Hungarian State Opera Marks 'Háry János' Centenary With New Production
The Hungarian State Opera will stage a new centenary production of Kodály's "Háry János," directed by Attila Béres, for seven performances from Oct. 17 to 25, 2026.
Programme
- Seven performances run Oct. 17–25, 2026, marking the centenary of the Oct. 16, 1926 world premiere at the Hungarian State Opera.
- Csaba Sándor sings the title role; Péter Halász conducts the Orchestra, Chorus, and Children's Chorus.
- The company has performed 'Háry János' more than 500 times since its premiere.
The Hungarian State Opera will stage a new production of Zoltán Kodály's "Háry János" this October, marking 100 years since the work's world premiere.
Directed by Attila Béres, the production runs for seven performances from Oct. 17 to Oct. 25, 2026. The premiere date carries weight: "Háry János" opened at the Hungarian State Opera on Oct. 16, 1926, and the company has performed it more than 500 times since.
Csaba Sándor sings the title role, with Gabriella Balga as Örzse. The cast also features Zsófia Kálnay as Marie Louise, Szilvia Rálik as the Empress, Attila Erdős as Baron Ebelasztin, János Szemenyei as Napoleon, and András Kiss as Old Marci.
Three artists make their Opera House debuts in the spoken roles. András Csonka performs Emperor Francis and a Peasant, András Rusznák takes on the Muscovite Sentry and a Student, and Artur Szőcs performs the Judge and General Crucifix.
Péter Halász conducts the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Children's Chorus.
Béres, director of the Miskolc National Theatre, makes his Hungarian State Opera directing debut with this production. Hanna Erős designed the sets and Ildi Tihanyi designed the costumes, combining fairytale elements and military motifs around a chess theme. Zsombor Czeglédi created the projections, and Dénes Kovács devised the choreography.
The Oct. 16 dress rehearsal opens to secondary school students as part of MVM OperAdventure.
The anniversary extends beyond the mainstage. Under the Háry100 program, the Opera House presents a matinee of Kodály folk song arrangements on Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. Andrea Brassói-Jőrös, Erika Gál, István Kovácsházi, Csaba Sándor, and István Rácz perform, with Kálmán Szennai at the piano.
The production arrives amid a high-profile 2026-27 season for the company, whose lineup includes Anna Netrebko, Diana Damrau, Lawrence Brownlee, and Thomas Hampson. For a house that has mounted "Háry János" more than 500 times, the centenary staging will test how a chess-themed, fairytale-inflected redesign can renew a repertoire cornerstone.
Source: Opera Wire
