Obada: The director’s change at the Peter Ballaz theater: “This is not a political issue”

“I can see, unfortunately, what is happening in the country, and I read articles in the newspapers as well, but I feel that it is not about my personality: this is how some want to make political gains for themselves. I am sure that anyone who knows my job knows exactly what is behind me and why I pledged to become a manager. I don’t think it’s great to describe someone before they can prove it, but in the end, time will decide everything. ” This is how Botond Barabás, the Szigliget Theater in Szolnok, interacts Newly appointedIts manager, who took office in July, said that the election of board members was not without scandals either.

The 41-year-old Odorheiu Secuiesc-born Jászai award-winning actor, who has been a member of Szigliget since 2004, was elected the next director of the Szolnok Theater in early April, after Péter Balázs, who had been running an establishment for 14 years, decided not to reinstate Rendering. Three people applied for the position: Joseph Kiss, the former artistic director of the theater, the editor of the Hungarian theater created by Attila Vednyansky, and a publicist Anytime Join Vidnyánszky, who got into the teaching department of SZFE after changing the model. ; Witibor Zolnoki, actor at the Opera Theater in Budapest. During the tender process, Kees withdrew his request after a while, Gabor Perini, the right-wing president of the Cultural Committee of the Blessed Municipality with the mayor of Fides, but with a majority in opposition, He described it as a shame Then the procedure was announced, otherwise it was excluded from the whole process.

The first stronghold

The Szigliget Theater in Szolnok is a private institution in the country. There was a time when he was considered one of the best players in the country; Gabor Cekele, Giorgi Spiro, Giorgi Shwagda and Emre Kirini at the end of the 1970s were also the former directors of the later Joseph Katona theater. Marie Torisic was a long-time member of the company, but Marie Csumus, Katie Andai, Frigis Molarus, Laszlo Minsaros, Erzi Bashtur, Sandor Zakashi, Hady Tamesi, Dortia Yudvaros and Tamas also played here at that time.

But the theater also became the first stronghold of Fidesz’s cultural struggle: Ferenc Szalai, who had been leading the city for fifteen years, still today, appointed Peter Ballaz to head the theater in 2007, despite his suggestion and then his strength. The application was rejected due to Zoltán Rátóti’s withdrawal with the support of the profession. But for the second time, Peter Ballaz was called against the well-known novice, and after that, despite all the protests.

The theater he ran, moving away from contemporary and contemporary artistic processes, was not appreciated by the profession, but he found his audience, so in recent years he has been operating full houses, although he has not been a frequent guest at festivals and award ceremonies. Peter Balaz has never made a secret of his political affiliation in the past 14 years: he has done so publicly Zolnok And the From Budapest Campaign in Second Arrondissement of Fides, praised the government for converting SZFE, condemned SZFE citizenship, but signed That open letter, tooWho thanked the government for turning the university.

After these precedents, Peter Ballaz declared that he was already 77 years old Will not apply again For the theater. According to local opposition, the bid was submitted, with Father Barondas Bottond being the mayor’s former political advisor – however, the story is not entirely clear, just because none of the three applicants has intentionally encountered theater circles committed to the government. Moreover: Barabbas competed with Imre Csiszár, a former theater director and director recognized by the entire profession, who received state awards during both the left and right governments, and with poet Istvan Turzi, whose party is also not known but is a founder. Magazine, prof Parnassus For example, it was also supported by the SZDSZ-led municipality of Zugló and also received state awards under the socialist and right-wing governments.

However, Zolnok’s opposition identified Joseph Kiss as a victim of the “battle”, but it is difficult to understand why it would be in the interest of the right to take action against the important Vidnyánszky man, who last worked with Balázs Blaskó at the Géza Gárdonyi theater in Iger. He was re-appointed against the will of the local opposition government On top of the stage.

On separate routes

“Looking at the current press releases, I think the tensions were not caused by the theater profession, but by some politicians in Zolnok,” says Bottund Barabbas.

If we talk about these political attacks at all, then the politicians have already achieved their goal. But this is not a political issue as the numbers show

He indicated that all members of the technical committee, that is, not only the majority of Fidesz, supported his candidacy before his appointment.

He says of his father-in-law, Miklos Voros, a former advisor to the mayor: “He is a retired man who is not a public figure, and his daughter and wife are also not public figures. He is indeed a theater worker too, but anyone who has ever worked in a theater knows that there is nothing diabolical in The thing is: There are currently seven theater families in Szigliget. We have always taken a separate path with my father-in-law, specifically so as not to accidentally connect our work; what I came out I always achieved with my strength. This is the truth, and I am attached to the truth. “

“Then the future will decide what the truth is. If someone is appointed out of protectionism, without merit, and not because of his talent, then he will fail anytime soon,” says Emre Sezazar.

On the other hand, if the opposite is true, then it is not necessarily wrong for someone to help you win a position in which your talent can show up.

When asked what he would do if politics expected some kind of loyalty oath – an open letter or something – from him, Boutond Barabbas said he wasn’t in that position yet and thinks he won’t, and the city has no other expectations than the success of the theater.

Although Imre Csiszár has not undertaken a similar mission for long after managing the National Theater, Gyula Castle Theater, Artists Theater and Thalia, he is now very excited about why he took on the artistic director position with Barabbas. : “I ran a theater for sixteen years, then made a vow to never repeat it. But I’ve worked with Botond before, and we’ve had a good working relationship, and I have a long history with Szolnok. I am happy to be involved in a work that tries to remember and rediscover the best period of Szigliget, which is also important for the history of Hungarian theater. Politics did not dominate the most important theaters, but it was reflected in the milieu in which they were found. I imagine the renaissance of this kind of theater in Zolnok. “

No fights

Barabbas was a member of the theater troupe until Peter Palaz took the position of its director; He was even invited to the stage by the former director, Janus Sikora. Over the past 14 years, he says, “I don’t want to comment on what is going on here because there are those who want to distort my thoughts on the subject. The numbers speak for me anyway: It’s the scene of the 110 percent pass. This is the most important legacy for me.” .

“Like all value creation, theater making is a conservation initiative. In addition to respecting the traditions that exist in Zolnok, we vote for a theatrical concept that does not serve demand, but rather creates demand. Opening up to the youth is one of our slogans,” says István Turzi.

Imre Csiszár sums it all up: “We do not see theater as an entertainment institution. The entertainment institution is the Poker Club or NightclubBut theater is an art center, and we take that very seriously. “

Whether Peter Palazz will remain a member of the company after his resignation is an open question, but the new leadership “will not be ashamed” of this.

Barabbas is not afraid that if there are fewer operas and music traditionally conceived, it could cause a significant drop in the audience: “I think if we can speak honestly and reach out to young people, then we will have an audience that doesn’t just require that genre. It’s a long process. But even in our first year, our goal is to seek the cheapest entertainment, even if we do an operetta. ” Incidentally, the space for more demos is planned to be the 80th stage studio, Szín-Mű-Hely, but Turczi is also planning several co-art programs in addition to shows.

For all this, Barabbas also relies on guest actors and directors of the incumbent company; He said all negotiations so far have gone well, even with “nationally known names”: the artists are open, and the new director does not see that they have left the stage politically in the past decade. The director’s request also indicates that he wants to revitalize the company: according to him, he will contact “all official representative training institutions” from Targu Morris to Budapest, and supervise students starting from their second year. He does not want to respond to the transformation of the University of Theater and Film, because, as he says, since his graduation from Targu Morris, he does not know the institution, but he says:

We are open to all universities. We need students, we don’t want to control battles.

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