Honvéd Dance Theatre: Monarchy

There once was a…MONARCHY. During the compromise of 1867 the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy came into existence whose necessity and principles are debated to this very day.

 

Unquestionably, the country industrialized at a rapid rate, theatres, universities, hospitals etc… were built. The nationalities law, which was at the time, rather unusually liberal even for Europe, also came about. Folk culture as well flowered in an unprecedented way, the art of ornamentation was rampant with reality, and costumes became more colouful. During this time, the different nationalities within the Monarchy existed peacefully side-by-side, guarding their own dances, music and culture.
In the first half of the performance we will present the Austro–Hungarian Monarchy’s nationalities’ colourful traditional customs, virtuoso dances, rich costume designs, its unfailing folk treasures as well as a spot light on moments of the aristocracies ball life as it happens along side versus „above” the culture of the common folk.

In the second half, with the help of the era’s artistic creations, with lots of humour and „film wise” likeness to life, the performance magically transforms our history into a dance theatre production, in hopes that this much debated time period of central Europe’s traditional cultures’ incalculable value will extend to our dance theatre lovers a pleasure filled evening.

 

 

 

Performers: the Honvéd Dance Theatre’s dancers and musicians

as well as Antal Szalai’s band.

Folklore Consultant: Dr. László Felföldi
Set Design: György Bátonyi
Costumes: Zsuzsa Imrik
Artistic Contributors: Zsuzsa Vincze
Dancer’s Assistances: Dezső Fitos, Flórián Hajdú, Szabolcs Lengyel, Tibor Makovinyi, and Gábor Valach
Choreographers: Dusán Hégli, Dezső Fitos, Zsófia Horváth, Ervin Varga,
Zsuzsa Vincze, Zoltán Zsuráfszky, Ernő Molnár, József Janek
Musical Arrangement: Péter Árendás
Music: László Rossa

Director/Choreographer: Zoltán Zsuráfszky (Meritorious Artist)