Wagner highlights in Budapest

By Michael Roddy, 13 June 2018

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Reviewed at Erkel Színház (Erkel Theatre), Budapest on 11 June 2018

Wagner, Das Rheingold: Prelude

Wagner, Das Rheingold: Entry of the Gods into Valhalla

Wagner, Die Walküre: Prelude

Wagner, Die Walküre: Ride of the Valkyries

Wagner, Die Walküre: Spring Song

Wagner, Die Walküre: Wotan's Farewell, "Leb Wohl,du Kühnes"

Wagner, Siegfried: Smith's Song

Wagner, Götterdämmerung: Siegfried's Rhine journey

Wagner, Götterdämmerung: Siegfried's Death and Funeral March

Wagner, Götterdämmerung: Brünnhilde's Immolation

Hungarian State Opera Orchestra

Balázs Kocsár, Conductor

Szilvia Rálik, Soprano

István Kovácsházi, Tenor

Zoltán Kelemen, Baritone

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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Michael Roddy

Michael Roddy is a freelance journalist based in Ireland who formerly covered the arts and entertainment world, as well as general and economic news, for Thomson Reuters. He has interviewed many of the world's leading conductors, singers and composers and has covered and reviewed operas, concerts and festivals throughout Europe.

Hungarian State Opera's “Best of Ring”: Wagner highlights in Budapest