Productions

Productions

Fiddler on the roof

This piece is closely connected to Imre Kerényi who put it on stage but not in a traditional way. Contrary to common practice - actors on the stage and the orchestra in the pitch - the orchestra is on the stage too, playing and moving together with the actors as an integral part of the play. They instantly react to all events on the stage, mainly the violinist - he is Tevje's soul largely contributing to the actors with the language of music. This creates a truly intimate atmosphere just as it was in small villages when a klezmer band was an everyday part of life.

Purim, or the Sortilege

In 1999 János Kiss, the director of Győri Ballet called Fegya for a joint piece. Purim’s music was written by Ferenc Jávor and played by his orchestra. Róbert Turán based on Esther wrote the words and the dramaturgy. The Győri Ballet with William Fomin’s choreography all joined in this great piece to commemorate this event.

What is special in this piece beyond the fantastic mixture of arts is that the musicians also appear on the stage. At the same time of the premier the CD was also released under the same title. The premiere was on 5th January 1999 in Győr and in the Thália theatre in Budapest a week later.

Klezmer Suite

János Rolla, the concertmaster of the Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra has long been an enthusiast of the Budapest Klezmer Band. He had long known several members of the orchestra, mainly Ferenc Jávori.

In 1999 Rolla asked the leader of the Budapest Klezmer Band to compose an opus that the two orchestras can perform together. First, Fegya did not believe that he was serious about it but finally he got down to composing. In 1999 a 4-theme suite was made and when it was performed in Budapest in the second largest synagogue of the world it brought the house down before 4000 people.

It was just the beginning because by 2000 six more themes were composed to the original suite and the two orchestras performed it at the Music academy. Until 2002 it was performed several times and in the countryside too. In 2001 it was first performed abroad in the Tonhalle in St. Gallen by the local chamber orchestra. In 2002 a CD record was made in the studio of the Hungarian Radio.

Klezmer Dance Suite

János Kiss, the director of Győri Ballet - since the success of Purim - has always been up to date with the activities of Budapest Klezmer Band. Upon hearing Klezmer Suite he again came up with the idea of another joint piece. The dancers were glad to hear the offer of the director of the Budapest Klezmer Band as "it is always a great challenge to dance to live music".

Thus, we can now talk about the joint piece of three bands. Similar to Purim, the Budapest Klezmer Band and the Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra play on stage too, thank to the frenetic choreography of Yvette Bozsik, Sándor Román and William Fomin an important member of the ballet group.

Spiel Klezmer, spiel!

The main plot of the play is easy to follow - it is the history of klezmer music. The play depicts the milestones of klezmer from its Eastern European roots, through its success in the United States of America, until the birth of folklore.

The real entertaining value of the show is the musical as well as the "theatrical" performance of the musicians. The individuals of the band simply bloom on stage, performing in a way that surprised even themselves at the rehearsals. They prove in a series of events, so far alien to them, that they are not only outstanding musicians but great "actors" as well. What could be more evidence for this more than the enthusiasm of the Hamburg audience, and the band's hilarious success at the German premiere on October 1.

There is also sub-plot worth following: a boy wishes to become a member of the band at all costs, but the musicians refuse to accept him. He then resorts to various tricks, but he is still driven away. However, when he surprises the band with a newspaper advertisement saying "klezmer band wanted in the U.S.", he is finally accepted.

This outstandingly performing young "man" is no other than Eszter Biro, who is not only a fantastic singer but a trained actress as well.

You could pick any member of the band at random and praise them in different ways. But the most important thing is that what Monika Balatoni "brought out" on the acting part from each one of the musicians does serve the best interest of the music. The music is made highly colourful by lots of funny, full-of-movement and amusing scenes, while the tunes entwine members of the audience making them feel like hugging everyone around them. The newest member of the band, Bence Gazda has wormed his way into the heart of everyone with his outstanding violin play and charming presence, becoming a true member of the Family.

Ferenc Jávori Fegya: The Wedding Dance
klezmer-musical

Based on the play by Ottó Indig
Written by István Kállai és György Böhm
Lyrics by Tibor Miklós
Artistic director: Miklós Gábor Kerényi
Director: Attila Béres

Premiere of the world's very first klezmer musical in the Operetta Theatre, 17th and 18th of March, 2006.!

The story is happening in a Romanian-Hungarian-Jewish village in Transylvania.

András Bárány - the son of the rich farmer - has his bridegroom's farewell party, he is about to marry the poor but very pretty Rózsi Patkós. This bridegroom's farewell party seems to be too long, since as it turns out, Rózsi doesn't have the documents needed to be married. After her parents' death nothing is left, no house, no money, no documents about the girl /certificate of birth or baptism /. The girl is working in the farmstead and she lives there, too. The notary Cosma - following the advice of Mrs. Majzik, who knows about everything what happened in the last 50 years here in the settlement - turns to the orphanage in Kolozsvár to get some information. The answers from the orphanage puts light on the fact that Rózsi is not the daughter of the Patkós family, she was only adopted by them and they have risen her as their own daughter. Her real father is the late Salamon Blum, the owner of the mill, and her mother is the seduced maid-of-all-work, Regina Weisz, who died after the birth very soon. The "corpus delicti" was given to the children's home secretly.

So it turns out, that Rózsi, who was believed to be a Christian, is a Jew! And she doesn't have the slightest idea what it is! She went to church as a faithful Catholic, she has made confession, and Communion and if she had a problem she turned to St. Anthony for help. András Bárány had a shock when hearing the terrible turn. It is not enough that her bride is a foundling but she is a Blum descendant, too! He feels he has to disappear, he has to run away! He joins the army against his father's protest.

Rózsi defends herself in vain saying that "Not everybody is lucky enough to be born into a family of his or her choice", her present company, acquaintances, friends reject her. The Jewish innkeeper of the village, uncle Herskovics with some philosophical inclination, takes the desperate Rózsi into protection. He gives her home - and in his own way- he begins to teach her to her new faith.

The wife of Salamon Blum gets very upset at the fist time, when the fickleness of her late husband turns out, but later she gets curious to learn Rózsi. She always wanted to have a child and this person out of law is a Blum descendant ... After all, Herskovics has used to court Mrs. Blum, as well, but the woman - who knows why? - has chosen the rich owner of the mill. Mrs. Blum get to like Rózsi and would like to rise her up as her own daughter. She wants to take her into wealth, into the Jewish community. But she is not accepted there either, she is expelled from there, too, she is none one of them, "the essentially still Christian person" according them...