Opera tonight: Laughing all the way to the bank, bank
OperaHunyadi László is a 19th century grand opera from Hungary streamed by Slippedisc, courtesy of OperaVision.
Rivalling Bánk Bán as Ferenc Erkel’s most popular work, premiered in 1844, nationalist crowds sang excerpts from the opera during the 1848 anti-Austrian revolution. Rooted in grand historical opera, the music has real individuality and Hungarian flavour, with orchestral rhythms reminiscent of Liszt’s Rhapsodies. This production was staged for the reopening of the magnificent opera house in Budapest in March 2022. Szilveszter Ókovács’s production comes complete with the original sumptuous costumes and authentic scenery, artfully combined with projections and the help of Hungarian State Opera’s brand new stage machinery. Conducted by Balázs Kocsár.
Lead singers are Dániel Pataky as King László V, Szabolcs Brickner as László Hunyadi, Klára Kolonits as Erzsébet Szilágyi and Erika Miklósa as Mária Gara.
The Plot: The epic covers the life and death of the 15th-century soldier and politician, Hunyadi László, son of János Hunyadi who defended Hungary against the attacks of the Ottoman Turks. When the new weak King, László V, takes a shine to Mária, László’s fiancée, the young man is arrested and his fate is sealed. The executioner’s axe falls – several times – on one of opera’s most grizzly finales.
Subtitles in Hungarian and English.
Available on 21 July 2023 at 1900 CET / 1800 London/ 1300 NY
There’s nothing like 19th century high Hungarian grand-opera based on cheesy 15th century melodrama to really get your juices flowing!!!
Yes there is…cheesy Italian, French, and German opera of the 19th century. Only a small repertoire passed the smell test. That said, it is always worth exploring the forgotten.
No. No. No! The 15th century melodrama (on which the 19th century high opera was based) was “cheesy”; NOT the opera itself! The opera is best described as “saucy” and “juicy”! BTW…many Italian operas may also be termed saucy, juicy, and pleasantly cheesy.
Wow, no Eurotrash production for their nationalist opera.
“Grizzly”? No bears in this opera. I think you mean “grisly”.
I think Bánk Bán is by far the more exportable Erkel opera, but it needs quality singing translations to find a home on international stages. (The same need applies, a fortiori, to Hunyadi László.)
Bank Ban? Is that an opera about Nigel Farage?
Unbelievable mothball of a production…