On 14 April, 2018 it is the fifth time the Opera organises the International Iván Nagy Ballet Gala. Besides the artists of the Hungarian National Ballet, guest stars of the Dutch National Ballet, the Spanish National Dance Company, Madrid, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the Mikhailovsky Theatre of St Petersburg appear on stage of the Erkel Theatre.
Internationally renowned ballet dancer Iván Nagy (1943-2014) passed away five years ago. During his career, he worked with celebrated choreographers such as George Balanchine, Ronald Hynd, Jerome Robbins, Rudolf Nureyev, Frederick Ashton, and Alvin Ailey. His most noteworthy performances include Solor from La Bayadère, James from La Sylphide, Romeo from Romeo and Juliet, and Albrecht from Giselle. After his career as a dancer, he worked as a ballet master and art director for world renowned ensembles, and served as head consultant to the Hungarian State Opera in the last two years of his life. His passing left a great void in the ensemble’s ranks.
In his memory, the Opera organises an international ballet gala night each year, in which soloists from the greatest ballet companies in the world join the artists of the Opera’s ballet ensemble to pay tribute to the great ballet dancer.
Founder, director: Tamás Solymosi
Presenter: Szilvia Becze
Ballet masters: Mária Aradi, Kornélia Mráz, Radina Dace, Edit Rujsz, Marianna Venekei
Featuring the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra.
Conductor: Imre Kollár
Programme
Kornélia Mráz / Tchaikovsky: Waltz of the Flowers (featuring students of the Hungarian National Ballet Academy)
Seregi / Khachaturian: Spartacus – Pas de deux (featuring Sofia Ivanova-Skoblikova, Iurii Kekalo – Hungarian National Ballet)
Balanchine / Delibes: Sylvia – Pas de deux (featuring Tatiana Melnik, Dmitry Timofeev –Hungarian National Ballet)
Balanchine / Tchaikovsky: Theme and Variatons (featuring Maia Makhateli, Artur Shesterikov – Dutch National Ballet, and members of the Hungarian National Ballet)
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van Manen / Satie: Trois Gnossiennes – Pas de deux (featuring Lili Felméry, Gergely Leblanc (Hungarian National Ballet, featuring on piano: Dilara Lakatos Basak)
Gsovsky / Auber: Grand Pas Classique – Pas de deux (featuring Olesya Novikova – Mariinsky Theatre, Leonid Sarafanov – Mikhailovsky Theatre, Saint Petersburg)
Forsythe / Schubert: The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude (featuring Yourim Lee, Cristina Balaban, Tatiana Melnik – Hungarian National Ballet, Ángel García Molinero, Anthony Pina – Spanish National Dance Company, Madrid)