The concentration camp at Theresienstadt (Terezín) served as a kind of propaganda showcase. It was here that the majority of Czech Jews were deported following the occupation of Czechoslovakia, but Terezín also harboured prisoners from Hungary, the Netherlands, Germany and other countries. The camp’s inhabitants were continuously sent on from here to the death camps – especially Auschwitz. A lively artistic scene developed at Terezín: theatre groups were formed and the prisoners gave chamber mus...ic recitals and even full orchestral concerts and opera performances. Among the latter, the children’s opera Brundibár by Hans Krása stands out. The work was originally premièred in 1943 in a Jewish orphanage in Prague, by which time its composer had already languished for a year in the concentration camp. His opera became the most successful piece on the camp’s music programme, performed a total of 55 times. The cast of singers and musicians was constantly changing as even the children were not spared deportation to Auschwitz; of the 5,000 children held prisoner at the camp, barely 300 would live to see liberation. Krása – like so many of the performers of his opera, both known and nameless – would perish in the gas chambers at Auschwitz, some time in October 1944. The opera tells the story of two poor little children, Aninka and Pepíček, who want to buy milk for their sick mother, but with no money the milk seller will not even speak to them. The children decide to earn the money for milk by singing, but Brundibár the organ-grinder sees them as competition and drives them away. With the help of the Dog, the Cat, the Sparrow and a menagerie of other animals, and with the power of friendship, the singing of the children eventually triumphs and Aninka and Pepíček succeed in buying milk for their mother. Presented by: Budapest Festival Orchestra
Parking information
We wish to inform you that in the event that Müpa Budapest's underground garage and outdoor car park are operating at full capacity, it is advisable to plan for increased waiting times when you arrive. In order to avoid this, we recommend that you depart for our events in time, so that you you can find the ideal parking spot quickly and smoothly and arrive for our performance in comfort. The Müpa Budapest underground garage gates will be operated by an automatic number plate recognition system. Parking is free of charge for visitors with tickets to any of our paid performances on that given day. The detailed parking policy of Müpa Budapest is available here.
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