HUNGARIAN NATIONAL BALLET RpERTOIREE · krIsZTIna végh kaTalIn volf pIanIsTs éva haJnal györgy...

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H U N G A R I A N N A T I O N A L B A L L E T R E p E R T O I R E

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR T A m á S S O l y m O S I

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Table of Con Ten Ts

In TroduCTIon 2

onegIn 8

CoppélIa 1 2

The nu TCr aCk er 16

dueT 20

éTudes 2 4

swa n l a k e 28

snow whITe a nd The 7 dwa rves 32

The k a r a M a Zovs 36

The Ta MIng of The shrew 40

M a non 4 4

peTITe MorT 48

roMeo a nd JulIeT 52

sparTaCus 56

sylvIa 60

l a sylphIde 64

Troy ga Me a nd Troy ga Me wITh a M a Zons 68

The Merry wIdow 72

The hunga r Ia n naTIona l ba lle T CoMpa n y 78

reperToIre 80

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swan lake, onegin, The Merry widow, études, The Taming of the shrew, snow white and the 7 dwarves, Manon – each

an extraordinary highlight of the Hungarian National Ballet’s repertoire. Hungary’s sole classical ensemble, one of

the world’s largest ballet companies with 120 members, invites you to explore these classic works. On these pages,

our soloists bring to life spectacular scenes from the productions in our programme, in which our choreographies

run the gamut from the best-known traditional pieces to more modern works, all the way to the extreme Troy game.

We strive to bring to Budapest works by the leading choreographers of the international ballet world, while also pre-

serving works from Hungary’s creative geniuses. All of our productions are updated from time to time, not only in

terms of the cast list, but also with respect to the sets and costumes.

It is only with intense attention to detail and tenacious perseverance that we are able to achieve a level of quality that

elevates the Hungarian National Ballet to belong among the world’s most famous ballet ensembles. Moreover, we

enjoy the admiration of the entire ballet elite for our company’s remarkable versatility. The most significant result of

the past three seasons is already palpable in 2014: in the international arena, more and more exceptionally talented

dancers consider the Budapest Opera’s ensemble to be the place to build their careers. In addition to world stars,

renowned and acclaimed ballet masters from abroad join us in our work, thereby enhancing the outstanding level of

quality founded on the knowledge of Hungary’s finest dance artists.

Come along and join us!

Best regards,

Ta Más solyMosI

“dance, make space for us!”

I paraphrase here the all-embracing lines of our national poet, Sándor petőfi, and have good reason to do so.

Why? Because the Hungarian National Ballet has always remained both Hungarian and national. On one hand, we

proudly champion our prominently Hungarian ensemble and the creative works of Hungarian artists that repre-

sent an extension of the country’s culture. But we also champion “ballet”, the form of dance not restricted by lan-

guage or even geography, and which would lose its universal ability to depict the emotions of everyday people if we

denied it the inspiration of artists schooled in the ballet studios of other nations.

There exist few branches of the arts so true and noble that only the end result matters in essence: the beauty of the

motion, the height of the jump, the speed of the spin and the fervour of wordless portrayal. And the Hungarian

National Ballet is today a pillar of the Hungarian Opera with its 100 full-scale performances each year, at least as

many dance interludes in opera productions, and its large company performing in two theatres. We are proud of

them, proud of their elegance and unrelenting development, and also proud of the rich Hungarian bloodline nou-

rished by the French and Russian styles, and of the warm welcome extended to sons and daughters of other nations

– for all our artists contribute to the enjoyment of the Hungarian audience. And we are not alone in this sense of

pride, which in the year 2014 we shared with more than one hundred thousand ballet fans.

“let it not die uselessly / this noble f lame that animates me”, wrote petőfi, his passion evoking the ecstasy blended with

discipline that is ballet. This volume was created so that you too can partake joyfully in its ceaseless blaze.

With warm regards,

sZIlvesZTer ókováCs

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ba lleT dIreCTor

TaMás solyMosI

prInCIpal arTIsTIC

ConsulTanT

MaIna gIelgud

head balleT MasTer

MarIanna venekeI

balleT MasTers

angéla kövessy

edIT MarosI

guesT balleT MasTers

MárIa aradI

béla balogh

aurora bosCh

IMre dóZsa

blanka faJTh

MaIna gIelgud

ManageMen T

STAFF gyula harangoZó Jr.

evelyn JanáCs

IldIkó kasZás

MIChael Messerer

MárTa MeTZger

ZolTán nagy sr.

sándor néMeThy

IldIkó pongor

edIT ruJsZ

lásZló sTerbInsZky

TaMás Tengler

krIsZTIna végh

kaTalIn volf

pIanIsTs

éva haJnal

györgy láZár

gyula nyárI

sveTlana orlova

Zsanna vasZIlenko

balleT seCreTarIaT

sZonJa sTella, ballet secretary

roland Csonka, artistic Coordinator

ZsófIa sZabó, artistic Coordinator

gabrIella MIlkovIC , International

Cultural Manager

éva baranya, secretarial assistant

audIo TeChnICIans

györgy leányvárI

károly sChnITZler

lásZló sChnITZler

Masseurs

IsTván bolesZa

TIbor eIChner

benCe sZabó

ConTraCTor

éva Csere, physiotherapist

Ta Más solyMosIballet director and artistic director

péTer hal ásZprincipal Music director

MaIna gIelgudprincipal artistic Consultant

MarIanna venekeIhead ballet Master

dr . vIr ág fôZôdeputy general director

dr. MonIk a TurkovICsMarketing and Communications director

sZIlvesZTer ókováCsgeneral director

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The music of Tchaikovsky brings pushkin’s legendary melancholic character to life once again, this time as a ballet

by choreographer John Cranko. Much too late to avoid paying the price for stif led and destroyed human lives,

Onegin realises that love can awaken the soul and give meaning to life.

The premature death of John Cranko, the founding choreographer of the Stuttgart Ballet, has most likely deprived

us of numerous masterpieces. It is for this reason that we considered it important to again include- from among

his principal works- onegin in the Hungarian National Ballet’s repertoire in 2012, with new performers and a

re-conceived look courtesy of set and costume designer Thomas Mika. Cranko had very precise knowledge not only

of ballet technique, but also of the profundity of the human soul. With a f lawless dramaturgical sense, he got the

proportions absolutely correct, and knew and felt exactly how to convey the story in the language of dance. The

work is brimming with spectacular and virtuoso feats of the stage, but mere perfect command of technique is not

sufficient, for the work demands genuine acting and character portrayal. It’s no coincidence that many ballet

dancers dream of taking on the characters of of Onegin and Tatiana.

ONEGIN

J. Cr anko | p. I . TChaIkovsk y | k . h. sTolZe

Choreogr a pher John Cranko

CoMposer pIoTr IlyICh TChaIkovsky

orChesTr aTed by kurT-heInZ sTolZe

seT a nd CosTuMe desIgner ThoMas MIka

assIsTa n T To The CosTuMe desIgner dIana eCkMann

lIghTIng desIgner sTeen bJarke

sTagIng ba lleT M asTer agneTa sTJernlöf-valCu

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTer vICTor valCu

répéTITeurs angéla kövessy | IldIkó pongor | TaMás solyMosI | TaMás Tengler | MarIanna venekeI

ba lleT In Three aCTs

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Coppélia is the most successful ballet from the late Romantic era, and it continues to be played on stages worldwide

even today. The original version of the ballet of Coppélia is linked to Arthur Saint-Léon, an important figure of the pe-

riod of Romanticism, whose name is recorded in the history of dance both as a dancer and a choreographer. However,

his version did not survive: only the later St. petersburg revision taught by Marius petipa, as well as later versions.

Hungary has a long tradition of reworking Coppélia too. The tale was first staged here at the National Theatre in

1877, in a production created by Frigyes Campilli. The premiere of the Coppélia expanded to a three-act ballet and

choreographed by Gyula Harangozó took place at the Erkel Theatre on 24 April 1953, where it remained in the reper-

toire unchanged until 2000. Since the original dance music would not have been sufficient in length for a three-act

ballet, Jenő Kenessey selected some additional music from Delibes’s other works based on Harangozó’s conceptua-

lisations. After a long absence, this work now considered a classic of the Hungarian ballet stage is returning to the

Hungarian National Ballet’s repertoire for the 2014/15 season based on a decision by Tamás Solymosi to pay homage

to Gyula Harangozó’s legacy on the 40th anniversary of the master’s death.

COppéLIA

gyul a har angoZó | léo delIbes

Choreogr a pher gyula harangoZó

sTaged by gyula harangoZó Jr.

assIsTa n T To The Choreogr a pher Irén haMala

CoMposer léo delIbes

MusIC revIsed by Jenő kenessey

seT desIgners ZolTán fülöp | aTTIla CsIkós

CosTuMe desIgners Márk TIvadar | velICh rITa

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTer MárTa MeTZger

répéTITeurs angéla kövessy | MárTa MeTZger

sTuden Ts of The hunga rIa n da nCe aCadeM y CoaChed by evelyn JanáCs

CoMIC da nCe In Three aCTs

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The version of The nutcracker with Vasili Vainonen’s choreography was included in the repertoire of the Opera’s

ballet company on 16 February 1950, and has played to an unbroken string of full houses ever since. Generations

have grown up to this nutcracker. And not just in the auditorium, either, but on the stage as well: this tradition-

bound production has accompanied many of our artists throughout their entire career, with those who first take

the stage as children often returning to shine in one of the principal roles a few years later.

Vainonen, who had been raised in the St. petersburg ballet tradition, wrote as follows of the creative process:

“petipa’s libretto for The Nutcracker did not satisfy me,” he wrote, “because of the incoherent plot and its sentimental coat-

ing... In contrast, Tchaikovsky’s music is so full of images, dance and emotions that it was very interesting for me to display

it on stage. I have rebuilt the script by relying on the music, paying maximum attention to the details of the plot.”

Major factors in the Yuletide fairy-tale ballet’s success on the stage of the Opera House are Gusztáv Oláh’s sets and

costumes from more than 60 years ago, the sight of which is practically like f lipping through the pages of a story-

book, as well as the perfect complement to a choreography built on traditions of classical ballet.

THE NUTCRACKER

v. vaInonen | p. I . TChaIkovsk y

Choreogr a pher vasIlI vaInonen

CoMposer pIoTr IlyICh TChaIkovsky

lIbreT To vasIlI vaInonen based on The work by e. T. a. hoffMann

seT a nd CosTuMe desIgner gusZTáv oláh

répéTITeurs IMre dóZsa | angéla kövessy | TaMás solyMosI | MarIanna venekeI

krIsZTIna végh | kaTalIn volf


faIry-Ta le ba lle T In Three aCTs

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A man and a woman, as a couple, alone on a stage decorated only by a glowing deep-blue background. The romantic

nature of the work embraces the essence of the relationship between male and female: the devoted husband, beside

whom the woman is complete and “takes flight”. Set to music from Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan and Isolde -

Isolde’s liebestod, or “Love-Death”, which is frequently performed as a standalone piece, the wonderful Wagnerian

music and the intimate duet together create an enchanting atmosphere.

The choreography, chock full of complex lifts, is a true challenge for the performers, since – in addition to the

technical execution – they must place extraordinarily great emphasis on expressing the emotional content.

Canadian choreographer Wayne Eagling was for years a principal at London’s Royal Ballet, and later served for 12

years as artistic director of the Dutch National Ballet, and then seven years in the same position at the English

National Ballet. The world premiere of his choreography duet was held in Lisbon in 1995, and the work was

premiered in the Netherlands a year later. Ever since its Budapest premiere on 2 March 2006, in which Eagling

himself took part, duet has been one of the ensemble’s most important pieces.

DUET

wayne e aglIng | rIChard wagner

Choreogr a pher a nd CosTuMe desIgner wayne eaglIng

CoMposer rIChard wagner

lIghTIng desIgner wayne eaglIng

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTer TaMás solyMosI

ba lleT In one aCT

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The études present an enormous challenge for any ballet company. This is only natural, their theme is classical

technique itself and the everyday practising of ballet. perhaps this is why the respected American dance critic

Arlene Croce dubbed the work an “anti-ballet”, since in conventional ballet performances, the perfect mastery

of dance is for the sake of the content, while the exhausting everyday practice sessions that lead to the perfect

performance remain hidden from the public eye.

Danish choreographer Harald Lander opted to give the audience a peek inside this world. On stage, he shows

how a ballet practice is constructed and how the beauty of classical movements triumphs over even the laws of

physics. The audience, thereby – as dance critic Svend Kragh Jacobsen, another Dane, wrote at the time of the

world premiere – becomes a sort of voyeur into the “private world” of ballet. The études are constructed in the

same way as a ballet lesson: they start alongside the barre, and then build up to increasingly complex exercises,

jumps and turns, finally aggregating into combinations of moves played out on the stage. What the choreographer

has succeeded in devising is a show of contrasts, silhouettes, spatial arrangements, black and white colours and

lighting design which makes the end result a lively and thrilling one. Despite having no apparent plot, the work is

BALLET itself, writ large.

éTUDES

har ald l ander | Carl CZern y

Choreogr a pher harald lander

CoMposer Carl CZerny

MusIC for The ba lle T CoMposed based on The works of CZer n y by knudÅge rIIsager

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTer Johnny elIasen

ba lleT M asTers angéla kövessy | IldIkó pongor | MarIanna venekeI

Cl assICa l ba lleT In one aCT

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The hardships of love between a prince forced into marriage and a maiden enchanted into the form of a swan is

one of the most charming Russian romantic fairy tales.

The piece nevertheless failed at its original premiere in 1877. The choreographers preparing the performance were

simply not equal to Tchaikovsky’s genius. Finally, in 1895, two artists from the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint peters-

burg, Marius petipa and Lev Ivanov, created a work of choreography so fantastic that it established a tradition, and

most companies to this day still dance the piece following this blueprint.

Rudi van Dantzig reworked this classic in 1988. The towering figure of the Dutch ballet world has achieved tre-

mendous successes as both a dancer and a choreographer, mostly in collaboration with Dutch designer Toer van

Schayk. Van Schayk started his career as a successful ballet dancer, later moving on to work as a choreographer and

finally as a set and costume designer, not to mention as a sculptor.

swan lake is being staged in 2014/2015 as a completely new production.

SWAN LAKE

rudI van dan TZIg | Toer van sChayk | pyoTr IlyICh TChaIkovsk y

produCTIon a nd Choreogr a ph y rudI van danTZIg, afTer MarIus peTIpa and lev Ivanov

Choreogr a ph y of folk da nCes (aCT III) Toer van sChayk

CoMposer pyoTr IlyICh TChaIkovsky

seT a nd CosTuMe desIgner Toer van sChayk

assIsTa n T To The seT a nd CosTuMe desIgner ruud luTgens

lIghTIng desIgner Jan hofsTra

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTers CarolIne Iura | eleonora deMIChelIs

ba lleT M asTers MárIa aradI | angéla kövessy | IldIkó pongor | TaMás Tengler

TaMás solyMosI | MarIanna venekeI

Cl assICa l ba lleT In Three aCTs

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snow white and the seven dwarves is one of the Grimm Brothers’ most beloved stories. Its many twists and turns

and numerous well-drawn characters make it eminently suited to the stage, not to mention the ballet, making it

no coincidence that the fairy-tale ballet has enjoyed unflagging success among children and their parents alike

ever since its premiere. As well as providing entertainment, this work serves the additional function of getting the

youngest age-groups acquainted with the art of ballet. Taking advantage of the sheer diversity of characters and

events in the story, Gyula Harangozó Jr.’s choreography employs a wide variety of dance characters, ranging from

the more classical character of Snow White to the rough and tumble dancing of the dwarves. Tibor Kocsák, as an

accomplished composer for the stage, handles the musical dramaturgy with sensitivity, sympathetically depicting

the characters’ personalities and the events of the story with the tools of music. perfectly accompanying and under-

pinning all of this is the visual world conjured up by Kentaur and Rita Velich, which without actually utilising the

universe of the Disney film, does allude to it in a subtle fashion.

Gyula Harangozó Jr.’s aim was “to create a fine children’s ballet production which, overf lowing with humour, beauty

and energy, would win the affection of every generation from grandparents to grandchildren.” This is exactly what snow

white and the 7 dwarves achieves.

SNOW WHITE AND THE 7 DWARVES

gyul a har angoZó Jr . | TIbor koCsák

lIbreT To based on The broThers grIMM faIry Ta le by, a nd Choreogr aph y developed

a nd CoaChed by, a nd dIreCTed by gyula harangoZó Jr.

assIsTa n Ts To The Choreogr a phers angéla kövessy | edIT ruJsZ

CoMposer TIbor koCsák

orChesTr aTed by gábor keMény | rudolf bíró

seT desIgn a nd vIsua l effeCTs kenTaur

CosTuMe desIgner rITa velICh

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Boris Eifman was 30 years old in 1977 when he wound up at the helm of the Leningrad New Ballet, and has directed

the company, which later became known as the Saint petersburg Eifman Ballet, ever since. With more than 40 works

to his name, he himself refers to his choreographies as “psychological ballet”, a category that includes The karamazovs,

whose narrative, although based closely on Dostoevsky’s novel, places much more emphasis on the personalities of the

characters and the web of tensions developing among them than it does on telling the story of their actions.

The piece’s genesis is inseparable from the historical era in which it was born, since the changes in Eastern Europe

heralded a long period when the issues and concepts that form the crux of the work – freedom, anarchy, God, account-

ability – came bubbling back to the surface. As Eifman relates it, he felt at the time that Dostoevsky’s work had become

pressingly relevant, and his choreography completed the writer’s unfulfilled plans to write a sequel to the novel in

which Alexei, the youngest son, destroys everything for the sake of creating a new world, and then, coming to under-

stand the futility of his actions, returns to God.

THE KARAMAzOVS

b. eIfMan | s . r aChManInoff | M. Mussorgsk y | r . wagner

Choreogr a pher borIs eIfMan

assIsTa n T To The Choreogr a pher olga kalMIkova

CoMposers sergeI raChManInoff | ModesT Mussorgsky | rIChard wagner

lIbreT To based on The work by f. M. dosToevsk y borIs eIfMan

seT a nd CosTuMe desIgner vIaCeslav okunev

lIghTIng desIgner borIs eIfMan

CosTuMe -M a k er Zsóka sZoMolányI

MIse -en-sCène ZolTán JuhásZ | MIklós resZ

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTers yurI ananyan | vera arbuZova | Ilya osIpov

oleg paradnIk | oxana Tverdohlebova

répéTITeurs andrea p. Merlo | MarIanna venekeI | krIsZTIna végh

ba lleT In T wo aCTs

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THE TAMING OF THE SHREW

Shakespeare’s The Taming of the shrew has inspired a string of stage and film adaptations. The most important

ballet adaptations include Maurice Béjart’s 1954 choreography set to the music of Scarlatti, the Czech Vera Unter-

müllerová’s 1961 work based on the melodies of a Czech composer, and John Cranko’s 1961 version, likewise based

on the music of Scarlatti.

This series continued in 1994 with László Seregi, who choose the music of Karl Goldmark for his choreography,

making the composer (a little under 80 years after his death and with the help of some judicious editing on the part

of Frigyes Hidas), a co-creator with Shakespeare. The revised ballet music has the effect of a unified work, as if the

long-deceased composer had written it specifically for this choreography.

The Taming of the shrew is part of László Seregi’s Shakespeare cycle, following the highly successful romeo and

Juliet and a Midsummer night’s dream in the series. László Seregi was a key figure in the history of the Hungarian

National Ballet, one who felt completely at home in the worldview of the Renaissance. This was palpable in these

works, but his most important ability as a choreographer was most evident in the outstanding dramaturgical sense

with which he was able to convert dramatic works to the language of dance in a manner that was both entertaining

and accessible to a wide audience.

l ásZló seregI | k arl goldMark | frIgyes hIdas

Choreogr a pher lásZló seregI

assIsTa n T To The Choreogr a pher IldIkó kasZás

CoMposer karl goldMark

MusIC revIsed by frIgyes hIdas

lIbreT To lásZló seregI

seT desIgner aTTIla CsIkós

CosTuMe desIgner nelly vágó

ba lleT M asTers blanka faJTh | IldIkó kasZás | krIsZTIna végh

ba lleT In T wo aCTs

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Sir Kenneth MacMillan was one of the most prominent figures of English ballet who worked passionately to rein-

vent the language of the genre. On many occasions he reached for modern and socially charged themes that no one

had ever dared to touch in any genre, let alone dance. The 1974 premiere of Manon also generated criticism for this.

Even though the work won enormous acclaim from audiences, critics were shocked by an immoral plotline that

was completely unprecedented in the world of classical ballet.

The story of the enchanting but poor parisian girl Manon is about choosing between true love and luxurious and

carefree life. Massenet and puccini both wrote operas based on the 18th century story by the Abbé prévost, with

MacMillan choosing the less well known French composer. MacMillan’s choreography is being staged at the Opera

House in February 2015 with its original scenery and costumes in a production by the artists of the Hungarian

National Ballet. The premiere of the production also doubles as a Hungarian premiere of sorts, since the Hungarian

audience has only even seen this ballet performed by visiting companies (Wiener Staatsballet, Royal Ballet) on a

few occasions.

MANON

sIr kenneTh MaCMIll an | Jules MasseneT | MarTIn yaTes

Choreogr a pher sIr kenneTh MaCMIllan

CoMposer Jules MasseneT

MusIC orChesTr aTed a nd a rr a nged by MarTIn yaTes

seT a nd CosTuMe desIgner nICholas georgIadIs

seT supervIsor andrew JaMeson

CosTuMe supervIsor MIChael brown

lIghTIng desIgner John b. read

sTaged by MaIna gIelgud

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTer gary harrIs

ba lleT M asTers angéla kövessy | TaMás solyMosI | TaMás Tengler | MarIanna venekeI | kaTalIn volf


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49pETITE MORT

Jiří Kylián has always admired Mozart; over the course of his career, he has created a number of choreographies

to the composer’s music, including one from 1991 that paid homage to the genius on the 200th anniversary of his

death.

Featured in this uniquely atmospheric ballet are six women, six men and six swords. In addition to the weapons,

other props include black, baroque-style clothing and bizarre crinolines. The symbolic imagery in the dance piece

presents a world where aggression, sexuality, silence, music, vulnerability, interdependence and eternal human

beauty exist together in their own sense of poetry. Kylián expands his ballet woven from symbolic images into a

sort of “danse macabre”, incorporating the thought of death that pervades every moment of human life into the

splendid sequence of virtuosically elegant duets.

petite Mort, that is, “the little death” – refers in French to the moment of sexual fulfilment, the passion of rapture,

the moment of ecstasy in which a person dies slightly as far as reality is concerned. However, the term is also used

in a different context, when something so tragic happens that “something dies a little in us”.

This ballet from the choreographer’s mature period is characterised by daring visuals, superb dance performances,

elegance and style and has featured in the Hungarian State Opera’s repertoire since 25 May 2013.

JIří k ylIán | wolfgang a Madeus MoZarT

Choreogr a pher a nd se T desIgner JIří kylIán

CosTuMe desIgner Joke vIsser

lIghTIng desIgner desIgner JIří kylIán | Joop CaboorT (IMpleMenTaTIon)

lIghTIng desIgner | TeChnICa l adapTaTIon kees TJebbes

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTers Cora bos kroese | elke sChepers

ba lleT M asTers angéla kövessy | krIsZTIna végh

ba lleT In one aCT

kr

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“There’s an old and somewhat cynical canard in the theatre world: when you are at a loss for what to do, just produce

something by shakespeare. not only is this unfounded, it’s also a trap. The bard of avon draws us into depths of profundity

and leads us into such human pitfalls that the act of struggling with him stands out as the agony of all agonies. and finally

it turns out that putting on a shakespearean work entails taking many more things into consideration than using anyone

else’s work would have.”(László Seregi )

prokofiev’s reworking of the most tragic love story in world literature has become an iconic piece of both Russian

and international 20th century ballet. Following Leonid Lavronsky, John Cranko’s 1962 choreography enjoyed

enormous success around the world, as did Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s from 1965.

On 25 May 1985, the Hungarian State Opera premiered romeo and Juliet as choreographed by László Seregi,

whose „actors” march out on the stage of London’s Globe Theatre, as though we were in the landmark venue of

Elizabethan England one instant and in Verona the next. With f lesh and blood people on the stage who reveal

themselves, their deeds and their emotions.

In his own language and characteristic style, Seregi describes feelings and values that are slowly disappearing from

the modern world, or are only present in a misshapen form.

ROMEO AND JULIET

l ásZló seregI | sergeI prokofIev

Choreogr a ph y based on The dr a M a by wIllIa M sh ak espe are lásZló seregI

CoMposer sergeI prokofIev

seT desIgner gábor forray

CosTuMe desIgner nelly vágó

ba lleT M asTers blanka faJTh | IldIkó kasZás | kaTalIn volf


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spartacus was László Seregi’s first true grand ballet following a number of smaller-scale choreographies and ballet

interludes prepared at the Budapest opera house. The world premiere was held on 18 May 1968, and with all-star

performers to boot, including five Kossuth prize-winning ballet dancers in the principal roles of the double cast.

The historically themed grand ballet, which takes place in the Roman Republic around 74 BC, became at a single

stroke a milestone in Hungarian dance life, for Seregi revealed his decidedly powerful dramaturgical sense in his

choreography, his ability to shape the score to suit his own needs, and his spectacular fixation on ideas. Generations

of audiences have enjoyed his choreography, which reworks the tale of the ancient slave revolt in such a way that

the rebellion itself is not the main focus, but rather the human emotions and decisions made under conditions of

oppression. “The theme is an eternal one,” László Seregi wrote of his work on his 70th birthday, “or at least for as long as

people are tortured, killed, and treated unjustly, and for as long as there are people who wish to break free.”

SpARTACUS

l ásZló seregI | ar a M IlyICh khaChaTurIan

lIbreT To based on The novel by howard fasT wrIT Ten by, a nd Choreogr aph y pl a nned

a nd a rr a nged by lásZló seregI


CosTuMe desIgner TIvadar Márk

ba lleT M asTer IldIkó kasZás


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61

This ballet by Delibes was first premiered at the paris Opera in June of 1876, with choreography by Louis Mérante.

The piece debuted in Hungary two years later. Some 100 years after the premiere of the original work, László

Seregi set about creating a new version. For Seregi the challenge then became to bring the work closer to the

viewers without substantively altering it. First premiered in 1972 at the Erkel Theatre. The new version rounds

out the original, closed “pastoral” ballet with a double storyline: the viewer is presented with a fin-de-siècle (the

era of the music’s composition) ballet company that is preparing to premiere sylvia. Life and theatre, reality and

performance are juxtaposed; we sometimes meet with our protagonists in the rehearsal room and sometimes on

the stage. The style of dance is rooted in the movements of classical ballet, but nevertheless loosens up as needed,

touching on self-parody at certain points.

The Hungarian National Ballet is including this Seregi work on its programme once again at the end of the 2014/15

season.

SYLVIA

l ásZló seregI | léo delIbes

lIbreT To based on The work of barbIere a nd Mér a n Te wrIT Ten by, a nd Choreogr aph y

pl a nned a nd a rr a nged by lásZló seregI

MusIC by delIbes a rr a nged for The lIbreT To by TaMás pál


CosTuMe desIgner TIvadar Márk

ba lleT M asTers blanka faJTh | IldIkó kasZás | IldIkó pongor | krIsZTIna végh

ba lleT CoMedy In T wo aCTs

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65

The story has James quietly preparing for his wedding day when a strange being appears who first bewilders him,

and then makes him doubt his love for Effie. Later, the Sylph confesses to him outright that she would like to be his

wife, pleading and finally bewitching the man until he jilts his f lesh-and-blood bride and follows the girl-spirit into

the forest.

Throughout his career, Bournonville struggled to ensure that both the dancing and the dancer are naturalistic even

amidst the virtuoso elements, and considered theatrical acting to be an indispensable component of his works.

la sylphide also contains the elements of technique and form that can be found in his other ballets, including a

strong affinity for pantomime. The world premiere of this version of the Sylph took place in 1836 to great acclaim.

At the Hungarian State Ballet’s 2014 premiere, the members of the company performed this choreography with a

new look, with sets by Attila Csikós and costumes by Dalma závodszky. The coaching ballet master for the piece

was Maina Gielgud, who led the Australian ballet for 14 years and today remains active as a freelance teacher,

a staging ballet master and choreographer.

LA SYLpHIDE

augusT bournonvIlle | MaIna gIelgud | her Man severIn løvenskIold

sTaged based on The Choreogr aph y of augusT bour non vIlle a nd The desIgns of

Ivá n nagy by MaIna gIelgud

assIsTa n T To The ba lle T M asTer Mark paCe

CoMposer herMan severIn løvenskIold

seT desIgner aTTIla CsIkós

CosTuMe desIgner dalMa ZávodsZky

lIghTIng desIgner kIrk bookMan

ba lleT M asTers MaIna gIelgud | angéla kövessy | MarIanna venekeI | kaTalIn volf



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The company’s male dancers – and in a special twist – its female dancers too, present the audience with humour

and an exceptional dance experience.

American choreographer Robert North originally created this one-act dance show in 1974 set to Brazilian Batucada

music for the male dancers of the London Contemporary Dance Theatre to show, with an ironic slant, the expression

in dance of masculinity and the “macho spirit”. Its uniqueness arises from the fact that, in the second half of the 20th

century, a ballet performed solely by males was a great rarity. North’s piece, however, gives the male dancers of our

own era the chance to show what they can do. The work brought the choreographer his first true success and recogni-

tion. Today it is a modern classic and has entered into the repertoire of a number of the world’s major companies.

The Hungarian National Ballet, however, has put a twist on the work: departing from tradition, certain of our per-

formances will feature, in place of the men, “amazons” performing sequences of movement of masculine difficulty.

Robert North himself found the new concept to be exciting and supported it. The first time the female version of

this work was performed at the Hungarian State Opera, on 27 September 2014, was also its European premiere.

TROY GAMEand TROY GAMEWITH AMAzONS

roberT norTh | bob downes

Choreogr a pher roberT norTh

CoMposer bob downes, uTIlIsIng orIgInal saMba MusIC as well

CosTuMe desIgner peTer farMer

lIghTIng desIgner kIrk bookMan

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTer JulIan Moss

ba lleT M asTers Csaba solTI | TaMás Tengler

a ll-M a le ba lle T In one aCT – a lso wITh a n a ll-feM a le versIon

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Ronald Hynd was born in 1931. As a dancer, the critics universally praised his noble elegance and sense of style.

Close to the end of his busy dancing career, in 1968, he received his first commission as a choreographer from

the Dutch National Ballet. He took the helm of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s ballet company for two spells, and also

worked as a freelancer.

The ballet version of The Merry widow premiered in 1975 as the brainchild of Robert Helpmann, who was the

director of the Australian Ballet at the time. This enriched dance history with new colours, since no one had ever

attempted to adapt an operetta for the ballet stage before. New York Times dance critic Clive Barnes opined that

The Merry widow counts among the most noble efforts of the English school. The loveliest parts of the production,

one built out of grand tableaus, are the duets and the personality-revealing solos, and these are supplemented by

effective, often comic pantomime segments. John Lanchberry’s orchestration made even the sung melodies dance-

able, and he shaped the musical sections in such a way as to make them suitable for even longer dance sequences.

New sets and costumes based on the designs of peter Docherty have been prepared for the work’s Budapest premiere.

THE MERRY WIDOW

ronald hynd | fr anZ lehár

Choreogr a pher ronald hynd

assIsTa n T To The Choreogr a pher anneTTe page

CoMposer franZ lehár

seT a nd CosTuMe desIgner peTer doCherTy

lIbreT To revIsed on The basIs of Ide as of sIr roberT helpM a nn by ronald hynd

CoaChIng ba lleT M asTer John Meehan | ronald hynd | aneTTe page

ba lleT M asTers andrea p. Merlo | TaMás Tengler | MarIanna venekeI

CoMIC ba lle T In Three aCTs

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79

Corps de balleT

Tünde anTal

uMberTo aragno

CsIlla arany

yuka asaI

doroTTya aTInay

benJaMIn babáCsI

gergő baláZsI

dorIsZ bedő

Mark JaMes bIoCCa

éva brIeber

olga Chernakova

gaeTano CoTTonaro

nIka CrnIC

vIvIenne Csokán

pIerpaolo d’aMICo

dénes darab

dóra deák

Ilona dIenes

edIT fehér

dánIel fodor

lea földI

ayaka fuJII

orsolya gáspár

baláZs gefferTh

TaMás glogováCZ

yulIya golovyna

danIelle gould

péTer haJdu

rITa hangya

gergely hegyesI

JaClyn ann hIggIns

Csaba hoMMer

adrIenn horányI

adrIenne horváTh

györgy JellInek

esZTer kaZInCZy

ágnes keleMen

kelsey Ilona sZIgeTI sCanlon

MInJung kIM

dMITrIJ kIreJko

IsTván kohárI

baláZs kraJCZár

anna krupp

gábor laJTI

lásZló lehoTaI

esZTer lovIsek

andrea p. Merlo

angela MIngardo

dávId Molnár

krIsTóf MorvaI

borIs MyasnIkov

ZsófIa nagy neMes

gábor néMeTh

ZsuZsanna papp

esZTer paTakI–TóTh

lloyd peTChey

esZTer pőCZe

lIlla pursZky

ágnes rIedl

bIanka roTTer

réka sárI

MónIka séra

krIsTIna sTarosTIna

adrIenn sZekeres

ZsófIa sZeregnyI

györgy sZIrb

IldIkó sZŰCs

alI vIkTor TabbouCh

yuya TakahashI

Carlos TaravIllo MahIllo

barbara TóTh

eMI uehara

JudIT varga

TaTIana vdovICheva

roland vékes

rICardo vIla ManZanares

gabrIella vonTsZeMŰ

feMale prInCIpals

alexandra koZMér

shoko nakaMura

alesZJa popova

alIya Tanykpayeva

Male prInCIpals

MáTé bakó

JóZsef CserTa

ZolTán oláh

dMITrI TIMofeev

feMale CharaCTer prInCIpals

karIna sarkIssova

Male CharaCTer prInCIpals

levenTe baJárI

MIklós dávId kerényI

feMale soloIsTs

IldIkó boros

JessICa Carulla leon

lIlI felMéry

krIsZTIna keveháZI

adrIenn pap

daCe radInya

Male soloIsTs

benCe apáTI

IurII kekalo

Ievgen lagunov

gergely leblanC

roland lIebICh

feMale deMI–soloIsTs

arTeMIsZ bakó–pIsla

CrIsTIna balaban

andrea erdős

ZsófIa gyarMaTI

krIsZTIna paZár

enIkő soMorJaI

nóra süveges

Male deMI–soloIsTs

baláZs MaJoros

JóZsef MedveCZ

MIkalaI radZIush

aTTIla sZakáCs

andrás sZegő

gábor sZIgeTI

feMale CharaCTer deMI–

soloIsTs

sZneZsana gIkovsZkI

JulIanna JuraTsek

sára weIsZ

Male CharaCTer deMI–soloIsTs

bálInT kaTona

aleksZandr koMarov

sZIlárd MaCher

Csaba solTI

sándor TurI

MeMbers of The hungarIan naTIonal balleTMeMbers of The hungarIan naTIonal balleT

81

reperToIre

Choreogr apher- CoMposer pIeCe

asafIev–Zakharov The founTaIn of bakhChIsaraI

ashTon–hérold la fIlle Mal gardée

balanChIne–gershwIn who Cares?

balanChIne–TChaIkovsky serenade

bournonvIlle–løvenskIold la sylphIde

Cranko–TChaIkovsky onegIn

dawson–rIChTer on The naTure of daylIghT

eaglIng–wagner dueT

eIfMan–raChManInoff–Mussorgsky–wagner The karaMaZovs

fodor–presser–baCh The rehearsal

forsyThe–wIlleMs In The MIddle, soMewhaT elevaTed

harangoZó Jr.–koCsák snow whITe and The 7 dwarves

harangoZó–barTók The MIraCulous MandarIn

harangoZó–delIbes CoppélIa

harangoZó–rIMsky–korsakov sCheheraZade

harangoZó–sTrauss–kenessey proMenade MusIC

hynd–lehár The Merry wIdow

keveháZI–TheodorakIs Zorba

kylIán–MoZarT peTITe MorT

kylIán–MoZarT sIx danCes

lander–CZerny éTudes

lavrovsky–adaM gIselle

lukáCs–glass whIrlIng

reperToIre

Choreogr apher- CoMposer pIeCe

MaCMIllan–lIsZT MayerlIng

MaCMIllan–MasseneT Manon

norTh–downes Troy gaMe

norTh–downes Troy gaMe – wITh aMaZons

norTh–sChuberT deaTh and The MaIden

párTay–barTók ConCerTo

párTay–dvořák gone wITh The wInd

párTay–lIsZT–wagner–berlIoZ The golden brush

párTay–MoZarT wolfgang aMadeus MoZarT

párTay–TChaIkovsky anna karenIna

peTIpa–harangoZó Jr.–pongor–faJTh–MInkus don QuIxoTe

peTIpa–MukhaMedov–MInkus la baJadère

peTIpa–róna–TChaIkovsky sleepIng beauTy

seregI–barTók The wooden prInCe

seregI–delIbes sylvIa

seregI–dohnányI varIaTIons on a nursery Tune

seregI–goldMark The TaMIng of The shrew

seregI–hIdas The Cedar

seregI–khaChaTurIan sparTaCus

seregI–Mendelssohn a MIdsuMMer nIghT’s dreaM

seregI–prokofIev roMeo and JulIeT

vaInonen–TChaIkovsky The nuTCraCker

van danTZIg–TChaIkovsky swan lake

Con TaCTIMprIn T

responsIble publIsher sZIlvesZTer ókováCs, general dIreCTor

arTIsTIC ConCepT TaMás solyMosI | MarIanna venekeI

publICaTIon ConCepT dr. MonIka TurkovICs

phoTogr aph y lásZló eMMer

IM agery MáTaI and végh kreaTIv MŰhely

Cre aTIve dIreCTor endre végh

arT dIreCTor ZolTán fekeTe

edITor JudIT kenesey | esZTer orbán | adrIan Courage | arThur roger Crane | ZolTán balla

M ak e -up dóra soMogyvárI | CsIlla kIss

sT ylIsT MárIa Medve | JóZsef MuladI | sZabolCs Joel kleIn

h aIr krIsZTIán körösI | Márk sChaffhauser (CulT haIr)

prIn TIng press keskeny és TársaI 2001 kfT.

edITIng of ThIs publICaTIon CoMpleTed on 19 deCeMber 2014

fron T Cover swan lake – IurII kekalo | shoko nakaMura | gergely leblanC

baCk Cover roMeo and JulIeT – gergely leblanC | lIlI felMéry

hunga rIa n sTaTe oper a

hunga rIa n naTIona l ba lleT

h- 1061 budapesT, andrássy úT 22.

www.opera.hu

www.faCebook.CoM/opera

gabrIell a MIlkovIC

InTernaTIonal CulTural Manager

Tel.: +36 1 814 7224

e–MaIl: [email protected]

sZonJa sTell a

balleT seCreTary

Tel.: +36 1 814 7372

e–MaIl: [email protected]

HUNGARIAN NATIONAL BALLET RpERTOIREE · krIsZTIna végh kaTalIn volf pIanIsTs éva haJnal györgy...

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