A special and historic Verdi gala will take place at the Hungarian State Opera on September 23: Plácido Domingo, one of the greatest and best-known artists in opera history, will once again take the stage in Budapest. On the stage of the sold-out Opera House, the Maestro will be welcomed for the fourth time.
Plácido Domingo’s name is familiar even to those who rarely attend the opera: as one of the legendary “Three Tenors,” he became known throughout the world and, over more than six decades of an extraordinary career, has become one of the defining figures of opera. Since 2020, television audiences have also been able to see him as the Head of the Jury of Virtuosos in the show’s international broadcasts, as well as a star guest on the programme and at major concerts organised with the participation of the young talents discovered by the show.
During the height of his career as a tenor, Domingo performed in Hungary only twice: in 1973 and 1987, both times at the Erkel Theatre. He first appeared in Puccini’s Tosca, followed by Verdi’s Aida.
For many years, Hungarian audiences had very few opportunities to see him on the stage of the Opera House. In 2009, he conducted at a Budapest event connected to his international singing competition, and in 2016 he performed at a gala concert. His great return came in 2022, when he appeared before the audience as a baritone in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra.
Over the past decades, audiences have naturally also had the opportunity to hear him at other venues across Hungary. Among other appearances, he performed at the Népstadion alongside José Carreras and Diana Ross in a crossover concert, as well as at a gala concert at the Budapest Sportcsarnok. In recent years, audiences in Müpa Budapest, the MVM Dome, Gödöllő, Győr, Szeged and Pécs have also had the opportunity to see him perform.
Despite all this, over the course of his approximately six-decade singing career, he has performed in Hungary on barely two dozen occasions. This is precisely why the September 23 Verdi evening at the Opera House is not simply another concert in the world star’s career, but a truly special occasion for Hungarian audiences.
Verdi’s Music Takes Centre Stage
The evening at the Hungarian State Opera is entirely dedicated to the music of Giuseppe Verdi. Alongside Domingo, outstanding artists from the Hungarian opera scene will take the stage:
- Orsolya Sáfár – soprano
- Viktória Mester – mezzo-soprano
- Szabolcs Brickner – tenor
- Krisztián Cser – bass
The artists will also perform together in several duets, making the evening much more than a solo appearance: it will be a true opera gala celebrating Verdi’s magnificent musical world.
The musical director and conductor of the performance is István Dénes, who will conduct the Orchestra and Chorus of the Hungarian State Opera.
Plácido Domingo will primarily appear as a singer on this occasion, but he will also conduct during the evening, giving the audience an opportunity to experience yet another dimension of the world-renowned artist’s extraordinary versatility.
Another Budapest Chapter in an Exceptional Career
Domingo’s career is extraordinary in its own right: he has sung hundreds of tenor roles at the world’s leading opera houses and, in the later stages of his career, demonstrated his artistic versatility by taking on new roles as a baritone. Because of the rarity of his performances in Hungary, every appearance in Budapest is a special occasion.
The September 23 Verdi Gala is therefore at once a tribute to the legacy of Verdi, a meeting with outstanding representatives of Hungarian opera, and another – perhaps the final – opportunity for Hungarian audiences to hear the legendary Plácido Domingo perform live.
The significance of the evening is further enhanced by the fact that Domingo will once again take the stage within the historic walls of the Hungarian State Opera – the very place where one of the most important chapters of his Hungarian career unfolded with his 2022 performance of Simon Boccanegra.
An evening of Verdi’s music. An exceptional ensemble of Hungarian artists. And a living legend whose appearances in Budapest have always been rare and memorable occasions.