This concert is an invitation to a special adventure: you get to direct the opera! Put the magic director's hat on, cast a magic spell and touch the object in front of you – believe it or not, it has just come to life! These are not, however, people we're talking about, but rather fire, a teacup and an armchair. Exciting, isn't it? All you have to do is listen to the music. Then you realise that you don't have as much freedom as you had thought: the composer has already determined all kinds of things in advance. But to think through his intentions and supplement them, to conceive them for the stage: this is very likely one of the most thrilling challenges in the world. The importance of tone and melody also becomes clear, because nearly every animated object gets its own separate tune: the armchairs dance a minuet, and a foxtrot plays during the duet between the teapot and the teacup. And we've left a surprise in there too, and this wondrous 45-minute piece will reward viewers – and often the creator too – with many unexpected moments. The story might be a familiar one for you: a bored little boy refuses to do his homework, so his mother scolds him and sends him to his room until supper. (The work was written in the 1920s, when parents were stricter!) The lad throws a violent tantrum, sparing neither the walls, nor the chandelier, furniture or books. To his great astonishment, however, his “victims” come to life and join forces against him. As the enchanting tale progresses, the audience will get to watch and experience how this little brat shows how he is, deep inside, a sensitive and loving young boy.

Presented by: Hungarian National Philharmonic