György Selmeczi: Bizánc (Byzantium)

When you hear the words 'Hungarian national opera', first you think of 'Bánk Bán' or perhaps 'Hunyadi László', and it might immediately come to your mind why not some new and grandiose productions in the genre?

This year Bartók Plus tries to create the new national opera. As a partner in this project one of the best known composers, György Selmeczi was requested to compose, in the spirit of the popular opera on the inspiration of Ferenc Herczeg’s Bizánc, a story of great ideals and powerful emotions.

Feast in the palace and death rattle after the battle, traitors and speculators, foreign mercenaries, mercy instead of peace treaty, treason or survival, a scheming empress longing for splendour and an honest but weak emperor – these well known topics of Hungarian history are lined up in a story set in Byzantium in May 1453.

Selmeczi's opera features well defined characters to effectively convey the ideas of belief, commitment and the willingness to make sacrifices for great causes. This work employing an extensive cast, large choir and orchestra was expressly commissioned by Bartók Plus and its musical language approaches traditions of the genre as well as the spirit of the present.

Opera in two acts, in Hungarian, Guest performance of the Hungarian Opera of Cluj-Napoca
Conducted by: Gergely Kesselyák • Directed by: Zalán Zakariás • Costume and stage design: Edit Zeke • Performers: Zoltán Nyári, Brigitta Kele, Bernadett Wiedemann, Sándor Balla
Tickets: 3600. -HUF