Szörényi Levente – Bródy János: István, a király

The most successful Hungarian rock opera and musical to date, István, a király (Stephen, the King) has, since its inception and original release, not only had symphonic elements, but has also been permeated by the vocal and closed-number thinking characteristic of classical operas, the presence of large-scale tableaux, and instrumentation that elevated rock music to universal perspectives. The lyrics of Levente Szörényi's work, which approaches one of the fundamental stories of Hungarian history through Miklós Boldizsár's drama Ezredforduló (Millennium), were written by his old co-author, János Bródy. In the fall of 2020, OPERA undertook a truly unique experiment: it staged István, a király with an operatic orchestration and performed by opera singers. Composer Levente Gyöngyösi's work can be interpreted as another tribute to Levente Szörényi's artistry (he had previously composed a symphony based on themes from the band Illés). Thanks to its purely symphonic score and the opera singers participating in the production, the work completely dispenses with the need for amplification. Millions of Hungarians know the iconic songs of István, a király by heart – now arias. The reborn work was staged by Miklós Szinetár, the great master of Hungarian opera.

Duration of the performance: 2 hours 30 minutes with one intermission

Language: Hungarian

Subtitles: Hungarian, English