Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Foyer Murals
(
Royal Box
PaintedbyBertalanSzékelyandMór
Than,thefoyer'ssensationalmurals
(above)
covertheentireceilinganddepictthenine
Musesandotherallegoricalscenes.
Yblalwaysinsisted
thattheRoyalBoxwas
hisinestachievement.
Decoratedwithsculp-
turessymbolizingthefour
operaticvoices-soprano,
alto,tenorandbass-itis
inthecentreofacircleof
three-tieredboxes.
)
Museum
Themuseum
(above)
housesmemorabiliaof
famousperformerswho
havegracedthisstage.
SándorSvéd,arenowned
Hungarianbaritone,who
performedatNewYork's
Metropolitanforyears,
featuresprominently.
^
Main Staircase
&
Chandelier
Aredcarpetcovers
themarblestairs
(below)
beneathahugechandelier
inanotheroftheState
OperaHouse'sclassicset
pieces.Thegildedpanels
oftheceilingcontain
ninepaintingsbyThan,
showingtheawakening
andtriumphofmusic.
Abovetheauditorium,
a2,722-kg(3-ton)Mainz
chandelier
(above)
illumi-
natesamagniicent
frescobyKárolyLotzof
theGreekgodsonOlym-
pus.Thechimneyabove
itfacilitatesventilation.
Bánk Bán
Hungary'smostfamous
opera,
Bánk Bán
,was
writtenbyFerencErkel
andpremieredin1861.
Thestorybeginswith
Otto,brotherofAndrás
II,whoplanstoseduce
thewifeofafaithful
Hungarianviceroy,Bánk
Bán.TheknightBiberach
tellsBánofOtto'sdas-
tardlyscheme,andBán
decidestojoinarebel-
lionagainstthecourt.
Rarelyperformedtoday,
itwasturnedintoailm
byCsabaKaelin2001.
*
Main Stage
Duringthebuilding
oftheOpera,theVienna
RingTheatrewasdes-
troyedbyire.Asasafety
measure,anironsafety
curtain,all-metalstage
hydraulicsandasprinkler
systemwereinstalled,
makingtheHungarian
Operathemostmodern
theatreintheworld.
Check
The Budapest Times(see p105)
for opera schedules.
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