Merry-Go-Round (Körhinta)

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Sarkadi-Fábri-Nádasy-Vincze

National Theatre, Budapest, Hungary

Director: Attila Vidnyánszky, Zoltán Zsuráfszky

2 hours, without breaks.

Imre Sarkadi– Zoltán Fábri – Nádasy László – Zsuzsa Vincze

Merry-go-Round

Co-director and choreography: Zoltán Zsuráfszky
Directed by: Attila Vidnyánszky

Merry-go-Round, a classic in the history of Hungarian film, is based on a novella by Imre Sarkadi. In 1956, the production by Zoltán Fábri was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Actress Mari Törőcsik, who played the main role, remembers a remark made by Jean Cocteau, who said that Merry-go-Round is a great film because “it resounds with love.” This story comes to life on the stage of the National Theater in a dynamic mix of dance, music, and prose.

Love, land, marriage, financial interest. Which is the most important? The happiness of young lovers or, as has been the law of the peasant world for centuries, the importance of combining lands off of which the new family can earn a living? Love? Can one build a future on the happiness of the moment? Are social law and common sense stronger than two people’s desire for each other? “I would like to create a heart-rending, beautiful tale,” said director Attila Vidnyánszky. For him, of the personal and social threads of the story, the personal is the more important. The future can be built on the strength and power of love that is fulfilled. The world-famous Hungarian National Dance Ensemble has joined the artists of the National Theater to create a poetic performance that combines prose, dance, and music. Folk dance is part of Hungary’s mother tongue, and the dancers bring tremendous energy to the stage: a rhythmic czardas, a Transylvania “szökős” captivate the audience. The production has been an enormous success.

In collaboration with the Hungarian National Dance Ensemble

István Pataki

József Varga

Pataki's wife

Nelli Szűcs

Máté Bíró

Nándor Berettyán

Merry

Júlia Szász

Sándor Farkas

Dénes Farkas

Dancing Conductors

Edina Rab

Gergő Sánta

Senior assistant

Gábor Valach

Band leader, primate

István Gázsa Papp

The participation of the HUNGARIAN NATIONAL DANCE GROUP and its orchestra.

Professional leader: Zsuzsa Zs. Vincze, Harangozó prize winner, worthy artist.

Bari Ildikó, Barka Dávid, Benedek Attila, Bordás Barnabás, Cruz Heather Laura, Csabai József Márk, Csicsmann Dániel, Csiha Linda, Ertl Balázs, Fekete Bence, Gömöri Éva, Gyurka Gergely, Hajdú Flórián, Hetrovicz Brigitta, Husvét Dorina Emerika, István Barbara, Juhász Bence Zsombor, Juhász Sándor, Kerepesi Zoltán, Kovács Gábor, Molnár Sarolta, Oltárczy Mária, Orbán Amanda, Palágyi Fruzsina, Paput Júlia, Payer Dóra, Rab Edina, Rencz Norbert, Sánta Gergő, Simon Lilla, Szabó Kincső, Szabó Marcell, Szél Gábor, Szeverényi Barnabás, Takács Gábor, Tapolczai-Zsuráfszky Lilla, Tókos Attila, Tókos Zsófia, Tomory Kinga, Tompa Attila, Valach Gábor, Wallinger Ágnes

Musicians:

Papp István Gázsa - violin, D. Tóth Sándor - viola, Liber Róbert - double bass, Csávás Attila -

Wind instruments, Takács Ádám - violin, Szabó Dániel m.v. - dulcimer

Musicians performing the recorded music

Balogh Kálmán - Dulcimer Madarász András - Piano, lute, guitar, drums Kovács Ferenc - Trumpet Bede Péter - Saxophone Rácz Csaba - Chello Lelkes Tibor - Double bass Novák Csaba - Double bass

Dramaturgist, Scenario

Zsuzsa Zs. Vincze

Set designer

János Mira

Costume designer

Zsuzsa Zs. Vincze

Prompter

Gabi Kónya

Stage manager

Gábor Dobos

Krisztián Ködmen

Assistant director

Péter Kernács

Choreographer, Co-Director

Zoltán Zsuráfszky

Director

Attila Vidnyánszky

Main Stage

Attila Vidnyánszky

Hungarian theatre and opera director, teacher.

He was born in Berehove (Ukraine) in 1964.

He graduated in Hungarian literature and linguistics from Uzhhorod State University (1985). He taught literature and history for two years. In 1992, he graduated in theatre directing from the Karpenko-Kary State Academy of Theatre and Cinema in Kyiv.

In 1993, he founded his own company, the Gyula Illyés Hungarian National Theatre in Berehove, of which he is still the Principal Director.

In 2004, he was appointed Principal Director of the Hungarian State Opera House. In 2006 - 2013, he was Director of the Csokonai National Theatre in Debrecen.

Since 2013, he has been the Director General of the National Theatre. In 2014, he founded the National Theatre's MITEM festival (Madách International Theatre Meeting).

Since 2023, he has been a member of the International Theatre Olympics Committee and Artistic Director of the 2023 Budapest Theatre Olympics.

He has also directed at the National Academic Theatre in Kyiv (Leszya Ukrayinka Theatre), the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St Petersburg) and the Hungarian State Opera House.

His performances have toured Europe from Stockholm to Moscow and Tbilisi, from Strasbourg to Nancy and Kyiv.

He has received many awards, including Ukraine's Artist of Merit (2002), the Meyerhold Prize (2009, Moscow) and the Kossuth Prize (2011).

His films include Liberté 56, The Boy Who Turned into a Deer.

He has taught acting at the Karpenko-Kary State Academy of Theatre and Cinema in Kyiv and at the University of Kaposvár. Since 2020, he has been the master of a directing class at the University of Theatre and Film in Budapest.

He has been a member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts since 2005. In 2008, he co-founded the Hungarian Theatre Society and has been its President since. Between 2010 and 2013, he also served as Chairman of the Theatre Arts Committee under the Minister of Human Resources. Since 2020, he has been Chairman of the Board of the foundation operating the University of Theatre and Film in Budapest.