For the first time in its history, the Hungarian State Opera produces a staged version of Hädel's masterpiece. Mozart's revised version directed by Ferenc Anger premieres on 20 December 2019 at the Erkel Theatre. Soloists of the four Christmas performances are Rita Rácz, Atala Schöck, István Horváth and Krisztián Cser. The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra is conducted by Gergely Kesselyák.
December at the Opera means that holiday magic returns to the stage and to the square around the Erkel Theatre. The Christmas market in front of the theatre is open until the last day of the year. Inside, opera and ballet performances, charity programmes, and a special concert awaits audiences.
Internationally acclaimed Hungarian opera singer Ildikó Komlósi celebrates 35 years at the Hungarian State Opera. To mark the occasion, a special anniversary gala is organised at the Erkel Theatre featuring Hungarian soloists and guest star Italian tenor, Marco Berti as well as the artists of FlamenCorazónArte Dance Theatre and Varidance Ensemble. The concert programme includes a scene from Verdi’s Aida and highlights from Bizet’s Carmen.
In the 2020/2021 season, the Hungarian State Opera once again concentrates on the opera tradition of a certain nation. We have already had German, Italian and Hungarian themed seasons, now it is time for the French Muse Season. In recent years, works by several French composers – including Massenet, Offenbach, Poulenc, Saint-Saëns – found their way into the repertoire as well as with operas such as Les Huguenots based on French history. These will all return to our stages and most of the new opera and ballet productions will also focus on French culture along with the numerous galas, symphonic concerts and guest performances.
The Opera House in Budapest is currently undergoing extensive restoration and modernisation. Until its reopening in 2021, our performances can be seen at the Erkel Theatre, the second venue of the Hungarian State Opera.
The Opera House in Budapest is currently undergoing extensive restoration and modernisation. Until its reopening in 2021, our performances can be seen at the Erkel Theatre, the second venue of the Hungarian State Opera.
Slovakian-Hungarian soprano Mária Celeng commenced her studies at the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest as a student of Mária Fekete and continued them at the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music under the guidance of Júlia Pászthy before later earning her master's degree at the Hochschule für Musik and Theater München, where she studied under Gabriele Fuchs. She has been making guest appearances at performances at Müpa Budapest since 2009, having sung there under the direction of György Vashegyi, Zoltán Kocsis, János Kovács and Ádám Fischer. In 2011, she sang the role of Araspe in Balázs Kovalik's production of Hasse's opera Didone abbandonata at the Prinzregententheater in Munich and the Chateau de Versailles, and also returned to the Prinzregententheater the following year to sing the title role of The Cunning Little Vixen. In the 2012/13 season, she made her Hungarian State Opera House debut as Adele in Die Fledermaus and Iluska in John the Valiant. In that same year, she sang Tebaldo in Don Carlos at the Salzburg Festival under the baton Antonio Pappano. She has been a member of the Bayerische Staatsoper Opera Studio since the 2013/14 season, and made her debuts as Barbarino (Le nozze di Figaro), Inez (Il trovatore) and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte) in 2013. In a 2014 production with the Opera Studio, she made a triumphant appearance in the title role of Bohumil Martinù's opera Mirandolina in Munich's Cuvilliés-Theatre. Her portrayal of the character of Miriam in Erich Zeisl's opera Job at the Munich Opera Festival earned her the Festival Award from the Society of Friends of the Munich Opera Festival Foundation, and in 2014, she made a guest appearance in France's Théâtre antique d'Orange. The 2014/15 season saw her take the stage as Papagena and Euridice at the Bayerische Staatsoper, as Fiordiligi at the Hungarian State Opera and as Drusilla (in L'incoronazione di Poppea) at Milan's La Scala. She has represented Hungary as a finalist at both the Neue Stimmen and the Cardiff Singer of the World competitions.