beauty & the swan

Photo by Attila Juhasz

photo by attila juhasz

Attending a performance at the Budapest Opera House is a must for all who love ballet, opera or architecture. First, you’ll be embraced by the golden neo-Renaissance creation of one of Hungary’s most acclaimed architects: Miklós Ybl. Second, you’ll notice that your fellow attendees look as beautiful as the building that dates back to 1884, the era of emperor Fransz Joseph I. Third, you be seduced and charmed by the dancers, musicians and singers who take the stage of this temple of fine arts.

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photo by péter rákossy

Last October Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake – choreography by Rudi von Dantzig and Toer van Schayk – took Budapest’s breath away. With (double) roles for Tatiana Melnik as Odette and Odile, Gergő Ármin Balázsi as Siegfried, Mikalai Radziush as Von Rothbart and Dmitry Diachkov as Alexander, the paramount of ballet was a four-hour long whirlwind of the highest quality both in dance as in the musical accompaniment. Music that is cherished by the acoustics of Ybl‘s building, being one of the most acclaimed in the world.

photo by péter rákossy

photo by péter rákossy

The Hungarian National Ballet performed the classical four-act ballet in four acts. And where Tchaikovsky’s first ballet failed to impress at its premiere in 1877, almost 140 years later this romantic Russian fairy tale enchanted the audience like Von Rothbart enchanted Odette.

The Hungarian National Ballet has given all it has got to turn Swan Lake into a long lasting memory. Countless actors in spectacular costumes flock over the stage during the first and third act. They make you open your eyes and your mind to a maximum and right at that point the minimalism of the white swans almost blinds you with their brilliance…

For upcoming performances at the Hungarian State Opera check: www.opera.hu/programme

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photo by péter rákossy

Hungarian State Opera
Andrássy Ave. 22
H-1061 Budapest
Hungary
T: +36 1 81 47 100
W: www.opera.hu

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