The Hungarian State Opera will present a new production of Zoltán Kodály’s “Háry János” this October.

Directed by Attila Béres to mark the centenary of the work’s world premiere, the production will be featured across seven performances from Oct. 17 to Oct. 25, 2026.

Csaba Sándor sings the title role and Gabriella Balga sings Örzse. The cast also includes Zsófia Kálnay as Marie Louise, Szilvia Rálik as the Empress, Attila Erdős as Baron Ebelasztin, János Szemenyei as Napoleon, and András Kiss as Old Marci. András Csonka, András Rusznák, and Artur Szőcs make their Opera House debuts in the spoken roles. Csonka performs Emperor Francis and a Peasant, Rusznák performs the Muscovite Sentry and a Student, and Szőcs performs the Judge and General Crucifix.

Péter Halász conducts the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus.

Béres, director of the Miskolc National Theatre, makes his Hungarian State Opera directing debut with the production. Hanna Erős designed the sets and Ildi Tihanyi designed the costumes, combining fairytale elements and military motifs around a chess theme. Zsombor Czeglédi created the projections and Dénes Kovács the choreography.

The Oct. 16 dress rehearsal is open to secondary school students as part of MVM OperAdventure.

As part of the Háry100 anniversary program, the Opera House will present a matinee of Kodály folk song arrangements on Oct. 18 at 11 a.m. Andrea Brassói-Jőrös, Erika Gál, István Kovácsházi, Csaba Sándor, and István Rácz will perform, accompanied on piano by Kálmán Szennai.

“Háry János” premiered at the Hungarian State Opera on Oct. 16, 1926, and the company has presented it more than 500 times since.

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