Z es N L N ce N eri G E M A G Y A R ÁL LAMI OPE RAHÁZ H UNGA RIAN ST A T E OPE R A ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TAMÁS SOLYMOSI GREETING Would it be possible to do without a personal greeting in a brochure for the ballet? I believe it would. It is probably safe to assume that those people who pick up and read this publication have already cultivated an interest in the ballet. You are the unconditional lovers and connoisseurs of the art form, and it is in this spirit that I write these words. I am pleased to share a few thoughts with you here and am also delighted to introduce Hungary’s first and only classical ballet ensemble, the Hungarian National Ballet company. The troupe comprises more than 100 artists and brims with brilliant individual personalities, yet it always achieves its many successes collectively, as a team. The term “ballet ensemble” – or “balettegyüttes” – carries within it our fundamental principle: “ensemble” is the French word for “together”, and the Hungarian equivalent “együttes” is similarly derived. After spending a good number of years abroad, I joined the “együttes” on my return to Hungary and am now able to say that I feel truly at home as a member of the Hungarian National Ballet. I have brought with me all the fruits of my experience abroad, and I also attempt to invite as guests those individuals who can benefit the ensemble with knowledge and skill of the highest international order and also instill in our young artists a sense of their own superb talent. You might not be aware that winning and maintaining a position in the corps de ballet takes just as much training, preparation, and daily toil as it does to be a demi– or even principal soloist. Therefore – although there is in fact a ranking system which stipulates who comes first – as far as I’m concerned, everyone comes first together. I respect these artists, because for me, they represent struggle and unwavering strength. This is why I will always be there to foster their individual ambitions and help our youngsters find their feet. It is my fondest wish for each and every one to find their own place, and for all of them to be able to say together, “this is our home”. If we are successful, all that remains is for you to come and visit us as guests as often as possible. We look forward to seeing you! Tamás Solymosi 3 MANAGEMent Szilveszter Ókovács Tamás Solymosi Péter Halász General Director Ballet Director and Artistic Director Principal Music Director 4 Dr. Virág Főző Dr. Monika Turkovics Deputy General Director Marketing and Communications Director Maina Gielgud Marianna Venekei Principal Artistic Consultant Head Ballet Master 5 BALLet STAFF 6 Ballet Director Zoltán Nagy Sr. Audio Technicians Tamás Solymosi Sándor Némethy György Leányvári Ildikó Pongor Károly Schnitzler Principal Artistic Consultant Edit Rujsz László Schnitzler Maina Gielgud László Sterbinszky Tamás Tengler Masseurs Head Ballet Master Krisztina Végh István Bolesza Marianna Venekei Katalin Volf Tibor Eichner Bence Szabó Ballet Masters Pianists Angéla Kövessy Éva Hajnal Contractor Edit Marosi György Lázár Éva Csere – Physiotherapist Gyula Nyári Guest Ballet Masters Svetlana Orlova Mária Aradi Zsanna Vaszilenko Béla Balogh Aurora Bosch Ballet Secretariat Imre Dózsa Szonja Stella – Ballet Secretary Blanka Fajth Roland Csonka – Artistic Coordinator Maina Gielgud Zsófia Szabó – Artistic Coordinator Gyula Harangozó Jr. Gabriella Milković – International Cultural Evelyn Janács Manager Ildikó Kaszás Éva Baranya – Secretarial Assistant Michael Messerer Márta Metzger 7 PrincipAL ALIYA TANYKpaYEva Étoile of the 2013/14 Season 8 Member of the Hungarian State Opera since 2 0 1 2 Education and training Principal roles • Ivanov–Nureyev–Tchaikovsky: Almaty National Ballet Academy • Cranko–Tchaikovsky: Onegin – Swan Lake – Odette/Odile (Kazakhstan) Tatiana • Harangozó–Delibes: Coppélia – • Petipa–Minkus: Don Quixote – Kitri Swanilda Competitions • Lavrovsky–Prokofiev: • Pártay–Dvořák: Gone with the Wind – Luxembourg International Ballet Romeo and Juliet – Juliet Scarlett O’Hara Competition: Grand Prize (2003) • Seregi–Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet • Pártay–Liszt–Wagner–Berlioz: Perm International Ballet Competition: – Juliet The Golden Brush – Sven 3rd prize (2004) • Petipa–Tchaikovsky: Sleeping Beauty • Hynd–Lehár: The Merry Widow – – Aurora Hanna Glawari Awards and distinctions • Vainonen–Harangozó Jr.–Tchaikovsky: • Bournonville–Gielgud–Løvenskiold: Étoile of the Hungarian National Ballet The Nutcracker – Clara La Sylphide – Sylphide (2013) • Zanella–Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker • Spoerli–Stravinsky: – Clara The Firebird – Firebird Professional history • MacMillan–Liszt: Manon – Manon • Mozart–Neumeier: As You Like It State Ballet Company, Almaty • Ashton–Hérold: La fille mal gardée – principal – Lise Imperial Russian Ballet – principal • Lavrovsky–Adam: Giselle – Giselle Wiener Staatsoper – principal • Corelli–Adam: Giselle – Giselle Opernhaus Zürich – principal • Petipa–Malakhov–Minkus: La Bayadère – Nikiya • Petipa–Spoerli–Glazunov: Raymonda – Raymonda 9 PrincipAL ZOLTÁN OLÁH Étoile of the 2012/13 and 2014/15 Seasons 10 Member of the Hungarian State Opera since 2001 Education and training Étoile of the Hungarian National Ballet • MacMillan–Liszt: Mayerling – Crown Hungarian Dance Academy (2001) (2012) Prince Rudolf Courses in Germany, Austria, UK, Spain, Best Male Dancer of the Year Award • Harangozó–Delibes: Coppélia – Franz USA and Japan. (2014) • Seregi–Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet Étoile of the Hungarian National Ballet – Romeo Competitions (2014) • Seregi–Delibes: Sylvia – Aminta 2nd Pécs National Ballet Competition: • Pártay–Tchaikovsky: Anna Karenina – 2nd Prize (1998) Principal roles Levin, Vronsky 3rd Vienna International Ballet • Vainonen–Tchaikovsky: • Pártay–Dvořák: Gone with the Wind – Competition: 2nd Prize (1999) The Nutcracker – Nutcracker Prince Ashley Wilkes • Petipa–Ivanov–Harangozó Jr.–Pongor– • Pártay–Liszt–Wagner–Berlioz: Awards and recognitions Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – Prince The Golden Brush – Mihály Munkácsy Nívó Prize (2001) • Bournonville–Gielgud– Løvenskiold: • Eifman–Rachmaninoff–Mussorgsky– Vécsey Elvira Prize (2001) La Sylphide – James Wagner: The Karamazovs – Alexei Tériné Horváth Margit Prize (2001) • Lavrovsky–Adam: Giselle – Albert • Kylián–Mozart: Petite Mort Harangozó Gyula Prize (2006) • Petipa–Mukhamedov–Minkus: • Dawson–Richter: Oláh Gusztáv Commemorative Plaque La Bayadère – Solor On the Nature of Daylight (2006) • Ashton–Hérold: La fille mal gardée • Eagling–Wagner: Duet Gundel Prize (2008) – Colas Magyar Balett and Contemporary Dance • Lander–Czerny: Études – Male Solo Award (2008) • Cranko–Tchaikovsky: Junior Prima Award (2008) Onegin – Onegin, Lensky EuroPAS Hungarian Dance Award (2010) 11 PrincipAL ALEXANDRA KOZMÉR 12 Member of the Hungarian State Opera since 1997 Education and training Professional history • Seregi–Khachaturian: Spartacus – Hungarian Dance Academy (1997) La Communidad de Madrid, Ballet Victor Claudia Ullate – principal • Harangozó Jr.–Kocsák: Snow White Competitions and the 7 Dwarves – Stepmother 1st Vienna International Ballet Principal roles • Pártay–Tchaikovsky: Anna Karenina – Competition: 1st Prize (1998) • Petipa–Harangozó Jr.–Pongor–Fajth– Anna Karenina 2nd Nureyev International Ballet Minkus: Don Quixote – Kitri • Pártay–Liszt–Wagner–Berlioz: Competition: 1st Prize (1996) • Vainonen–Tchaikovsky: The Golden Brush – Cecil 7th Masako Ohya Ballet Competition, The Nutcracker – Princess Maria • Eifman–Rachmaninoff–Mussorgsky– Osaka: Partner Award (1995) • Lavrovsky–Adam: Giselle – Giselle, Wagner: The Karamazovs – Katerina Prix de Lausanne, Switzerland: Semi– Myrtha • Hynd–Lehár: The Merry Widow – finalist (1994, 1995, 1996) • Petipa–Ivanov–Harangozó Jr.–Pongor– Hanna Glawari Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – • Balanchine–Tchaikovsky: Serenade Awards and distinctions Odette/Odile • Balanchine–Gershwin: Who Cares? Tériné Horváth Margit Prize (1996) • Petipa–Mukhamedov–Minkus: • North–Schubert: Vécsey Elvira Prize (1997) La Bayadère – Nikiya Death and the Maiden Hungarian Ballet and Contemporary • Harangozó–Delibes: Coppélia – • Seregi–Bartók: The Wooden Prince – Dance Award (2009) Swanilda The Princess Harangozó Gyula Prize (2010) • Seregi–Goldmark: • Eagling–Wagner: Duet The Taming of the Shew – Kata • Seregi–Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Titania 13 PrincipAL SHOKO NAKAMURA 14 Member of the Hungarian State Opera since 2013 Education and training Principal roles • Zanella–Stravinsky: Petrushka Chikako Tanaka Ballet School, • Cranko–Tchaikovsky: Romeo and • Zanella–Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Fukuoka, Japán (1986–1996) Juliet – Juliet – Snow Queen John Cranko Schule, • Nureyev–Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake – • Zanella–Tchaikovsky: Cinderella – Stuttgart (1996–1998) Odette/Odile Frau Cerrini, Yvette • Chernikova–Adam: Giselle – Myrtha • Harangozó–Delibes: Coppélia – Competitions • Ashton–Delibes: Sylvia – Sylvia Coppélia Prix de Lausanne – won a scholarship to • Hynd–Lehár: The Merry Widow – • Balanchine–Tchaikovsky: the John Cranko School (1996) Hanna Glawari Theme and Variations Prix du Luxembourg, 1st Prize (2001) • Malakhov–Minkus: La Bayadère – • Balanchine–Tchaikovsky: Nikya, Gamzatti Pas de Deux Professional history • Malakhov–Tchaikovsky: Sleeping • Balanchine–Stravinsky: Apollo – Stuttgart Ballett Beauty – Diamant, Aurora Calliope Wiener Staatsopernballett – • Malakhov–Tchaikovsky: Cinderella – • Béjart–R. Strauss: Serait–ce la mort? demi–soloist, soloist Cinderella • Béjart–Wagner: Ring – Fricka Staatsballett Berlin – soloist,