A performance at the Budapest Opera is a fantastic experience and it won't break the bank. Below you'll find some of this season's highlights, along with links to the box office.
Budapest Opera House - Opera Season 2011/2012
Mozart, Wagner, Verdi, the Hungarian National Ballet, the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, several premiers and revivals, 25 operas and 12 ballets, a total of 225 performances are on the program for 2011/2012.
Premiers
September 9 & 10, 2011
Béla Bartók: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle
World premiere: the first opera production using 3D technology
Conductor: György Győriványi Ráth
Director: Renzo Cerbo
October 1, 2011
Giuseppe Verdi: Simon Boccanegra
Conductors: György Győriványi Ráth & Balázs Kocsár
Director, costume and set designer: Ivan Stefanutti
November 19, 2011
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Don Giovanni
Budapest Opera House in cooperation with the Teatro Olimpico, Vicenza
Conductors: Keri-Lynn Wilson and Ádám Medveczky
Director: Gianfranco De Bosio
January 21, 2012
Richard Wagner: Das Rheingold
Conductors: György Győriványi Ráth & János Kovács
Director, set and costume designer: Achim Freyer
March 17, 2012
Richard Strauss: Arabella
Conductor: Zoltán Kocsis
June 9, 2012
Jean-Philippe Rameau: Hippolyte ét Aricie
Budapest Opera House in cooperation with the Orfeo Chamber Orchestra and Choir
Conductor: György Vashegyi
Director: Csaba Káel
February 18 & 19, 2012
Sergei Prokofiev: Cinderella
Coreography by Vladimir Vasiliev, director of the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow from 1995 to 2000
May 12 & 13, 2012
Maurice Jarre: The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Choreography by Roland Petit to the music of Maurice Jarre
Costume designer: Yves Saint Laurent
Revivals
Revivals in the 2011/2012 season include Verdi's Aida and Traviata, Puccini's Turandot and Madam Butterfly, Erkel's Bánk bán and Wagner's Tannhäuser.
The Hungarian National Ballet will feature, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Anna Karenina, Romeo and Juliet, Whirlpool, a modern ballet night and La fille mal gardée, a choreography by world-renowned Sir Frederick Ashton, founder of the Royal Ballet, London.
In addition, the Budapest Opera House will give home to a series of festivals and events:
New Year's Eve Opera Gala
A popular year-end event, hosted by the Budapest Opera House.
Opera Ball
The Budapest Opera Ball is held annually on the last Saturday of the carnival season.
Mayfest
The 12-day-long international opera festival is held annually in May.
Performances at the Opera House usually start at 6 pm or 7 pm, matinee performances start at 11 am.
Please note that programs are subject to change. For more details visit opera.hu.
Opera Tickets & Box Office
Tickets can be purchased online or from the box office directly. Tickets purchased online can be printed at home to avoid any line-ups. Will-call and delivery options (mail or courier at an extra charge) are also available.
Entrance to the Box Office is from Dalszínház utca
Phone: (+36-1) 353-0170
E-mail: ticket@opera.hu
Website: www.opera.hu
Box Office - Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday: 11 am until the beginning of the performance (or until 5 pm on days when there is no performance)
Sundays and holidays: 4 pm until the beginning of the performance.
Before matinee performances the box office opens at 10 am.
All major credit cards are accepted.
Other Venues Hosting Opera Performances
Erkel Theatre
Repertoire: Opera, Ballet and Classical Music
Address: Köztársaság tér 30, Budapest 1081
Location: Pest, City Center, District 8
Phone: (+36-1) 333-0540
Palace of Arts
Repertoire: Opera, Ballet and Classical Music
The Palace of Arts is also home to the Ludwig Museum
Address: Komor Marcell utca 1, Budapest 1095
Location: Pest, District 9
Phone: (+36-1) 555-3000
Website: www.mupa.hu
