A building is made of stone; an institution constructed of ideas

2010. March 11.

The leaders of Müpa, its resident institutions and strategic partners were behind the microphones at the March 11 press conference to brief journalists on the Palace of Arts on occasion of the fifth birthday of the institution. The question asked before each speaker took the floor was: What has the establishment of the Palace of Arts meant; what opportunities has it created?

General Manager Imre Kiss as the host of the briefing, not lacking emotion, talked about a dream that had come true: a dream that even he as an optimistic person had a vague faith in at the time. An institution that has become world famous in half a decade is able to gain serious prestige for a whole nation all over the world. While this is a fact that decision makers have just reason to be proud of, it is also a warning to note that culture, especially in Hungary, in a social factor worth unconditional attention and support.
András Batta, Rector of Liszt Ferenc University of Music, the institution providing professional support to Müpa, primarily underlined that a country which, uniquely in the world, is able to fill a music life acknowledged also at the international level with high ranking productions even through its own musicians, definitely deserved an institution like the Palace of Arts. And, in the possibly shortest time since its inauguration, Müpa has met the most important expectation: it has gained more publicity for the above fact.
General Music Director of the National Philharmonic Orchestra Zoltán Kocsis considered the multifunctionality of the halls of the Palace of Arts to be of outstanding significance, opening opportunity to establish a wide repertoire of genres and realise novel, major musical undertakings.
Managing Director of the National Dance Theatre Jolán Török hit the point by saying that the Festival Theatre, with its size and technical attributes, has become a new perspective for dance art in Hungary. In the five years, there have been 25 productions choreographed for this venue, which can be performed here only.
Director of Ludwig Museum Barnabás Bencsik, underlining the inspiring cooperation with Müpa, talked about the freedom that this building gave the museum: there was at last opportunity to invite any of the major figures of contemporary art in Hungary and abroad.
Regarding the agreements signed with Müpa, the strategic partners talked about investments that paid in experience. Through the transmissions from the Metropolitan Opera, new generations could get in the mood to see operas and, in turn, to experience other segments of culture. To support these was a strategic task indeed. To achieve that the adolescent should not only know what Müpa was but should devote some of their free time to Müpa events was also one way to construct future. The partners unanimously agreed that their support was to continue and that it was a well paying investment.
Deputy General Manager András Csonka provided figures outlining the past five years as well as the way leading Müpa from absolute unfamiliarity to becoming a wanted venue for the most renowned performers: “We have succeeded in creating a supply for which there is high demand”, he said.
Representatives of the press were finally informed on the jubilee events and publications. The exhibition on the jubilee photo competition is to be opened at 18:00 on March 14, to be followed by a gala concert at 19:30. In the meantime, Hungarian Television is to broadcast a fifty minute programme about the Palace of Arts at 21:00. A jubilee photo album as well as a special edition of Müpa Magazine have also been published. The Palace of Arts is to have a new homepage; Müpa Cards are to be introduced and the audience are awaited to take part in quiz games related to the productions from January to June.