Culture on the Move

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CULTURE ON THE MOVE
Throughout Hungary’s
turbulent history, its musicians,
writers, architects and artists
have created a unique national
identity. And as traditional
national borders are eroded,
the latest generation of artists is
working to safeguard and
nurture a culture of which they
are justifiably proud. Hungarians
have successfully exported their
musical and filmmaking talents
for years, but there is no
substitute for experiencing
Hungary’s vibrant and diverse
culture first hand. Come and see
for yourself, Hungary is
a country like no other.
Hungarian National Tourist Office
www.hungary.com
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A NIGHT AT THE OPERA?
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lthough Hungary enjoys a tradition
of opera performance going back three centuries, Hungarians are often very modest. “We’re
not an operatic world power like the French,
the Italians, the Germans or the Russians,”
they say, before showing their guests the
120-year-old Hungarian State Opera House on
Andrássy út – one of the world’s most
breathtaking opera houses.
In 2001, a spectacular musical film based
on Ferenc Erkel's classic opera Bánk Bán
was watched by more than a hundred thousand
Hungarians – an impressive figure for a cinema
adaptation of an opera.
Of course, it helped that the film featured some
of the biggest names in international opera, such
as Éva Marton and Andrea Rost. In recent years,
Hungarians have also been treated to star
performers such as Veronika Kincses,
Ilona Tokody, Sylvia Sass, Dénes Gulyás,
Péter Kelen, Lajos Miller, István Gáti, Kolos Kováts
and László Polgár.
So, if you see a long line of people patiently
queuing at the foot of a marble Sphinx in one
of Budapest’s most beautiful streets, the
chances are you are walking past the Opera
House on Andrássy út, and tickets have just
gone on sale for the forthcoming opera season.
Look closer and you will see a surprisingly large
number of young opera buffs among them.
Perhaps they are drawn by our opera singers’
willingness to break with tradition and explore
new genres. Most recently, Erika Miklósa has
made the crossover between classical opera and
modern electronic dance music. Opera is all the
rage in Hungary.
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1. Auditorium of the Hungarian State Opera House
2. Opera singer Andrea Rost
3-4. Hungarian State Opera House
5. Opera singer Dénes Gulyás
6. Brunswick Mansion, Martonvásár
7. Summer concert in the Brunswick Mansion park
8. Beethoven statue in the mansion park
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OPERA AS YOU HAVE
NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE
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ne of the delights of the modern
Hungarian opera landscape is the extraordinary
variety of locations on offer. In the warmer
months, opera can be found not only in theatres
and on open-air stages, but also in more unusual
– and sometimes downright bizarre – settings,
like the Fertõrákos cave theatre on the western
Hungarian border.
Less intrepid music lovers may feel more at
home in the Festetics Palace in Keszthely, the
Eszterházy Castle in Fertõd (where Haydn lived
and worked), or the wonderful grounds of the
Brunswick Mansion at Martonvásár, watched
over by a statue of Beethoven.
Every summer, opera fans from all over the
world converge on the Szeged Open Air Festival,
where world-famous Hungarian and international
artists perform in front of the imposing Szeged
Cathedral. The Bartók International Opera Festival
in Miskolc is also an important date on the
cultural calendar.
The impressive Baroque mansion in Gödöllõ was
the summer residence of Empress Elizabeth
(known affectionately as Sissi). In August, Gödöllõ
plays host to the Baroque Opera Festival in its
original theatre, where audiences are transported
back in time by period performances. But if you
don't want to stray even that far from Budapest,
simply stroll down to Margaret Island where the
Open Air Theatre presents opera in the shade of
ancient trees. But be warned – the productions
here are often modern and provocative.
Don’t forget: not all opera is over a century old,
and Hungarian works are not limited to Bartók,
Erkel and Goldmark. A host of contemporary
composers, including Sándor Szokolay,
Emil Petrovics, György Kurtág, György Ligeti
and Péter Eötvös, are producing operatic music
for the Hungarian stage.
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Programme recommendations
Gödöllõ Mansion Baroque Opera Festival (Gödöllõ)
Budafest Summer Opera and Ballet Festival (Budapest)
Miskolc International Opera Festival (Miskolc)
Szeged Open Air Festival (Szeged)
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A PERFECT ARRANGEMENT
A
s he grew older, Franz Liszt changed
from a fiery performer into a serious composer, as
well as an incredibly generous teacher and mentor.
It was largely through his enthusiastic work with
composer Ferenc Erkel (who wrote of some
of Hungary’s best-loved operas, not to mention
the national anthem) that the doors of the
Budapest Academy of Music opened in 1875.
The Academy grew rapidly, and a new concert hall
was added thirty years later. High above the doors
of the imposing building, a statue of Liszt looks out
across Liszt Ferenc tér, the square named in his
honour. The beautiful Art Nouveau interior of the
building is an impressive sight even if you haven’t
got your hands on tickets for a concert.
Now, almost 100 years after the opening of the
Academy as a concert venue, it has been joined by
Hungary’s newly built National Concert Hall.
A venue for the twenty-first century, its acoustics
rank it among the world’s top concert venues. The
hall is part of the new Palace of Arts, which also
houses the contemporary and modern collection of
the Ludwig Museum, as well as the Festival Theatre.
The Palace of Arts is also home to the National
Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, a world-class
ensemble led by internationally renowned
Hungarian pianist and conductor, Zoltán Kocsis.
Another great Hungarian institution, the Budapest
Festival Orchestra, founded in 1983, is also regarded
as one of the best in the world. In its brief history,
it has made numerous appearances at major
festivals, won a stack of international awards, and
released a long succession of critically acclaimed
recordings. From day one, the orchestra has been
conducted by Iván Fischer, who doubles up as its
musical director.
Music in Hungary is not the preserve of a small
elite – concerts are enjoyed all over the country by
people from all walks of life. Almost all of Hungary’s
provincial towns boast at least one concert hall and
orchestra, and there are dozens of Hungarian
musical ensembles playing to rapturous receptions
all over the world. So, to what do we owe this
musical richness?
In the 20th century, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály,
like Liszt before them, devoted much of their
energy to supporting Hungarian music and educating a new generation of musicians. The influence of
these two Hungarian composers – who drew
much of their inspiration from Hungarian folk
music – goes way beyond contemporary classical
music, extending as far as jazz, film, and even
popular music.
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THE SPIRIT
OF COMPETITION
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I
nternational competitions have long
provided the springboard for virtuosos to launch
their careers. Hungary has its fair share
of international prize-winners, and hosts
a variety of competitions of its own.
Kocsis is joined in the Hungarian hall of fame by
András Schiff, who can sell out a concert in any
European capital; as can fellow virtuosos Dezsõ
Ránki and Gergely Bogányi. And they are just
the pianists...
Festivals and competitions are an essential part
of Hungarian musical life. The Budapest Spring
Festival is rapidly gaining worldwide fame, but
music lovers are spoilt for choice all year round.
Top events include the Béla Bartók International
Choir Competition in Debrecen, the Zemplén
Festival, the Sopron Ancient Music Days, and the
Kõszeg Music Week.
One reason for Hungary’s musical pre-eminence
is a strong background in musical scholarship.
The composers we have mentioned so far all
devoted a lot of their time and energy to
teaching. Their legacies include the International
Kodály Seminar and Festival in Kecskemét and
the Szombathely International Bartók Seminar
and Festival.
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1. Composer Franz Liszt
2. Grand hall of the Budapest Academy of Music
3. Composer Béla Bartók
4. Kodály Institute, Kecskemét
5. Concert in the Aggtelek dripstone cave
6. Pianist and conductor Zoltán Kocsis
7. Violinist Barnabás Kelemen
8. Pianist Gergely Bogányi
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Programme recommendations
Budapest Spring Festival (Budapest)
Budafest – Symphonic Concerts at the Basilica
(Budapest )
National Philharmonic’s Beethoven Evenings
(Martonvásár)
Haydn at Eszterháza (Eszterháza)
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ON A LIGHTER NOTE
O
peretta, or light opera, is a strange
phenomenon. A good melody will seem familiar
when you first hear it, and you won’t be able to
get it out of your head after a second listening.
In Hungary, these catchy tunes and straightforward lyrics are familiar to many people without
any interest in opera whatsoever.
Who wrote that hit song? It might be Johann
Strauss, Franz Lehár, Emmerich Kálmán, Pál
Ábrahám, Viktor Jacobi, Jenõ Huszka or Mihály
Eisemann…? Often, we don’t know, much less
care. But when a bar pianist or gypsy band in a
restaurant strikes up an operetta song, the audience can’t resist humming along.
Viennese operetta was at the height of its popularity at the end of the nineteenth century.
It spread to Budapest at this time, and
immediately felt at home - and continues to
flourish to this day.
In Nagymezõ utca (“utca” and “út” are Hungarian
for street and road respectively, “tér” means
square), the Broadway of Pest, performances of
The Merry Widow, Die Fledermaus, The Gypsy
Princess and Countess Maritza play to full houses
at the renovated Operetta Theatre. Hundredyear-old chandeliers, walls decorated with stucco and gilt, and velvet seats and carpets complete the setting. Only the modern outfits worn
by the audience break the fin-de-siècle illusion.
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1. Scene from Imre Kálmán’s operetta Countess Maritza
2. Scene from Johann Strauss’s operetta
Gypsy Baron
3. Budapest Operetta Theatre
4. Scene from László Dés’s musical
“Somewhere in Europe”
5. Scene from Stephen Schwarz – David Greene – John
Michael Tebelak: Godspell
6. Scene from A. Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera
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IT’S A CAT’S LIFE
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f course, people expected Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s Cats to be a success when it was
premiered in March 1983, but that it is still going
strong at the Madách Theatre after an unbroken
run of 22 years is a minor miracle. And it is popular not only with Hungarian audiences - many
foreign visitors to Budapest enjoy the performance, having wisely ordered their tickets well in
advance.
It is always worth visiting music theatres in
Hungary. The production quality rivals any other
European capital (although prices remain refreshingly reasonable), and directors often come up
with exciting new approaches to familiar pieces.
This explains why productions, such as Phantom
of the Opera, Mozart! and Beauty and the Beast
garner praise from all over the world.
Home-grown Hungarian musicals are becoming
more and more popular too. If you can, get tickets for The Jungle Book, The Kid, Anna Karenina,
or Somewhere in Europe while you’re visiting
Budapest. If you know the story anyway, the
Hungarian lyrics shouldn’t scare you off.
A growing number of native composers and lyricists are also writing musicals, attracted by a
genre that allows them to combine pop, classical, jazz and folk music in a way which appeals
to a wide audience.
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CROWD-PULLING
EXHIBITIONS
I
n winter 2003, Monet and Friends
– a temporary exhibition of French paintings –
opened at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest.
The vast crowds it attracted to Heroes' Square
are normally only seen on special occasions,
such as Hungary’s accession to the EU. But the
museum is always worth a visit. Some say the
permanent collection of Spanish masters, including Velázquez, Ribera, El Greco, Murillo, and Goya,
is second only to the Prado in Madrid.
The Kunsthalle (Palace of Exhibitions) is positioned on the opposite side of Heroes’ Square
and stages temporary exhibitions exploring all
aspects of Hungarian and international contemporary art.
For an introduction to Hungarian artists from the
past, you should scale the hill to Buda Castle on
the other side of the Danube. Here you will find
works by Mihály Munkácsy, Pál Szinyei Merse,
László Mednyánszky, Károly Ferenczy and József
Rippl-Rónai in the Hungarian National Gallery.
There are dozens of excellent museums in
Budapest. The National Museum, the Museum of
Applied Arts, the Natural History Museum, and
the Museum of Ethnography alone could take
more than a day to explore. They are well worth
visiting for their architecture alone.
And if a day isn’t long enough, there is “Long
Night of the Museums" on the Saturday falling
closest to Midsummer’s Night. The museums are
kept open all night, offering music, dance,
slideshows, performances, poetry, and even culinary treats. There is even a special bus service
linking the museums for those with the curiosity
- and the energy - to drop in and explore half a
dozen or more museums.
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1. Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka: Ruins of the Taormina Greek
Theatre
2. Christian Museum, Esztergom
3. Exhibition at the Budapest Museum of Fine Arts
4. Building of the National Museum
5. Entrance to the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden
6. Szentendre Open Air Museum
7. Master potter
8. Children learning handicrafts
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BRINGING A SMILE TO
YOUNGER FACES
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f course, some museums are more likely
to capture children’s imaginations than others.
The Szorakaténusz Toy Museum in Kecskemét,
the Budapest Transport Museum or the
Telephonia in the Buda Castle all present subjects close to children’s hearts: games, transport
and communication. The Museum of Military
History is also an exciting adventure.
But it is hard to imagine a more exciting family
day out than the Szentendre Skansen museum,
where recreations of old Hungarian villages
allow children – and indeed adults – to try their
hands at ancient handicrafts. You can touch,
smell, and taste everything on display, and find
out first hand how peasants lived in days
gone by.
In addition to the fascinating archaeological
exhibits at the Százhalombatta Matrica Museum,
a workshop enables children to experiment with
the 1,500-year-old techniques used to craft the
objects on display. The Budapest Zoo is also a
perennial favourite, its Art Nouveau architecture
creating a truly fairytale atmosphere.
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Programme recommendations
Museum Mayday (national)
Long Night of the Museums (national)
Special Days at the Skansen (Szentendre)
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LEARNING FROM THE PAST
I
f you are looking for something a bit
different, Budapest has some unusual museums,
both in terms of the nature of the collections
and the manner of their presentation. The best
museums challenge the visitor to reappraise the
way they think about history.
Looking around Budapest today, it is almost
impossible to believe that scarcely 15 years
have passed since the fall of Communist rule,
when Lenin, Marx and other symbols of communist dictatorship occupied prominent positions all
over the city. Rather than having these statues
destroyed – which is, quite understandably,
what they did in most central European cities –
the new governors of Budapest decided to gather the statues together and create a new Statue
Park on the edge of town, a fascinating legacy
for future generations.
The Communist period is viewed from a different perspective at the Budapest House of Terror
Museum, set in what was the headquarters of
the feared secret police. This museum deals with
the darkest side of a dark period in Hungary’s
history.
The Holocaust Documentation and Memorial
Centre is equally sobering and significant, a stark
reminder of the 600,000 victims in Hungary of
one of the most shameful times in European history. It is fitting to follow this museum with a
visit to the Synagogue in Dohány utca, the
largest in Europe.
The Hungarian Railway History Park and a small
museum on Deák tér, in one of the busiest
subways of the city recall travels of bygone
times. The Underground Railway Museum shows
continental Europe’s first underground railway,
which was inaugurated in Budapest in 1896.
1-2. Holocaust Documentation Centre, Budapest
3. House of Terror, Budapest
4. Margit Kovács Museum, Szentendre
5. Palace of Arts, Budapest
6. Exhibition in a gallery
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PICTURES OF CHANGE
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overs of more modern painting will be
rewarded for venturing outside the capital. The
finest collection of József Rippl Rónai pictures is
open to the public in Kaposvár, while the works
of Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka and Victor
Vasarely, the grandfather of op art, are collected
in Pécs.
The picturesque riverside town of Szentendre
also offers a worthwhile day out, thanks to
Margit Kovács's ceramics and statues, the Jenõ
Barcsay collection, and a wealth of galleries and
open-air exhibitions.
Hungary’s most important contemporary collection of art has found a new home in the newly
built Palace of Arts. The Ludwig Museum gives a
broad perspective on contemporary Hungarian
art, and its exhibitions provide a diverse insight
into the latest trends from around the world.
If you are interested in discovering fresh talent,
or possibly even buying a painting, there are
several areas in Budapest that have become
gallery hot-spots where visitors can while away
the hours and days window shopping.
A walk through the Budapest Castle district or
the city centre reveals clusters of galleries. Look
down Falk Miksa utca, explore Madách tér, stroll
down Ráday utca or Andrássy út, or browse the
area surrounding Király utca. Galleries are very
welcoming, dedicated staff are always happy to
show you around.
Across the country, hundreds of museums focus
on more specific themes, such as industry or
agriculture. If you prefer a drop of the “wine of
kings” the Tokaj Wine Museum at Tolcsva is
probably for you. The Hungarian Paprika
Museum in Kalocsa pays homage to Hungary’s
national spice, and visitors can learn about the
history of Hungarian porcelain in Hollóháza.
The world-famous Herend Workshops,
or the Art Nouveau creations of the Zsolnay
Factory in Pécs showcase more of the country’s
ceramic treasures.
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CASTLES WELCOME
INVADERS
T
he Mongol invasion in the thirteenth century sparked the first major spate of castle-building in Hungary. In the five centuries that followed, Hungary’s exposed position in the centre
of Europe led to the construction of wave after
wave of new fortresses. Now that Hungary is at
peace, these fortifications are no longer a
defence against would-be invaders. Today, they
remind visitors of Hungary’s chequered history
and the heroic deeds of a people who retained
their independence and identity against all odds.
The people of Eger need no reminding of this.
Eger Castle is one of Hungary’s principal tourist
attractions, and the descendants of the castle’s
brave defenders now await visitors not with
drawn swords and cannons but with music, theatre and hearty Hungarian food. The legendary
battle with the Turks is re-enacted in the form
of a tournament.
The Buda Castle is not preparing for war either.
The invading hordes are now tourists marvelling
at its museums and spectacular arts events. In
the summer, wine-lovers flock to the castle district for the annual International Wine and
Champagne Festival.
Other Hungarian castles have become famous
for the events they host, too. The Gyula Castle
Theatre Evenings celebrate summer by staging
plays in beautiful and unique surroundings.
Diósgyõr, Sümeg and Visegrád provide the backdrops to spectacular tournaments and re-enactments of medieval battles. The Komárom fortifications are the most recent in Hungary, barely
one hundred and fifty years old; but they are
also amongst the largest in Europe. The
Monastery Fort, the best-known part of the
defences, now houses a Military Park and Bread
Museum.
1. Gyula Castle
2. Tournament at the Sümeg Castle
3. Castle tournament at Visegrád
4. The Diósgyõr Castle
5. Baroque Theatre at the Gödöllõ Royal Mansion
6. Concert at the Keszthely Festetics Mansion
7. Esterházy Mansion, Fertõd
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HOW THE OTHER
HALF LIVED
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W
hy not relive Hungary’s aristocratic
past by visiting one of the many stately homes,
mansions and palaces that have recently been
restored to their former glory? Many now welcome guests, providing anything from food and
accommodation to sports and rejuvenating
health treatments. Strolling around the grounds
of these houses you will find a wealth of attractions, including landscaped gardens, mazes, and
arboretums.
The interiors of the Fertõd Esterházy Mansion
are breathtaking, and a visit to the Széchenyi
Mansion in Nagycenk, the Festetics Palace in
Keszthely, or the original Baroque theatre in the
Royal Palace in Gödöllõ is an unforgettable experience, even without the regular festivities they
host. These events include the Classical Music
Festival in Nagycenk and a summer packed with
evening concerts and open-air performances in
Keszthely. Fertõd boasts the world famous
Haydn Festival, while Gödöllõ hosts the
International Harp Festival and the Baroque
Opera Festival.
At night, these brooding buildings conjure up
quite a different atmosphere. The more intrepid
visitor can brave the Keszthely maze by candlelight, as was the custom in days gone by. Sadly,
we can't promise any ghosts, but you never
know…
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Programme recommendations
Végvári Tournament (Eger)
Gyula Castle Theatre Evenings (Gyula)
Visegrád International Palace Games (Visegrád)
Haydn Festival of the Budapest Strings (Fertõd)
Gödöllõ International Harp Festival (Gödöllõ)
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MÁRTA’S SONG
Y
ou wouldn’t think that folk music and
dance could survive and thrive in our
modern, urban world. But the “dance-house”
movement that emerged in Hungary in the
1970s continues to allow young people to
experience their cultural heritage through group
participation, rather than as a performance on a
stage. Today thousands of Hungarians young
and old are involved in traditional music and
dance, and you won’t have go far to find colourfully dressed troupes dancing the Csárdás.
The international world music boom of the midnineties inspired Hungarians to take a fresh look
at local folk music. When Deep Forest's 1996 CD
won a Boheme Grammy, the whole world took
notice of Márta’s Song, which featured on the
soundtrack of Robert Altman’s film Prêt-à-porter.
It was performed by Hungary’s own Márta
Sebestyén who, along with her Muzsikás group,
is now known all over the world. Since then, traditional folk instruments have been adopted by
many contemporary musical ensembles.
Folk music, along with its many modern exponents, is growing in popularity. Expect standing
room only at concerts by Hungarian-Slovak folkrockers Ghymes, Gypsy-inspired Besh o Drom,
Vujicsics, Kaláka, Mihály Dresch or energetic fiddler Félix Lajkó from the Hungarian-speaking
areas of northern Serbia.
Hungarian folk music is unique in that it is a
musical meeting place for all the peoples and
cultures of the region – from Gypsy music to the
traditional Jewish klezmer. This rich culture has
also had a profound influence on Hungarian jazz.
In short, folk music is alive and kicking in modern pop music. Yonderboy, Neo, and Anima
Sound System are just some of the Hungarians
taking a fresh approach to age-old folk
traditions.
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CRAFTS WITH MASS
APPEAL
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nyone venturing up to the Buda
Castle in August will find it hard to drag themselves away from the annual Craft Festival, a
grand celebration of traditional Hungarian arts
and crafts. You will find costumes and artefacts
made from wood, horn, flax, hemp, leather and
iron, often crafted using traditional techniques
passed down through the centuries.
Interestingly, the craftsmen and women displaying their work hail not only from the Hungary
we know now, but also from Hungarian
enclaves in most of the seven countries with
which it shares borders. You will see styles and
traditions unique to Transylvania and other
regions where large Hungarian communities
continue to thrive.
There is no shame in not knowing what these
strange objects were originally used for – the
craftsmen will happily demonstrate their use,
and explain the meaning of the ancient symbols
that decorate them. Nor is this the dogged
preservation of long-lost traditions. The manufacture of everyday objects familiar to us today
owes a great deal to old techniques, using many
of the same materials, and drawing on ancient
ideas of form and colour.
Anyone travelling through Hungary will
encounter fairs, village museums, workshops
and playhouses in every region, all demonstrating living folk art to visitors. And if you are particularly taken by some beautiful handmade
object, it’s time to start bargaining…
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1. Folk dance duet
2. Márta Sebestyén
3. Violinist Félix Lajkó
4. Folk dance premiere
5. Busó mask, Mohács
6. Folk costume of Hollókõ boys
7. Miska jug
8. Folk costume of Kalocsa girls
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Programme recommendations
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Crafts Festival (Budapest)
Busó Procession (Mohács)
National Dance House Meeting (Budapest)
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ALL THAT JAZZ
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ungary has its own fascinating jazz
culture which reflects both international and
deeply Hungarian influences.
In the seventies, large numbers of young people
developed an interest in jazz. György Szabados,
a great admirer of Béla Bartók, emulated his
hero by infusing local folk music into the local
jazz vocabulary. This movement soon attracted
followers such as Mihály Dresch, Károly Binder
(who mixed jazz with folk and classical music),
the Regõ Quartet and the Dél-alföldi Saxophone
Group.
Abroad, the names of Tommy Vig and Gábor
Szabó might be at the top of any jazz fan’s list.
Hungarians think more in terms of world-famous
bassist Aladár Pege, sadly recently deceased, or
Sándor Benkó’s Benkó Dixieland Band – major
figures in Hungarian and international jazz for
over four decades.
The great figures of the middle generation of
Hungarian jazz – György Vukán, Béla SzakcsiLakatos and László Dés (who wrote the score to
the Jungle Book musical) – are firm favourites.
But their work can be heard not only on concert
stages – they have made significant contributions to Hungarian film music too.
Jazz lovers can’t afford to miss groups such as
the Balázs Elemér Group, Trio Midnight, or Ferenc
Snétberger. And, if any further proof were needed of the healthy condition of Hungarian jazz,
we can now add Árpád Cumo Oláh, to the list.
The pianist stormed the Jazz Hoeilaart
International Contest in Belgium in 2001, a major
competition for young jazz musicians, leaving
Europe’s, America’s and Australia’s finest in his
wake. Oláh’s trio took both main prizes, and he
also scooped the award for best soloist – the
first time this has ever happened in the
competition.
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1. Roby Lakatos
2. Aladár Pege
3. Benkó Dixieland Band
4. György Szabados
5. Performance by the Szeged Ballet
6. Performance by the Yvette Bozsik Company
7 -8. Iván Markó and the Festival Ballet
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DANCING
INTO THE FUTURE
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udapest was the historical centre of
classical ballet in Hungary until new centres
were established in Gyõr, Pécs and Szeged from
the sixties onwards. In the late seventies, the
Gyõr Ballet, directed by Iván Markó, suddenly
became famous worldwide. And throughout the
nineties, contemporary dance companies were
formed independently of major theatres. Iván
Markó himself even formed a new company,
the Hungarian Festival Ballet.
Other internationally renowned troupes include
Csaba Horváth and Csaba Szögi’s East-European
Dance Theatre, the Yvette Bozsik Company, the
Debrecen Ballet, the MU Theatre, the Gerzson
Kovács Trance Dance, and Andrea Ladányi’s La
Dance Company. This tremendous richness and
diversity has also injected new energy into older
dance companies such as the Szeged
Contemporary Ballet. And let’s not forget the Pál
Frenák Company, at home in both Paris and
Budapest, or the Orléans-based Compagnie
Joseph Nadj, led by Hungarian choreographer
and director József Nagy.
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Programme recommendations
Sziget Festival (Budapest)
Debrecen Jazz Days (Debrecen)
Budapest Autumn Festival (Budapest)
International Dixieland Festival (Miskolc)
World Dance Festival (Budapest)
Gyõr International Cultural Festival (Gyõr)
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A HOME FROM HOME
I
f you wanted to track down a wellknown writer, poet or painter in Budapest in the
first half of the twentieth century, it made more
sense to enquire about his regular coffee house
(kávéház) than his actual address.
The appeal of the smoke-filled coffee houses is
conveniently summed up by humorist Andor
Kellér’s: “You may be out of the house, but you
won’t get any fresh air”. This lifestyle was not
unique to Budapest – the public lives of many
urban Europeans centred around the coffee
house at the time. But after the Second World
War, coffee house culture went into steep
decline, and its passing was mourned by many.
If you walk through Budapest now, you will
notice that it has become a city of cafés once
again, even though they look very different to
the old-style coffee house, and the clientele is
considerably younger. In most places, Italian has
replaced Viennese coffee, and there is Internet
access where once the day's newspapers hung
on cane frames on the wall.
But those who want a taste of the old world
can visit one or two of the coffee houses that
have survived more or less unchanged. The
Central Kávéház, or the coffee house in the
Gresham Palace Hotel with its beautiful Art
Nouveau décor are prime examples. Most coffee
houses do a good line in cakes, too. You can try
the Gerbeaud on Vörösmarty Square, or the
famous New York Coffee House on the Grand
Boulevard, the Mûvész on Andrassy út, or... the
list goes on.
Another option is to head for one of the havens
of café life in the city. Lively squares or pedestrian streets lined with pavement cafés can be
found all over central Budapest. Liszt Ferenc tér,
Jókai tér and, more recently, Szt. István tér at
the foot of the massive Basilica are great places
to sit and watch the world go by. Then there is
Ráday utca, a car-free street starting at Kálvin
tér which boasts a cornucopia of cafés, as well
as its fair share of art galleries and restaurants.
And if that is not enough, Mikszáth tér, popular
with students and a more alternative crowd, is
not far away. You will discover many more for
yourself by simply wandering around the city.
The moment the spring sunshine arrives, locals
and visitors alike start sitting outside. Follow
their example – there is no need to rush, seize
the opportunity to savour a coffee and soak up
the atmosphere while watching the world go by.
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COFFEE WITH A VIEW
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M
ore energetic explorers are prepared
to walk for hours to discover Budapest’s architectural and historical treasures. Others prefer to
take it easy and sit down in places from where
they can observe the city in comfort.
Budapest specialises in superb vantage points,
and each one offers at least one friendly café.
Why not head up to the Fisherman’s Bastion
near the Buda Castle, escape the hustle and bustle at Normafa on János Hill or simply sit by the
Danube on the terrace of a riverside café?
Many of the ships moored along the banks of
the Danube serve as cafés and bars. At night, it
pays to step on board. For one thing, Budapest
at night is best seen from the Danube, and furthermore, some of these ships are superb music
venues - and others even host contemporary
arts events.
Yet, perhaps the most valuable aspect of all
these places is that they are great for meeting
people. It is not unusual for great friendships or
even love affairs to start in Budapest’s cafés.
1. The Gerbeaud coffee house
2. Coffee house on the Pest Broadway
3. New York coffee house
4. Budapest panorama
5. Fishermen’s Bastion
6. Budapest atmosphere
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THE HUNGARIAN VISION
M
any of the world’s top photographers
(such as Robert Capa, André Kertész, László
Moholy Nagy and György Kepes) and film
cameramen (Lajos Koltai, Elemér Ragályi and
Vilmos Zsigmond) are Hungarians who have
found a medium to express themselves without
the spoken word.
But filmmaking is a lot more than just capturing
images. The complicated process that transforms the script to the finished product requires
a great personality at the helm, and great
Hungarian directors have been ubiquitous
throughout the history of cinema.
In the 1930s, Hungarians like the Korda brothers,
Michael Curtiz and George Cukor ruled the roost
in Hollywood. But there are outstanding figures
in post-war Hungarian film too: Zoltán Fábri,
Miklós Jancsó, Károly Makk, Oscar-winning István
Szabó, and Béla Tarr. Szabó directed the recent
Oscar-nominated movie “Being Julia”, with Lajos
Koltai working as cinematographer. There have
been Hungarian-born film stars, too, such as Béla
Lugosi and Tony Curtis, or even Zsazsa Gábor.
And Hungarians are still at the top in Hollywood:
producer Andy Vajna is the man behind a string
of blockbusting action films, including Rambo
and The Terminator, and is now involved in a
project to build Europe’s largest film studio just
outside Budapest.
Few people are aware just how splendid
Hungarian animation is, although they may have
heard of Ferenc Rófusz’s Oscar-winning film, The
Fly. But anyone up to speed with the genre will
be familiar with famous Hungarian animators.
The best known of these are Jean Image, who
worked in France, and John Halas, who made the
first British animated feature film, based on
George Orwell’s Animal Farm.
1. Film director Miklós Jancsó
2. Oscar winning film director István Szabó
3. Cameraman and director Lajos Koltai at work
4. Writers Magda Szabó and András Sütõ
5. The Endre Ady Commemorative Museum in Budapest
6. Writer Péter Esterházy
7. Statue of Sándor Márai
8. Nobel Prize winning author Imre Kertész
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A GROWING LITERARY
INFLUENCE
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ungarian book culture has imported
much and exported relatively little down the
years. The Hungarian language is difficult, but
thanks to a great many superb native
translators, all the most important works of
world literature have been served up to
Hungarian readers. Indeed, many of Hungary’s
major poets and writers devoted much of their
lives to translation. But we are also grateful to
those brave translators who champion
Hungarian literature abroad.
These days, many Hungarian poets and writers
are known outside Hungary. Millions of children
have been thrilled by the heroic antics of Ferenc
Molnár’s The Paul Street Boys. Sándor Petõfi,
Endre Ady, Attila József and Mihály Babits and
other poets also have a growing band of followers outside Hungary.
Other Hungarian writers bypassed these linguistic problems, preferring to write in foreign languages shot through with Hungarian wit.
Readers the world over have been entertained
by the humorous writings of Ephraim Kishon
(Ferenc Kishont) and George Mikes (György
Mikes), whose book How to be an Alien succinctly and hilariously sums up English culture as
seen through the eyes of a foreigner.
Today, Sándor Márai and Magda Szabó are translated widely. Major figures of contemporary
Hungarian literature, such as Péter Esterházy,
Péter Nádas and Imre Kertész, can now be found
in bookshops the world over. Kertész’s “Fateless”
– a moving account of a Jewish boy’s experience
of the Holocaust – even won the 2003 Nobel
Prize for Literature, proof positive that Hungarian
literature is reaching a wider audience.
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Programme recommendations
Hungarian Film Festival (Budapest)
Mediawave (Budapest)
International Book Fair (Budapest)
Festival of Contemporary Arts (Budapest)
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HERITAGE FOR ALL
T
ravellers looking for the natural and
cultural treasures of the Earth will find it in
Hungary, which boasts 8 designated World
Heritage Sites.
The first to win this honour, in 1987, was the
Danube panorama and Buda Castle District in
Budapest, surely one the world’s most beautiful
cityscapes. The various historical periods of the
Hungarian capital are well represented by its
buildings. In 2002 the Budapest listing was
extended and Andrássy Avenue, built according
to a uniform architectural concept, the
Millennium Underground and Heroes’ Square
were added.
Hollókõ is a wonderful example of a traditional
Palóc village. Narrow plots of land run at right
angles to both sides of the village’s single long
street. The white-washed houses, with verandas
decorated with wooden carvings, and the small,
shingle-roofed church linger long in the mind of
visitors. On festival days, the people of the
village dress in decorative Palóc folk costume,
preserving the ancient traditions.
The fourth century early Christian necropolis of
Pécs is a significant site from a historical, cultural
and religious point of view. Sopianae is the
largest late Roman cemetery to be found in the
former Roman provinces. The ongoing excavation of the site has revealed a complex that,
with its rich wall paintings, is a unique example
of early Christian architecture and burial traditions. Pécs will be the European
Capital of Culture in 2010.
The Benedictine Abbey of Pannonhalma was
founded in 996 by Prince Géza, the father of
István, the canonised first king of Hungary.
The Abbey can be viewed as a record of
a millennium of architectural and artistic styles,
one of the most important institutions of the
Hungarian state and an incomparable example
of a monastic community functioning to this day.
The Tokaj wine region is home to centuries of
tradition and the heritage of both Roman and
Caucasian wine making. The region’s unusual
micro-climate and soil conditions, the favourable
lay of the land and the autumn moisture of the
Bodrog and Tisza rivers all contribute to the
world famous taste of Tokaj wines. Nothing can
be more convincing of the area’s great traditions
than wine tasting on location in any of the
27 settlements that make up the historical
wine region.
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MOTHER NATURE
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he World Heritage List also features three
Hungarian national parks.
Hortobágy, known in Hungarian as the Puszta,
is one of Europe’s largest natural grass plains,
whose landscape was shaped by shepherds’
herds in harmony with the natural environment.
The majority of the park is made up of flat
plains, meadows and wetlands of various sizes.
The park is of European significance for its
nesting grounds and for viewing migratory birds.
It is famous beyond the borders of Hungary
for its remarkable habitats and water birds and
the traditional cultures and crafts that still
survive on the Puszta.
More than 700 caves of various sizes can be
found in the Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst.
The Baradla-Domica cave system is the longest
of the karst region’s caves and is in fact, the
longest cave to be found in any temperate zone
with a total length, including side branches, of 25
km. Drop-stone formations, with an unrivalled
richness of size and shape, decorate routes
through the caves.
Lake Fertõ (Neusiedlersee), spanning the border
of Austria and Hungary, is Europe’s largest salt
water lake. The varied landscape around the
lake is an incomparable sanctuary for flora and
fauna. Of no less importance, however, are the
cultural and ethnographic values of the region.
The lake and its surroundings have been the
meeting place of different cultures for eight
millennia.
In addition to those mentioned here, Hungary
has many other treasures awaiting discovery.
Ten of these are currently featured on the
Hungarian Expectant list, the first step
to receiving the title of World Heritage Site.
1. Early Christian Necropolis in Pécs
2. Buda Castle
3. Hollókõ
4. Pannonhalma Benedictine Abbey
5. A wine cellar in Tokaj
6. Lake Fertõ with ”Schneeberg” in the background
7. Hortobágy
8. The Baradla-cave (Aggtelek)
For detailed information about the sites
and events, please visit:
www.hungary.com
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THE STRENGTH OF FAITH
AND KNOWLEDGE
T
he adoption of the Christian faith is connected to Hungary’s founding king, Saint István,
who designated the town of Esztergom as the
religious centre of the country. Esztergom was
at that time the capital of Hungary and the
location for coronations. Hungary’s largest
Catholic church can be found here, on its Castle
Hill. The Basilica, which was consecrated in
1856, was built in the Classical style.
The thousand year old Benedictine Abbey of
Pannonhalma is an irrefutable source of
knowledge where religious practice and
education have always coexisted harmoniously.
Healing the sick is part of the work of the
Abbey. The traditions are kept alive to this day
in the herbal teas and liqueurs. Pannonhalma has
also traditionally played an important role in
Hungary’s viniculture, which in recent years has
enjoyed a revival.
The Hungarian Reformation created centres of
religion and knowledge mainly on Hungary’s
great plain, the Alföld. The city of Debrecen,
which for a time was known as the Calvinist
Rome, is characterised by the Great Church and
Lutheran College. The Lutheran College and
library in the town of Sárospatak also played an
important role in the development of spiritual
values. Jan Amos Comensky taught and wrote
his key work, “Orbis sensualium pictus”, here in
the 1650’s.
Numerous cultural events are organised
throughout Hungary to celebrate the major festivals. The town of Magyarpolány can be found
35 kilometres from Lake Balaton. Each year the
town hosts a traditional folk Passion Play.
Jewish religious and cultural traditions are at the
heart of the international Jewish Summer
Festival, which includes religious and
secular music, arts, dance and literature.
The 20th of August is the national holiday commemorating the birthday of Hungary’s founding
king, Saint István, with celebrations throughout
the country. One of the most important religious
events is held on this day at Saint István’s
Basilica in Budapest, with the procession of the
religious relic of the right hand of Saint István.
1. Esztergom Basilica
2. Pannonhalma Benedictine Abbey
3. Debrecen, Protestant Great Church
4. The procession of the Holy Right Hand
5. Budapest Dohány Street Synagogue
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