Garbage bins and shopping trolleys

By Zoltán Szabó, 11 December 2017

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Reviewed at Erkel Színház (Erkel Theatre), Budapest on 9 December 2017

Humperdinck, Hänsel und Gretel

Hungarian State Opera

János Kovács, Conductor

Rafael R. Villalobos, Director, Costume Designer

Emanuele Sinisi, Set Designer

Zsófia Kálnay, Hänsel

Gabriella Balga, Hänsel

Helga Nánási, Gretel

Mária Celeng, Gretel

Csaba Szegedi, Peter / Father

Zsolt Haja, Peter / Father

Lúcia Megyesi Schwartz, Gertrude / Mother

Atala Schöck, Gertrude / Mother

Judit Németh, Witch

Bernadett Wiedemann, Witch

Krisztina Simon, Sandman

Eszter Zavaros, Sandman

Ildikó Jakab, Dew Fairy

Ingrid Kertesi, Dew Fairy

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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Zoltán Szabó

Zoltán Szabó is a cellist and musicologist. Having migrated from his native Hungary to Australia in 1985, he worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney until 1991, when he became Principal Cello with Opera Australia. In 2017, he was awarded with a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD). Currently, he is teaching music history and musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Garbage bins and shopping trolleys: a disappointing new Hänsel und Gretel in Budapest