh, Biberach

Árpád Köntzei, Choreography

Hungarian State Opera Orchestra

Hungarian State Opera Chorus

Gábor Csiki, Choirmaster / chorus director

All that glitters is not gold in Budapest's new Lohengrin

Orsolya Gyárfás, 16th November

Klára Kolonits's radiant Elsa proves the main attraction in the Hungarian State Opera's visually appealing but conceptually lacking new Lohengrin.

**111

A thrilling, opulent La Bayadère at Hungarian National Ballet

Gianmarco Segato, 14th June

Hungarian National Ballet's La Bayadère revitalizes tradition with a new reconstruction of its forgotten final act.

*****

Visually splendid, dramatically parched La Gioconda in Budapest

Gianmarco Segato, 11th June

Hungarian State Opera's cut-down, dramatically inert Gioconda fails to ignite the stage in Budapest, despite a solid musical foundation.

***11

Stumbling towards the chopping block: Maria Stuarda in Budapest

Orsolya Gyárfás, 14th May

Martin Rajna's energetic conducting and Gabriella Balga's glorious Elisabetta are the bright spots in this flashy but empty house premiere of Donizetti's classic.

**111

Hungarian National Ballet: a tremendously witty Merry Widow

Deborah Weiss, 12th February

Hungarian National Ballet strike a delightful balance between lighthearted comedy and technical assurance in Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow.

****1

A promising class: 6th Éva Marton Competition grand final

Orsolya Gyárfás, 7th September

In its tenth year and going strong, the biennial Éva Marton International Singing Competition fields an even level of talent in an entertaining finale.

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George Jahn

George Jahn is the former Vienna bureau chief of The Associated Press. During his 35-year career at the global news organization, he covered wars, politics... and opera, reviewing productions at the Vienna State Opera, the Salzburg Festival, Bayreuth Festival and other houses in Austria and Germany. He has also written for Opera Now and International Piano magazines in London. Those he has interviewed include Matthias Goerne, Vesselina Kasarova, Thomas Hampson and Mariss Jansons. George holds or shares awards for his reporting on U.N. affairs and for his coverage of the Bosnian war. A Canadian/Hungarian citizen, he splits his time between residences in Vienna and Budapest.