The Hungarian State Opera was founded in 1884 by the Government of the Kingdom of Hungary, and its first directors were Ferenc Erkel, a Hungarian conductor and composer, and Frigyes Campilli, a dancer, choreographer and ballet master of Italian-German origin, both key figures in Hungarian culture. With two theaters―the opulent neo-Renaissance-style Opera House and the more modern Erkel Theatre―the company can accommodate an audience of more than 3,200 people on a single night. Repertoire includes well- and lesser-known Hungarian and international operas and ballets, as well as contemporary and commissioned works. Each year, the company presents more than 200 performances of 60-70 operas, more than 100 ballet performances, as well as musicals, and orchestra concerts, making it one of the busiest opera houses in the world. The Hungarian State Opera contracts a roster of 150 singers, and has three ensembles: a 200-member symphony orchestra; the first and largest professional chorus in Hungary, which also has 200 members including the children’s chorus; and the only classical ballet company in Hungary with its 130 members. For more information, visit www.opera.hu.
