Tamás Koltai

Blood, Myth, Metaphysics

 

Richard Strauss: Elektra • Shakespeare: Macbeth • Péter Esterházy: Rubens és a nemeuklideszi asszonyok
(Rubens and Non-Euclidean Women)

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Elektra is one of the archetypes of classical mythology. Since the time of Greek tragedy, her story has been retold countless times across the spectrum of literary genres. Hugo von Hofmannsthal's Elektra was turned into a libretto for Richard Strauss by the author. The opera was first performed in 1911. The recent Hungarian State Opera House production, one of the most noteworthy of recent years-and hopefully a sign of regeneration under its new management-featured on its opening night and for two further performances two leading divas, Nadine Secunde and Agnes Baltsa no less.

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Shakespeare's Macbeth presents a bloodfilled myth of irrational lust for power. The new production by the Budapest Katona József Theatre does not make a bloodbath of the play nor use it as a comment on the current political situation, approaches that would be too obvious and banal. Nor, however, does it seek to eschew metaphysical horror as it portrays the mechanism of power and the practical realities of the mundane world. The director, Gábor Zsámbéki, tries to match Shakespeare's universality by showing human nature in all its extremes and contradictions.

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Péter Esterházy's latest play, Rubens and Non-Euclidean Women, offers intellectual fodder first and foremost. Although best known for his many postmodern novels that have been widely translated, Esterházy has previously written a number of stage works, or in some cases "texts" that were offered for theatre performance. This, however, counts as the most considerable piece he has given so far to the stage.

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Tamás Koltai
editor of Színház, a theatre monthly, is The Hungarian Quarterly's regular theatre critic.