Szilveszter Ókovács

Director general of the Hungarian State Opera, host of the gala

Born in Veszprém, he studied trumpet, trombone and piano at the local music school, later at the Liszt Ferenc College in Győr and the Liszt Ferenc Music Academy in Budapest as an opera singer.

Balázs Kocsár

Principal music director, conductor of the gala

After completing his studies in Hungary and Austria, the Opera House's principal music director, Balázs Kocsár, reinvigorated the practice of opera performance in the city of Debrecen. The Opera's conductor is also recognised internationally, and has conducted more than a thousand performances in a dozen countries over the past decades. His wide repertoire includes works ranging in style from the Baroque to contemporary opera.

Ferenc Anger

Artistic director of the Hungarian State Opera and director of the main programme

21:00 – 22:00 Ballroom, gala

Ferenc Anger started his studies in his home town of Szeged. As a member of the Hungarian State Opera's chorus, he completed his degree in theatre studies at the University of Theatre and Film Arts in a course led by Levente Osztovits, going on to study theatre directing at Venice's IUAV.

Tamás Solymosi

Ballet dancer, ballet master, ballet director of the Hungarian National Ballet, choreographer of the opening waltz

Tamás Solymosi studied the art of ballet at the Hungarian Dance Academy, the Vaganova Ballet Academy in Saint Petersburg, and in Monte Carlo. Having graduated as a ballet artist, he also trained as a ballet teacher and choreographer in the early 2000s. 

Ágnes Molnár

Opera singer

Ágnes Molnár made her opera debut at age 21, in a performance of Ferenc Erkel's Hunyadi László in Győr. She would later also sing the roles of Zerlina, Susanna and Musetta, while also gaining early experience in operetta and contemporary classical music.

Viktória Mester

Opera singer

Born in Mezőtúr, Viktória Mester has worked with outstanding conductors since the very start of her career. As a member of the National Theatre of Miskolc, she enchanted audiences in the role of Carmen, and at the Opera House, she takes the stage in operas by Rossini, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Strauss.

Atala Schöck

Opera Singer

From Dresden to Paris and from Vienna to Prague, Atala Schöck is invited to sing at opera houses all over. In addition to opera roles from Mozart, Bizet and Berlioz, the opera singer also includes oratorical works by Bach, Handel, Rossini and Vivaldi in her wide-ranging repertoire.

Erika Gál

Opera singer

Debrecen-born singer Erika Gál has been recognised with numerous awards over the course of her career, and she is as familiar a figure abroad as she is in Hungary. Her repertoire includes major roles from Tchaikovsky, Verdi and Wagner, and she has also memorably sung both Carmen and the Queen of Sheba.

Levente Molnár

Opera singer

Born in Gyergyóremete (Remetea), Levente Molnár is well known to both the Munich and Budapest audiences. A member of the Bayerische Staatsoper for years, he has also appeared at both London's Covent Garden and the Wiener Staatsoper.

Polina Pasztircsák

Polina Pasztircsák was born in Budapest into a Hungarian family of artists with Russian roots. She started her international career after winning the famous Geneva International Music Competition in 2009. Since that time she is singing in opera houses and concert halls around Europe. 

Gergely Boncsér

Opera singer

Miskolc-born Gergely Boncsér is equally at home in the genres of operetta and opera. After winning the Opera's scholarship, he went on to join its Opera Studio. He made his debut as Rodolfo in La bohème, a role he continues to sing.

Hungarian State Opera Orchestra

The Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra is the oldest symphonic orchestra in Hungary. They gave their first concert on 20 November 1853 under the direction of Ferenc Erkel.