We are probably not the only ones who feel that it is natural for the social event held by the Opera to be the one to crown the carnival season. We dedicated 2014’s Silver Rose Ball to Richard Strauss’s opera Der Rosenkavalier. In 2015, the central theme was Faust, followed by Shakespeare in 2016. At the gala for 2017’s “Hungarian” season, however, we gave everything over to the fertile imagination of Háry János. In 2018, with the affair now – owing to the modernisation of the Opera House – being held at the Erkel Theatre, the “Around the Ring” season placed the thematic emphasis on rings, while 2019’s carnival evening was inspired by Puccini and his Italy. This year, in our “Christian Spirit” season, we have selected episodes (more than a few of them upbeat ones!) for the programme that draw from the Judeo-Christian roots of European opera and ballet culture and/or are enriched by ancient Greek or Roman culture. Following in the footsteps of Vesselina Kasarova, Angela Gheorghiu, Plácido Domingo, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, Roberto Alagna, Aleksandra Kurzak and Sonya Yoncheva, the guest of honour at this year’s carnival gala will be Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze, her first time taking the stage at the Hungarian State Opera.
Gala Programme:
Part 1
András Nádasdy / Franz Lehár: Gold und Silber Waltz – opening dance
Verdi: I lombardi – “La mia letizia infondere” (Oronte’s aria from Act 2) » Gergely Boncsér
Verdi: Otello – “Fuoco di gioia” » Hungarian State Opera Chorus
Verdi: I vespri siciliani – “Mercé, dilette amiche” (Elena’s aria from Act 5) » Nino Machaidze
Kornélia Mráz / Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – Hungarian Dance » Students of the Hungarian National Ballet Academy
Erkel: Bánk bán – “God rest her soul” (King Endre II’s aria from Act 2) » Michele Kálmándy and the Hungarian State Opera Chorus
Edit Rujsz / Haydn: Die Schöpfung (“The Creation”) – Overture » Jessica Carulla Leon, Lili Felméry, Ellina Pokhodnykh, Gergő Ármin Balázsi, Gergely Leblanc, Dmitry Timofeev (Hungarian National Ballet)
Dvořák: Rusalka – “Song to the Moon” » Nino Machaidze
Puccini: Tosca – “Qual'occhio” (Cavaradossi’s aria from Act 1) » Gergely Boncsér
Puccini: Tosca – “Te Deum” » Michele Kálmándy and the Hungarian State Opera Chorus
INTERVAL
Part 2
Johann Strauss Jr: Die Fledermaus – Overture
Puccini: La bohème – “Donde lieta uscì” (Mimì’s aria from Act 3) » Nino Machaidze
Marianna Venekei / Johann Strauss Jr: Hail to Hungary! » Futaba Ishizaki , Ágnes Kelemen, Adema Omarova, Nadezhda Sorokina, Federico Berardi, Dmitry Diachkov, Dávid Molnár, Francesco Sardella (Hungarian National Ballet)
Gounod: Roméo et Juliette – “Je veux vivre” (Juliette’s aria from Act 1) » Nino Machaidze
Adrienn Vetési / Taalbi Brothers: Ameksa – Sparkling Fire » Alex Torres (classical guitar), Katica Ruip (Hungarian National Ballet)
Adrienn Vetési / Schubert: Faith (Ave Maria) » Anna Karácsonyi (Hungarian State Opera Children’s Choir), Lili Boróka Pásztor (Hungarian National Ballet Institute), Katalin Doman (piano)
Wayne Eagling, Tamás Solymosi / Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker – Russian Dance » Viktória Rohonczi, Ágnes Riedl, Zsófia Gyarmati, Annamaria Voltolini, Majoros Balázs (Hungarian National Ballet)
Wayne Eagling, Tamás Solymosi / Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker – Pas de deux – Adagio » Tatiana Melnik, Gergely Leblanc (Hungarian National Ballet)
Boito: Mefistofele – “Prologo in cielo” » Hungarian State Opera Chorus
Conductor » principal musical director Balázs Kocsár
Directors » artistic director András Almási-Tóth, ballet director Tamás Sólymosi
Stylist: Krisztina Lisztopád
Featuring the students of the Hungarian Ballet Institute, the dancers of the Hungarian National Ballet, the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Children's Chorus.
Host of the evening » general director Szilveszter Ókovács
Anchorwoman » Melitta Gyüdi
Our partner » BMW Group Hungary
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