The General Assembly of the Budapest Philharmonic Society - the orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera - elected internationally acclaimed conductor Pinchas Steinberg Chief Conductor and President of the orchestra on 5 February 2013. Steinberg will take over in February 2014.
The Hungarian Ministry of Human Resources has appointed Szilveszter Ókovács as General Director of the Hungarian State Opera for five years. The Minister’s decision has been made in accordance to the recommendation of the Tender Board.
The Hungarian State Opera launches the year of 2013 - and the Wagner bicentenary - with the opening of a completely new production of Richard Wagner’ Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman). Th uniqueness of this production is that the original version written in 1841 in Paris will be staged this time. The premiere and the 3 subsequent performances will be conducted by Ralf Weikert.
The soloists of the Hungarian National Ballet participated in the New Year's Concert of the La Fenice Opera House in Venezia. The concert which was broadcasted on Italian television Rai Uno as well was the grand opening of the Hungarian-Italian Cultural Year 2013. The Hungarian artists danced to the overture of Verdi's opera, Attila. The orchestra was conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
