Composition database

This is the Composition Database of BMC, which includes information about works by composers that are either Hungarian or Hungarian by origin or live in Hungary.

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Title of the work

Valuska

Composer
Eötvös Péter
Original / Hungarian title
Valuska
Foreign language / English title
Valuska
Subtitle
Tragicomedy with music, or a grotesque opera in twelve pictures, in one act
Year of composition
2023
Type
Opera
Instrumentation
narr., Ms, 2 S., high Bar., high T., 3 T., Bar., 4 B. soli - male choir (28 esec.) - 2 fl. (anche picc., II anche fl.a., slide whistle), 2 ob. (II anche c.in., slide whistle), 2 cl. in A (II anche slide whistle), cl.b., 2 fg. (II anche cl.b., slide whistle) - 2 cor., 2 tr., 2 trb., 2 tuba - perc. (4 esec. - I: campli., trg., ptto.ch., gong, 2 cmpc., tmb.picc.c.c., cajon s.c., 2 maracas, wood bl. low, vibraslap, metal tube; II: trg., ptto.susp., 2 ptti., ptto. china, ptp., tam-tam, tmb.picc.c.c., guiro, signal-bell; III: trg., ptto.ch., gong, 2 cmpc., tmb.picc.c.c., cajon s.c., 2 maracas, wood bl., metal tube; IV: camp., trg., ptto.sosp., ptto. china, ptp., tam-tam, tmb.picc.c.c., guiro, signal bell) - strings: 4 vl., 4 vla., 4 vlc., 4 cb. (with 5 strings)
Duration
100 min
Movements, parts
Jelenetek / Scenes
I. A plakát / The poster
II. A vonat / The train
III. Talákozás Tündével / Meeting with Tünde
IV. Hagelmayer kocsmája / Hagelmayer‘s inn
Intermezzo
V. A bálna / The Whale
VI. A tanár úrnál / At the Professor´s
VII. A helybéli polgárok / Citizzens of the town
VIII. A herceg / The Prince
IX. Elkezdődik a pusztítás / The destruction begins
X. Valuska veszélyben / Valuska in danger
XI. Valuska keresése / Search for Valuska
XII. Az elmegyógyintézetben / In the asylum
Text
KRASZNAHORKAI, László; MEZEI, Mari; KESZTHELYI, Kinga
Language
Hungarian / English
Commissioned by
Hungarian State Opera
Premiere information
2 December 2023, Eiffel Art Studios, Hungarian State Opera, Budapest; Tünde Szalontay (narr.), Zsolt Haja (Bar.), Adrienn Miksch (S.), Tünde Szabóki (S.), Mária Farkasréti (S.), András Hábetler (B.Bar.), Krisztián Cser (B.), István Horváth (T.), Balázs Papp (T.), Lőrinc Kósa (Bar.), András Kiss (B.Bar.), János Szerekován (T.), Zoltán Fazekas Bátki (Bar.), Attila Erdős (Bar.), Benjamin Beeri (T.), Ninh Duc Hoang Long (T.), Gergely Halász (Bar.), Bence Pataki, Gergely Ujvári (T.), Botond Pál (T.), Donát Varga (T.), Choir and Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera, Kálmán Szennai (cond.)
Publisher / Source
Schott Music Ⓒ 2023, LS 6147-01 (On rental) Kálmán Szennai (cond.)
Available here!
Recordings
Video recording of the premiere, 2023 - Tünde Szalontay (narr.), Zsolt Haja (Bar.), Adrienn Miksch (S.), Tünde Szabóki (S.), Mária Farkasréti (S.), András Hábetler (B.Bar.), Krisztián Cser (B.), István Horváth (T.), Balázs Papp (T.), Lőrinc Kósa (Bar.), András Kiss (B.Bar.), János Szerekován (T.), Zoltán Fazekas Bátki (Bar.), Attila Erdős (Bar.), Benjamin Beeri (T.), Ninh Duc Hoang Long (T.), Gergely Halász (Bar.), Bence Pataki, Gergely Ujvári (T.), Botond Pál (T.), Donát Varga (T.), Choir and Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera, Kálmán Szennai (cond.) (Available until 19 July 2024 on operavision.eu)
Remarks, other info
Composed: 2020/2022

Eötvös’s thirteenth opera is the first written in Hungarian.

Libretto by Mari Mezei and Kinga Keszthelyi, based on László Krasznahorkai’s novel "The Melancholy of Resistance", which also served as the inspiration for Béla Tarr’s film "Werckmeister Harmonies".

Winner of "Classical Music Composition of the Year 2024" awarded by Artisjus (Hungarian Copyright Office Association)