Balázs Szabó is a true modern polymath: singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, puppeteer and storyteller. After leaving the band Suhancos, he formed his own group and has achieved increasing popularity. His songs Én már nem, Zaj and Bájoló quickly became favourites of both his concert audience and radio stations, as did Szabó’s adaptations of poetry to music, which form the basis of an extraordinary evening at the Palace of Arts. János Pilinszky takes centre stage, as one of the young singer’s favourite poets, if not his very favourite, about whom he says: “My first meeting with János Pilinszky was on a cold winter’s night when, feeling sad and lonely in an unfamiliar rented apartment, I searched for solace in books. For many years since I have read the worn pages while humming to myself…now that the poems have become songs, all that remains is to perform them on a special occasion. It will be a quiet evening, with theatre, musicians, chairs and dreams… Do you know the silence of dog-kennels? The drifting of the years? Do you know a name for orphanhood? These are the questions Pilinszky posed when walking out onto noisy streets, going back inside we halt for a minute… Adventures in a mirror, adventuring into grief and happiness, in a word: into humanity…” Szabó will investigate the possibilities of interweaving literature, theatre and pop music this evening, opening doors between the genres with the assistance of guest musicians and actors. Presented by: Palace of Arts

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