Háry was an enigma, a puzzle that was easy to understand but difficult to solve, wrote a British musical historian shortly after the premiere of Kodály's opera, adding that it was simultaneously a joke, a satire, and some deeper meaning. Bence Szabolcsi found it similarly complex and thought-provoking when he wrote in 1926: "What looks out from behind the multiplicity of masks, the real face seen through the lies, epics, tales and adventures, is the tragedy of the Hungarian flare-up and th...e Hungarian dream. It is an unwritten tragedy, and even here it is told not by the libretto, but by Kodály's music.”
In other words, Háry János is not only a colourful and laugh-inducing story told inventively, in music, but also a very complex piece - as regards both its theatrical potentials and deeper meaning -, which should call for reflection again and again. Ferenc Anger's direction seeks to offer new considerations for this joint reflection.
Comic opera in two acts, in Hungarian, with English surtitles.
We kindly inform our audience that during the performance Kodály: Háry János on 23rd April 2017 light effects potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
Presented by: Budapest Spring Festival
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.
Refreshments – Without the Queue
Thanks to our new catering service at the Átrium Snack Bar, you can forget about waiting in line during intermissions for some refreshments and get your order prepped especially for you by the time the intermission actually starts. Find out more about pre-ordering here.
Safe ticket purchase
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