*  Performances of the Margaret Island Open-air Stage- premieres in opera, ballet, musical and classical music
* Water Tower lookout & exhibition at the Open-air theater’s court
*  Regular scheduled cruise service 5 times a day and theater boat service on the Danube

Performances of the Margaret Island Open-air Stage:

The union of nature and music – essence concert Verdi & Wagner 200 festive opening concert
Theater for everyone! – All seats and tickets for 2000 HUF

14 June 2013 8pm 

The musical world is celebrating this year the 200th anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s and Richard Wagner’s birthday. The  oeuvre of the two romantic geniuses come to life at an extraordinary concert at Margaret Island’s stage surrounded by  hundreds years old plane trees. The renowned Italian conductor, Carlo Montanaro guides the audience in the fantasy  world through the historical and mythical paths of the past sodden with emotions and passion along overtures including  the essence of world famous operas and musical dramas.

The musical “essence concert” is the opening event of the festive program series celebrating the 75th anniversary of  Margaret Island Open-air Theater. Featuring: National Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Carlo Montanaro
The concert is the present of Szabad Tér Színház and the National Philharmonic Orchestra.

28 & 30 June 2013 8pm - Revolution for love and freedom - Seregi - Khachaturian: Spartacus Ballet

The Hungarian National Ballet and Szabad Tér Színház salute to the memory of the Kossuth-award winning choreographer died last year with the reworking of this legendary performance. The Roman history’s greatest slave rebellion and its  charismatic leader have been featured in numerous literature works, films  as well as dance performances. László Seregi choreographed the monumental, all-night dance drama to the dramatic symphonic music of the Soviet composer, Khachaturian. It was played on stages during 40 years. Now, we present the renewed ballet performance with young talent
soloists of the Hungarian National Ballet.

Spartacus: Máté Bakó
Flavia: Alexandra Kozmér
Julia: Karina Sarkissova
Featuring: The Hungarian National Ballet Company and The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra - Conductor: Imre Kollar
Open-air performance realized by the cooperation of Szabad Tér Színház and the Hungarian State Opera.

12 & 14 July 2013 8pm - The heartbreaking tale-musical of Oliver Twist
Lionel Bart: OLIVER! - family musical

The OLIVER! was adapted from the novel of Charles Dickens. The writer wanted to embody the principle of human  goodness in little Oliver, the main character, who stands up against every evil and then triumphs over everyone in the end.

Starring: Csaba Korösi, Adelaida Halas, József Szeles, Gábor Keresztes, Zsuzsanna Csarnóy, Mária Dobra
Setting & Costumes: Kentaur
Director: Viktor Nagy
Conductor: Péter Oberfrank
Association, Symphony Orchestra and Ballet of Petofi Theater in Veszprém
Open-air performance realized by the cooperation of Szabad Tér Színház and the Petofi Theater in Veszprém.

19 July 2013 8pm - The most charming seducer of film history has turned 60
James Bond 60 - concert show

The symphonic adaptation of the James Bond _ lms’ soundtracks for the first time in Hungary! As a celebration of the Bond character’s 60th birthday and the fillms series’ 50th anniversary, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra performs a special concert recalling the greatest hits of the Bond films.

The concert’s conductor is Nic Raine, who worked as the orchestrator for John Barry during the recording of A View to a Kill and The Living Daylights, and has worked on several Bond-themed albums with the Prague Philharmonics.
Featuring: Mónika Veres and Bálint Gájer – vocal, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Nic Raine
Producer: Szabad Tér Színház

26 & 28 July 2013 8pm  - Opera of the eternal faith and love
Giacomo Puccini: Madame Butterfly - Opera

Szabad Tér Színház’s summer opera premiere, Madame Butterfly, the gem of Puccini’s oeuvre, will be performed on Margaret Island’s stage with selected stars of the genre. The world-famous Andrea Rost will debut in the title role and her partner will be the young tenor star of the opera stages, Andrea Caré.
Madame Butterfly: Andrea Rost
Pinkerton: Andrea Caré
Suzuki: Bernadett Wiedemann
Kate: Erika Markovics
Sharpless: Tamás Busa
Featuring: the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and Choir
Conductor: Domonkos Héja
Director: Ferenc Anger
Producer: Szabad Tér Színház

2 August 2013 8pm - An absolutely remarkable performance
Carmen Souza - World Music concert

Carmen Souza have become a true world music force and one of Europe’s most in-demand jazz singers. The concert is  part of the Kachupada Tour. „Carmen Souza sings in her native creole dialect with an intimacy, sensuality, and vivacity, characterised by a tremendous lightness of touch. Her music has a deceptive simplicity, a rare clarity, derived from a unique mix of influences from her Cape Verdean background to jazz and modern soul creating this beautifully vibrant, largely acoustic, accessible hybrid. World soul music for the 21st century.”- David Sylvian

Carmen Souza Quartet
Carmen Souza - vocal, acoustic guitar
Theo Pas’cal - bass, double bass
Filipe Melo - piano
Elias Kacomanolis - drums

10 & 11 August 2013, 8pm -  The rewritten legend
Szomor - Pejtsik - Miklós: Elizabeth Báthory - musical – opera

The show reworks the story of the legendary “blood countess” in an unusual manner, establishing a brand new musical genre. The central character of the astonishing musical-opera is Elizabeth Bathory – the wife, mother, countess and lover. The strong, but sensitive woman suffering from jealousy and the lust for power is presented to the audience by a musical with a wide-ranging selection of songs in high opera quality.

Elizabeth Bathory: Katalin Benedekffy / Zsuzsa Barabás
Ferenc Nadasdy: Csaba Zöld / Róbert Laczkó V.
György Thurzo: György Szomor / János Szilágyi
Walter: János Szemenyei / István Kátai
Caravaggio: Zoltán Miller / Loránd Farkas
Featuring: the Orchestra, Choir and Ballet of the Hungarian Opera in Kolozsvár
Conductor: Szabolcs Kulcsár
Costumes: Borcsa Kiss
Setting: Rita Vereckei
Choreographer: Péter Novák
Producer: Teodóra Bán
Director: Bertalan Bagó
Co-production of Szabad Tér Színház and the Hungarian Opera in Kolozsvár.

20 August 2013 7pm - Historical opera about the greatest Hungarian king
Ferenc Erkel: King Stephen - opera-concert
Theater for everyone! – All seats and tickets for 2000 HUF

The closing event of the festive year in honor of the 975th anniversary of King Stephen’s death and 930th anniversary of his canonization. On the Hungarian Constitution Day we salute to the memory of St. Stephen King with a concert presenting Erkel’s last finished opera, featuring renowned opera singers. The truly historic opera recalls the last ruling years of the state establishing Hungarian king with such an eternal concept in center, according to which the thriving of the Hungarians will always be a question of cohesion.

King Stephen: Gábor Bretz
Queen Gizella: Bernadett Wiedemann
Prince Imre: Péter Balczó
Crescimira: Bori Keszei
Featuring: the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir
Conductor: Gergely Vajda
Premiere realized by the cooperation of Szabad Tér Színház and MTVA
(Hungarian Media Service Support and Asset Management Fund)

Source and more info: Budapest Summer Festival