Magyar Állami Operaház (Hungarian State Opera House)

Frommer's Review

Completed in 1884, the Opera House, on Pest's elegant Andrássy út, is the crowning achievement of famous Hungarian architect Miklós Ybl. Budapest's most celebrated performance hall, the opera house boasts a fantastically ornate interior featuring frescoes by two of the best-known Hungarian artists of the day, Bertalan Székely and Károly Lotz. Both inside and outside are dozens of statues of such greats as Beethoven, Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Smetana, Tchaikovsky, and Monteverdi. Home to both the State Opera and the State Ballet, the Opera House has a rich and evocative history, which is related on the guided tours given daily at 3 and 4pm (these can be arranged in English). Well-known directors of the Opera House have included Gustav Mahler and Ferenc Erkel. The only way to tour the interior is on a guided tour, which costs 2,400 Ft ($12). The blatant discrimination here is that if you have the same tour in Hungarian, the price is a mere 500 Ft ($2.50). They claim it is because of the translation, but with the plethora of young language speakers, this is a weak excuse. After all, travel to other European cities, and most would condemn this practice.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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