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National Theatre of Pécs
H-7621 Pécs, Perczel utca 17. Phone: (+36 72) 211-965 http://www.budapest.com/hungary/pecs/culture/national_theatre_of_pecs.en.htmlAbout
Several national minorities lived in Pécs around the 1800s and inthe19th century. Hungarian, German, Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian,Austrian, Czech, Moravian and Italian people lived here together inpeace and harmony. They created a pidgin throughout the decades spenttogether. When the actors arrived, they brought the literary language(Standard German and Hungarian) into the 'Babel of Pécs'.There have been regular theatrical performances here since 1786. Pécswas one of the most significant provincial centres of Hungariantheatrical culture. Comedians performed in big dance-halls, inaristocratic town-houses, in inns and cafés. 'The House to the Elephant'was a popular place but the touring companies also played on 'Tettyestage'.City dwellers wanted a theatre with a repertory company, they dreamedof a place where they could regularly have artistic experiences and alsomeet friends.The General Assembly of Pécs created a Theatrical Committee to indicatethe building site of the theatre and they chose the actual 'TheatreSquare' where a military hospital used to stand.All the other important institutions, offices, public and privatehouses were built around this time, the present-day appearance of Pécswas created around 1840.János Aidinger then mayor was elected to be the chairman of theTheatrical Committee, who submitted the county surtax to the vote tocover the expenses of the theatre.In May 1890 the Committee announced a national design competition thatwas won by the world famous designers, Adolf Lang and Antal Steinhardt.They got down to building the theatre straight away together with thefamous Felmer-Helmer partners and with 10,000 forints.On the building you can find the statues of outstanding theatricalpeople of the time (Gergely Csiky, Ede Szigligeti, Károly Kisfaludy,Ferenc Erkel the composer) and there is a marvellous statue of the'Genius' on the dome. The 'Genius' was designed by the sculptor GyörgyKiss and created people from the Zsolnay Porcelain Factory.The theatre was opened on 5th October 1895. The 'Pécs Journal' welcomedthis fantastic event with a special issue, the people cheered indelight. Ferenc Erkel's Bánk bán the most famous Hungarian opera was puton stage on the occasion with great success.The theatre had to be closed on 5th June 1986, because the buildingbecame life-threatening. The reconstruction finished in June 1991 andthe building was totally renewed. There is a brand new revolving stage, afour-part sinking orchestra pit, new light, sound and video system andthe theatre is air-conditioned. The National Theatre of Pécs meets therequirements of the modern times and wants to serve the viewers everynight on a high level.
