The final curtain call: Opera House bids farewell to Budapest’s Erkel Theatre
At the end of 2024, the Hungarian government officially announced its decision to create a new state-run theatre. The venue will be the Erkel Theatre building in Pope John Paul II Square (II. János Pál pápa tér), previously used by the Hungarian State Opera House. The new institution, which will aim to promote Hungarian music and dance, will be a 100% state-owned non-profit company and will start operating in January 2025.
According to Index, a budget of HUF 3.5 billion (EUR 8.4 million) has been allocated for the operation of the theatre until 2025, with additional funds to be added in subsequent years. The Opera House will receive HUF 2 billion (EUR 4.8 million) in compensation for the transfer of the theatre’s equipment and furnishings.
The Minister of National Economy will be responsible for the establishment of the company and will also be in charge of concluding the property management contracts for the Erkel building in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. The Minister of Culture and Innovation will also exercise ownership rights over the property.
Management and aims of the new theatre
Péter Cseke, currently Director of the Katona József National Theatre in Kecskemét, and Vajk Szente, a director and actor, have been selected to lead the new musical-dance theatre. The concept for the new theatre was drawn up four years ago, but only now, under Balázs Hankó’s ministership, has the project been accelerated.
The new institution will specialise in musicals and musical productions, taking advantage of the Erkel Theatre’s previous experience in promoting the genre. Previous productions, such as The Musical Pushkin or The Heart of Stone – The Baradlay Legend, have already foreshadowed this direction. The new management’s aim is to create a cultural space that serves the needs of audiences with both modern music, dance performances and classical works.
Farewell to the Opera House
From the 1st of January 2025, the Opera House will officially hand over the operation of the Erkel Theatre to the new institution but will say goodbye to the venue with several more performances in the first three months of the year. These will include Verdi’s “Traviata” and Pongrác Kacsóh’s “János vitéz”. The highlight of the season will be a performance of Schoenberg’s “Gurre-Lieder”, which will also mark the Opera House’s official farewell to the Erkel Theatre.
According to Index, there will be performances open to the public until March, but from spring 2025, the new theatre will take over the building and the artistic work that takes place there. The new management aims to create a progressive institution that supports the national music and dance culture.
The plan to make the Erkel Theatre independent has been on the agenda for a long time. Although there has been considerable resistance from the Opera House in the past, budgetary support and convincing arguments from the professionals involved in the project have helped to make it a reality. The new theatre will be a worthy successor to the rich history of the Erkel while attracting new audiences through music and dance.
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