Mihály Vörösmarty

piano        Ferenc Darvas
programme compiled by Orsolya Karafiáth
director    Ödön Rubold
series producer   Tibor Keresztury

How did a pair of high-heeled shoes end up on this particularly heavy, antique oak table? Orsolya Karafiáth and Mihály Vörösmarty? Surely some mistake? Regular attendees of the Poetry Recitals at Müpa Budapest series will certainly look twice at such a line-up, and understandably so. With this unusual pairing, the Poetry Recitals team is carrying out an experiment: it starts from the idea of asking a contemporary poet to compile a show from the works of one of their favourite classic writers, using a poet who has nothing at all to do with the selected writer in the artistic sense: Vörösmarty and Karafiáth's poetic rhythm, way of writing and composition styles couldn't be further apart.
Therein lies the essence of the experiment: how will Karafiáth, one of the most exciting and incredibly multi-faceted contemporary poets, approach the peerless works of the great Hungarian classic writer, without prejudice and with objective eyes? How will she select the poems, where will she place the emphasis, and what message does she see for 21st century readers - if she sees one at all - in Mihály Vörösmarty's relevance and lyricism? There is no question that the audience will be witnesses to a fascinating dialogue, which will also feature the artists of the National Theatre.

Cooperating partner for the performance: National Theatre.