On May 13, 2023, the Hungarian State Opera will stage Mozart’s “Idomeneo.”

This new production by András Almási-Tóth will mark the first time the work has been performed within the country in 50 years. Conductor Balázs Kocsár leads the HSO Orchestra and a cast comprised of Szabolcs Brickner, Emőke Baráth, Gabriella Balga, Zsuzsanna Ádám, and Laura Topolánszky.

The production features set design by Sebastian Hannak, costume design by Richárd Márton, choreography by Noémi Kulcsár, lighting by Tamás Pillinger, and video art by Zsombor Czeglédi.

“From a psychological point of view, it is one a particularly sensitive and diverse story,” said Almási-Tóth in an official press statement. “Idomeneo is about what it is like when centuries our existence, a sophisticated human culture built up over thousands of years is threatened. Suddenly, we are faced with the most basic questions: life, death, survival, and destruction. In the high-tech environment we have created around us, we often forget to think about what the meaning of our lives is.”

The work is presented as part of the Festival of Myths, set to run between April 29 and June 30. Other works include revivals of “Elektra” and “Ariadne auf Naxos,” along with concert and recital performances.