On 23 January 2021, from 7:00 p.m., the Hungarian State Opera presents Mozart's popular singspiel in a new production by Miklós H. Vecsei featuring video projections by the group Glowing Bulbs and a new Hungarian translation by Dániel Varró. Due to the pandemic, this performance can only be seen once this season – online, with soloists Erika Miklósa, Péter Balczó, Géza Gábor, Rita Rácz, János Szerekován and József Wunderlich. The ensembles of the Opera are conducted by Péter Halász.
A gripping plot – in this case the story of young lovers fighting to escape the seraglio – is in and of itself one of the keys to a successful dramatic work. However, the varied music written by a twenty-something Mozart, with its freshness and a few oriental touches, makes the singspiel Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) completely irresistible. The piece composed by Mozart at the age of 26 premiered in Vienna in 1782. Although it was his eleventh stage work, his contemporaries and music historians stated it is his first "grand" opera that brought him real fame.
Staging his first opera is Miklós H. Vecsei, a director of Mozartian youthfulness, who authored the spoken parts himself for his extraordinary production based on the combination of text, music and visuals. The performance is sure to be fresh and sometimes a bit irreverent toward operatic traditions also thanks to video projection group Glowing Bulbs, costume designer Kinga Réta Vecsei, choreographer Adrienn Vetési and a new Hungarian translation by Dániel Varró. (English subtitles are available.)
The main roles of the production are performed by Erika Miklósa (Konstanze), Péter Balczó (Belmonte), Rita Rácz (Blonde), János Szerekován (Pedrillo), Géza Gábor (Osmin) and József Wunderlich (Pasha Selim). The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus (chorus master: Gábor Csiki) are conducted by Péter Halász.
