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In the 2024-2025 season, the Hungarian State Opera will celebrate Anglo-Saxon culture with its English100 theme, featuring the Hungarian premieres of John Adams’ Nixon in China, Donizetti’s Mary Stuart, and Verdi’s Macbeth.
For the first time in Hungary, John Adams’ Nixon in China will grace the stage, alongside chamber premieres including contemporary British composer Philip Venables’ Denis and Katya. The Hungarian National Ballet will enchant audiences with a new production of The Bajadere, while youth and children’s productions will include The Jungle Storybook and Benjamin Britten’s The Little Sweep.
The upcoming season’s repertoire will encompass 41 operas and 15 ballets,
boasting renowned works such as Thomas Adés’ The Tempest, Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle, and Verdi’s Falstaff, Szilveszter Ókovács, the Opera’s director-general, revealed during a press conference on Thursday. Discussing the opera premieres, András Almási-Tóth, artistic director, promised audiences thrilling premieres with something extra in every production.
Szilveszter Ókovács (director-general). Photo: MTI / Kovács Tamás
Verdi’s Macbeth will receive a fresh interpretation under the direction of South African director Matthew Wild, while Donizetti’s Mary Stuart will be helmed by Máté Szabó. Additionally, Verdi’s Requiem will be presented in a staged version by András Almási-Tóth. A solo evening derived from tenor Dénes Gulyás’ autobiographical book titled How Big is the Palm of God? will be featured, alongside four short chamber productions titled Röpoperák (Quick Operas), presented in one evening at the Eiffel Workshop House.
Ballet director Tamás Solymosi announced multiple castings of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, as well as performances of The Merry Widow, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Coppélia.
He added that the National Ballet will also embark on two major tours, featuring Swan Lake in Taiwan and Sleeping Beauty in Dubai.
Children’s and youth performances for the season will include Mozart’s Bastien and Bastienne, and Menotti’s The Telephone. The Little Jungle’s Playbook, directed by Mária Harangi, Hungarian Christmas based on the work by Jenő Ádám, and productions like Little Sleeping Beauty, Little Swan Lake, and Stephen the King (junior) will be performed.
The season will also feature 40 different concerts, oratorios, galas, and song evenings.
In the next season, the institution’s ensembles will participate in 40 touring performances and guest appearances, including as part of the Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year.
Audiences can renew their opera season tickets on March 25 and 26, with season ticket sales open to all from March 27. Virág Főző, deputy director general, announced that for the new season, 40 different types of season tickets will be offered, with the 100-year season ticket scheme including 40 performances.