Romanimo is the first album to concentrate exclusively on lyrical hallgató songs, revealing a less well-known face of Oláh Gypsy culture. It is also Mónika Lakatos's first solo recording, in which her voice is accompanied by only the guitar playing of her husband and musical collaborator Mihály Mazsi Rostás. It was originally for his own enjoyment that Mazsi set down to record how his wife sings hallgatós, and this gave the impetus to creating this intimate album that surpasses individual fates. They realised that they had the opportunity to preserve a vanishing tradition for the younger generation: the world of horse fairs, all-night revelries and spontaneous gatherings that were still around as part of their childhoods.
Even today, singing hallgatós remains a crucial part of the community's life: the accompaniment to fun, they enable personal stories to become communal experiences. Their lyrics and meaning depend on the given moment and the psychological and emotional state of the performer. Like in life, the concert will alternate between moments of sorrow and joy, with slow hallgatós followed by rhythmic pergetős. Amongst the songs she learned from family members, she will perform hallgatós from 120 years ago that have been 'resurrected' from recordings after being passed down from generation to generation. These provide a glimpse into the outlook of the Oláh Gypsy community, offering points of shared identification, while also offering a chance to immerse oneself in a common experience of emotions.

Presented by: