Hungarian opera wins International Opera Award

Valuska, Péter Eötvös’s 13th opera, won the prize for best premiere at the International Opera Awards in Munich on Wednesday, the Hungarian State Opera House said in a statement.

The opera commissioned by the Budapest Opera House in 2018 was Eötvös’s last and the only one in Hungarian, based on The Melancholy of Resistance, a Man Booker Prize-winning novel by László Krasznahorkai.

Photo: FB/Hungarian State Opera

Bence Varga directed while Mari Mezei, Eötvös’s widow, was the principal librettist. The opera was conducted by Kalman Szenna.

At the award gala in Munich on Wednesday night, Varga said Eötvös had paid close attention to the production despite his grave illness. His last public appearance was at the opera’s premiere on December 2, 2023, Varga said. Eotvos died in early 2024.

Singers included Zsolt Haja, Adrienn Miksch, Tónde Szabóki, Maria Farkasréti and András Habetler.

Photo: FB/Hungarian State Opera

Valuska is available free of charge on operavision.eu until Dec 2, and is expected to return to the Opera House’s stage in 2025-2026.

Read also:

• Premiere Eötvös opera Valuska nominated for international award
• Everything you need to know about Budapest’s magnificent Opera House – photos and details HERE

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