Vajda János: A képzelt beteg, avagy őfelsége komédiása / CAFe 2020

Molière / Argan: András Hábetler

Béline: Bernadett Wiedemann

Angélique: Lilla Horti 

Cléante: György Hanczár

Toinette: Éva Bátori

Dr. Purgon: István Rácz

Teophile: Gergely Biri

Louis XIV: Szilveszter Ókovács (recorded)

Featuring: Hungarian State Opera Orchestra

Conductor: János Kovács

Libretto: Szabolcs Várady (based on the plays of Molière and Bulgakov)

Dramaturgy: Diána Eszter Mátrai

Set: Renátó Cseh

Costumes: Anni Füzér

Director: Máté Szabó

The Hungarian State Opera attaches great importance to complementing its classical repertoire with contemporary operas, and even world premieres. In cooperation with the Festival, the Opera now presents the first performance of a work by János Vajda. Following Mario and the Magician (1988), Leonce and Lena (1999) and Mrs Karnyó (2007), Vajda’s fourth work for the stage is based on Molière’s The Imaginary Invalid, and Bulgakov’s play on the French playwright, The Cabal of Hypocrites (also known as Molière).

“I originally planned to set to music Bulgakov’s play about the life of Molière, which has The Imaginary Invalid performed in the background. I reversed the situation: we can see Molière’s comedy performed, while his life and struggles with the powers that be lie in the background. Why the reversal? I felt it was Molière’s work that I found a musical equivalent for, which should run through the entire opera.”

Opera in two acts, in Hungarian, with Hungarian and English surtitles.

This performance of the CAFe Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival is jointly presented by Müpa Budapest and Hungarian State Opera.