Tchaikovsky-Ivanov-Harangozó-Pongor: Swan Lake - Popova Aleszja, Zoltán Nagy Jr.

The early development of ballet art in Budapest was determined by three main factors. While the Italian school dominated technique and teaching, Vienna served as a model for the formation of stage taste. In addition to these two – and right from the very beginning - a special claim was raised: that of developing our own and typical Hungarian national art.
It took, however, a very long time for the Hungarian national ballet to take shape. I was only possible through the contribution of an outstanding and exceptionally talented artist, Gyula Harangozó, whose work, in fact, founded what we regard now the Hungarian national art of ballet. His first stage piece, the ‘Scene in a country tavern’, performed in 1936 was then - and still is - a milestone in the history of our ballet art. He choreographed a great number of one-act pieces as well as full-evening ones, successfully combining elements from Hungarian folk dance with classical ballet. His essential sense of drama got the audience involved, and proved how very suitable stage dance is for portraying various characters. His best pieces, such as ‘Coppelia’, ‘Tricky Students’, ‘Sheherezade’, ‘Promenade Music’, and the one-act, choreographed to Bartók’s music, never ceased to be part of the repertory of the Hungarian National Ballet. ‘The Miraculous Mandarin’, the most famous of them all, has also been performed and admired in a number of significant ballet theatres in Europe.

Bartók-Harangozó: The Miraculous Mandarin - Dolores Castillo, Levente Bajári, Bence Apáti, Andrea Merlo

From the 1950s, besides Hungarian traditions it was the Russian school that started influencing Hungarian ballet, which, although due to political causes, turned out to be highly profitable for our ballet art. Traditional Russian classical ballets were included into our repertory. The training system turned to follow the Russian example, which resulted in a growing number of young ballet artists equipped with excellent technical knowledge and capable of deep artistic interpretation.
The art of the Hungarian National Ballet today is being determined by four main factors: the national traditions based on Harangozó's work, the influence of the classical Russian school, the impact by Hungarian choreographers from after the so called ‘Harangozó period’, and finally: the contemporary, modern European and American art.

After the ‘Harangozó period’, Seregi László took over the leading role in Hungarian choreography. The premiere of his ballet ‘Spartacus’ took place in the year 1968 and brought immense success. The Seregi ballets feature all the four main characteristics of today's Hungarian ballet art: based on classical traditions, they are intertwined with Hungarian folk elements, but also influenced by contemporary styles as well as the Russian school. But above all, it is Seregi’s susceptibility to companion arts what makes him unique. His choreographies are characterized by excellent dramaturgy, musicality, a very fine art taste, strong dramatic effect and an excellent sense of humor. His works are being performed all over the world, from Chile to Germany, from Australia to Hong Kong, from Canada to Finland. His main works comprise ‘Sylvia’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘The Midsummer Night's Dream’, ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and a fabulous one-act work, ‘Variations for a Nursery Song’.

From the 1970s the Hungarian National Ballet continued promoting the Hungarian and Russian traditions, becoming at the same time quite open to the modern American and European styles. Significant works by Balanchine, Béjart, Ahston, van Manen, Ailey, Kylian and North were - among others - included in our repertory.

From 1996 till August, 2005. Gyula Harangozó Jr. had been directing the ballet company, who, like his predecessors, regards it his duty to keep constantly developing our uniquely varied repertory. For this reason such excellent choreographers as Myriam Naisy from France, Renato Zanella from Italy, Hans van Manen from Holland and Jiøi Kylian from the Czech Republic have recently been invited to Budapest. Hungarian choreographers are also given the opportunity to stage and perform their works. Let us just mention Lilla Pártay’s most well-known full-length pieces, ‘Anna Karenina’ , 'Wolfgang AMADEUS Mozart' and 'Gone with the Wind', or Gábor Keveházi's highly successful full-length ballet, 'Zorba' and last but least Attila Egerházi's contemporary one-act pieces.
Beside that, the repertory of the Hungarian National Ballet also features such classics as ‘The Nutcracker’, ‘Giselle’, ‘Don Quixote’, ‘Swan Lake’ or ‘The Sleeping Beauty’.

The greatest success of the season 2001-2002 was the premiere of John Cranko’s ‘Eugene Onegin’.
The season 2002-2003, in its turn, was more concentrated on Hungarian choreographers. In November 2002 we had the premiere of a quadruple bill under the name ‘Hommage à Dohnányi’, composed of the following one-act pieces: ‘Variations on a Nursery Song’ by László Seregi, ‘Heavy Wings’ by Attila Egerházi, ‘Symphonic Minutes Op. 36’ by Lilla Pártay and ‘Six Dances’ by Jiøi Kylian. Another premiere - and a loud success at that - was a new Hungarian full-evening ballet by Lilla Pártay to Mozart’s music, under the name ‘Wolfgang AMADEUS Mozart’, on 8^th June, 2003.

The revival of Gyula Harangozó’s evergreen Coppélia in October was the highlight of autumn 2003.
The spring of the year 2004 is marked by a very special premiere: that of Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling. Representing an age in which Hungary was part of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, this piece has strong connections with our history. Its characters, Franz Joseph and Crown Prince Rudolf appear on the stage of a building designed and accomplished under the famous Emperor’s rule. The beautiful and unhappy Empress Elizabeth, or Sissi by her popular nickname, remains one of the most beloved and admired personnel of our past.
Since its creation in 1976, this choreography was only performed by The Royal Ballet and the Swedish Royal Ballet. It is a great honour to Hungarian National Ballet that out of so many renowned ballet companies all over Europe applying, we are the one that has now been granted the rights to stage Mayerling.
The premier left the audiences of both nights thrilled with excitement and the right holders, in unison with the staging personnel from Covent Garden, London, have expressed their utmost satisfaction with our production, as well as their amazement at how Hungarian National Ballet has put forward not only one but two, equally strong and expressive casts.
In 2004, Erkel Theatre in Budapest hosted the world premiere of the ballet 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' by Gyula Harangozó Jr, a real success with all generations from grandparents doen to grandchildren: an excellent choreography combined with an easy-to-perceive, high quality ballet music and a rich, spectacular and high-tech setting.

From August 1, 2005, Hungarian National Ballet is directed by Gábor Keveházi, one of the greatest Hungarian ballet dancers ever, winner of numerous prestigious Hungarian and international prizes, former Director of Pécs Ballet – a man who is also well-known in Hungary as a manager of the art in the broad sense of the word. Apart from his choreography 'Zorba', a constant success within our repertory in Hungary and abroad, he, in cooperation with another internationally known choreographer and performing artist, Mr Iván Markó, created in spring 2006 a grand piece to Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, accompanied by a huge orchestra and a 100-member live choir.

The new Director of Ballet’s concept is based on the rejuvenation of staff, the preservation of the classical repertoire, the promotion of the Hungarian ballet repertoire and openness towards contemporary trends.

Our beautiful romantic and classical ballet performances like 'Giselle' and 'Swan Lake' attract audiences from both Hungary and abroad

Vainonen’s 'The Nutcracker', a special “ballet delicacy”, celebrated its 750^th performance on 13 December 2005. This version of the fairy-tale ballet is absolutely unique in Europe

László Seregi’s choreographies, among others 'Spartacus', 'Romeo and Juliet', 'A Midsummernight’s Dream' and 'The Taming of the Shrew', have defined Hungarian ballet since 1968, and have been performed with undiminished popularity and frequent standing ovations ever since.

Lilla Pártay, another outstanding choreographer of the Opera House, staged Anna Karenina, a modern ballet, which is always performed with great success. So is her latest work, also inspired by a world-famous novel and bearing its title: 'Gone with the Wind'. Pártay finished this full-evening ballet-drama in the spring of 2007, offering a number of splendid character roles to the members of the company.

The technical perfection of the pieces which determine the image of the company and the sophisticated technique of its members are ensured by outstanding Hungarian ballet masters as well as the frequent visits of guest ballet masters from abroad.

The Hungarian National Ballet has not been untouched by contemporary trends. As mentioned above, choreographies by Jiri Kylian and William Forsythe had an extremely inspiring impact on the dancers’ sense of style and performing skills. Gábor Keveházi continues this trend by supporting the choreographic initiatives of the company and by inviting other Hungarian choreographers in order to encourage the merger of contemporary techniques and ballet.

The evening named 'Our Contemporary Stars – Step by Step', which was the last premiere in the Erkel Theatre before it was closed down, gave eight young choreographers the opportunity to introduce themselves and their work.

Gábor Keveházi commented it as follows:

“Today several young members of the Hungarian National Ballet are working as choreographers as well. I must give way to their talent and creative ambitions, and I’m happy to do that. I’m convinced that we have opened to the latest trends with our contemporary ballet evening.”

The Director of Ballet also invited celebrated choreographers to stage the ballet evening entitled 'Passion'. The three unique productions, first performed in the spring of 2008, meant another challenge to the company. The dancers perfectly interpreted the pieces of the three choreographers of diverse views: Antal Fodor, Yvette Bozsik and Iván Markó.

The 2008/2009 season is a summary of both aspects of Gábor Keveházi’s concept as Director of Ballet. In terms of tradition, on 15 November 2008, the Ballet of the Hungarian State Opera House introduces one of the most characteristic pieces of Russian classical ballet, Marius Petipa’s 'La Bayadere'.

Minkus-Petipa-Muchamedov: La Bayadere - Aleszja Popova, Arhangelski Vladimir

Photo: Béla Mezey

The company presented a large-scale, spectacular ballet performance in the spring of 2009, containing the pieces of the internationally renowned artist in modern ballet, George Balanchine.

In the autumn of 2009, the repertoire of our company will be enlarged with a piece by Boris Eifman, an internationally acclaimed figure of modern ballet presently working in St. Petersburg, who was inspired to compose his dramatic dance by Dostoyevsky’s novel The Brothers Karamazov. Boris Eifman started making choreographies in the 1970s, and he succeeded in establishing an international career while also working for the ballets in Moscow and St. Petersburg. During his career, Eifman has adapted a large number of themes on stage, but his most lauded ballets are those inspired by literature. His company, the Eifman Ballet – which has revolutionised the notion of classical dance in Russia with its modernity and powerful expression – has been to many international tours, but the choreographer’s pieces are played in other theatres as well.

Instead of the plots, Eifman is mainly interested in the conflicts of characters in pieces of literature. That is why Dostoyevsky’s novel is a perfect starting point for Eifman: the brothers’ diverse characters and the introduction of female figures who appear in their lives give exciting tasks and excellent opportunities to a large number of dancers.

In June 2010, the Hungarian National Ballet will introduce a modern ballet night, which – according to our plans – will consist of three pieces by three choreographers of different characters.

Robert North’s The Death and the Girl might be familiar to the Hungarian audience. The choreographer’s easily digestible artistic concept is based on the music of the first two movements of Schubert’s string quartet with the same title.

András Lukács, who is presently working at the Vienna Staatsoper, has proved his talent as a choreographer on several occasions in the past few years. The enlarged version of his composition Whirling has preserved all the qualities and the harmony of the original piece.

The third choreographer of the night, the Israeli Ohad Naharin, started to dance relatively late. He started his ballet studies with Martha Graham, and later his name became associated with the Batsheva Dance Company.

We believe our contemporary dance night will be welcome both by the Hungarian and the international audience.