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Post by Cia on Aug 6, 2007 12:42:15 GMT -5
who cares about university and studying, anyway? How I wish I could say that! lol Just kidding, we luckily have a nice Christmas holiday so I hopefully don't have to go to say "hello, I'm going to Hungary to see some gothic musicals about vampires and such, I can't come on Tuesday" to anyone. It would be fun to see Máté both as Herbert and as Death. I'm not a huge fan of him as Death, but he's still good, and as Herbert he's probably very great.
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Post by Valancy on Aug 6, 2007 14:21:15 GMT -5
I'm confused too! On Máté's website, they put a video up of him performing "Wenn ich tanzen will" in the Hungarian production, in full costume! Upon watching it again, it must've been a dress rehearsal. You could watch it here, but you have to be a member of the site. It makes me sad because that is one of my FAVORITE songs of the show! Hmm, really? Perhaps I'll have to become a member to see that! Well, then it stands to reason that if they didn't include it (it could always be that my Hungarian is worse than I think and I misunderstood the comments I saw on YouTube, or those people hadn't actually seen the show yet and had only heard it wouldn't be in), it's just for some technical reason and it will be there in October. It makes no sense not to include that song, especially as there is a Hungarian translation and Szilveszter and Kata have been performing the song a lot already, and it's always one of the most popular songs of the musical... Regarding the ball that Rudolf holds in his hand: Death gives it to him in "Mama, wo bist du?" and then Rudolf has it and looks at it in Schatten. So I guess it symbolizes... Something? I'm not sure, but either way it's a reference to Death's influence in his life, I guess, something that he already got as a child and is now thinking of again. As for Máté... I think he's an excellent Death, even just on DVD - there are things I'm not fond of, but on a whole he's obviously a very good actor, and I like his intensity, passion and emotion in the role. Of course he may not be to everyone's taste, but neither is anyone else. They couldn't have compiled a cast that a sizable gropu would not have complained about. Pia Douwes is probably the most universally popular Elisabeth actor, but even with her case there are people who don't like her voice, or dislike something else about her way of playing the role, so there'd have been complaints in any case. I do wish there were more official DVDs so that we could get a variety of versions. However, I think both Maya and Máté are excellent in their roles, though perhaps not at their best on the DVD. I realise that neither's style of playing the role appeals to everyone, and with me also there are people I like better in those roles, but I still think they're very good. That being said, I'm interested to see how Máté will be as a Hungarian Death nowadays. That production seems to have a somewhat different view of Death than e.g. the Vienna one, though both have seen varied interpretations of the role in any case. But I'm guessing that a Máté!Death in Hungary would probably keep the intensity, emotion and passion, but maybe have a little less of the "RAWR ELISABETH IS MINE (AND, SINCE I'M AT IT, SO IS RUDOLF)! *GROPE*" spirit. (Not that I don't like the said spirit, but I might also enjoy seeing a slightly subtler expression of it. For variety. ) I know lots of people find the Hungarian Death costume a bit weird, but I personally love it. The dark coat, at least - and the white one in Der Letzte Tanz is cool, too, it matches Elisabeth's dress. The tight white trousers aren't so cool, though. Wish they'd change that part of the costume. Another I wish they'd changed is Elisabeth's costume in Útvesztö minden út - striped t-shirt what the heck? Would it have killed them to try for something that would look even remotely like the time period? And maybe nice? Maybe white, even? Oh well. Sorry this got long, too many things to respond to at the same time...
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Post by Fantasma da Opera on Aug 6, 2007 14:58:22 GMT -5
The tight white trousers aren't so cool, though. Wish they'd change that part of the costume. Another I wish they'd changed is Elisabeth's costume in Útvesztö minden út - striped t-shirt what the heck? Would it have killed them to try for something that would look even remotely like the time period? And maybe nice? Maybe white, even? Oh well. See? I agree with this! And I would change Sophie's clothes...I mean...she looks more like...how can I say....Queen Victoria in a bad day. By the way, what the heck is that think from were Death comes of in the Prolog? I know the Hungarian sets are quite weird (and in my opinion the uglyest, beeing the Takarazuka my favourites) but that thing is just too much for me? Is it a spaceship? Is Death an Alien?
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Post by Valancy on Aug 6, 2007 15:14:49 GMT -5
See? I agree with this! And I would change Sophie's clothes...I mean...she looks more like...how can I say....Queen Victoria in a bad day. Yeah, Sophie's costume isn't too great either. Not all of Elisabeth's are so good, either - it seems rather ironic that the Hungarian production has the cheapest and ugliest Hungarian coronation dress. Some are nice, though, like her Ich gehör nur mir dress, and I like the fact that the ladies use fans a lot in this production. I have a personal obsession with fans. Er, probably not. I'm not entirely clear on what it is, though. It's some sort of a weird tower through which he comes on stage and sometimes watches things from it. Maybe it's like his portal to the world of the mortals... I'm not sure. Besides the Prologue, he comes through it in Útvesztö minden út, and leaves into it at the end as well, I think... And also he watches Elisabeth's assassination from it and comes out of it in the beginning of Der Schleier Fällt, and they exit there together. (And then he gets up on the top of the tower-thing, holding her dress. Er. I could have done without that bit of symbolism, to be honest. I'm anyway not too fond of the way the Hungarians do the final scene.) I agree the Hungarian sets aren't much good. In fact, I can't think of any piece of the set that I really like there... Hmm, maybe Elisabeth's bedroom is kind of nice, and the mirror through which Death comes in Elisabeth sei nicht verzweifelt. I guess the probem might be that the theatre didn't have much money when they started in 1996 so a lot of the costumes and sets had to be made very cheaply... And then they've just stuck to them. What I don't understand is why they don't reform them now that they'd obviously have more money and more skill - the costumes of the Hungarian R&J are great, mostly - and apparently the theatre has been renovated in a way that would allow for better sets, too. It puzzles me - I love the Hungarian production but both the sets and many of the costumes are definitely a minus.
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Post by Valancy on Jul 3, 2009 7:37:37 GMT -5
Homonnay Zsolt (also known for playing Oberon, Taaffe, Paris etc.) will start playing Death. He said so in a recent TV interview, and he's apparently to play the role already in this August in Szeged, where there will be five outdoor performances of Elisabeth and he will play at least one. With my Hungarian understanding I didn't catch him saying anything about later performances, but according to one of my Hungarian friends he will also play the role in the Operettszínház from now on (nothing else would make sense, of course). I don't yet know if he will replace one of the current Deaths (probably Máté in that case) or just be added as a third one. I guess we'll see. Anyway, I'm quite thrilled about this, being a big fan of Zsolt, and curious to see what he will be like as Death.
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Post by Lora on Jul 3, 2009 7:45:03 GMT -5
Homonnay Zsolt (also known for playing Oberon, Taaffe, Paris etc.) will start playing Death. Really? There are great news (well you know how much I love Zsolt ;D)
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Post by Valancy on Jul 3, 2009 8:04:56 GMT -5
I thought you'd be happy to hear that. :-) It's not yet officially written on the Szeged festival or the theatre websites and cast lists, but he did say it in the TV show and all the Hungarian fans certainly treat it as a fact already, so I dared to post it here.
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safira
Chorus Member
Posts: 128
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Post by safira on Aug 13, 2009 16:05:35 GMT -5
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Post by Fantasma da Opera on Aug 14, 2009 9:38:53 GMT -5
Finally an Hungarian Death I will trully enjoy! (even though I liked Maté). I just hope they put him along side with Bernardett.
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Post by Valancy on Aug 14, 2009 11:52:34 GMT -5
It's been official for some weeks at least, on the Szeged cast list. I'm waiting for the update of the Operettszínház cast list for the autumn...
In Szeged, he'll be playing alongside Nikolett (Bernadett's not playing in Szeged anyway, due to needing to have a summer break at some point). As for the future, they tend to totally mix casts anyway so he'll probably play with everyone who plays Elisabeth. There have been rumours of Kata planning to quit, but I don't know yet if they're true. There also are rumours of Szilveszter planning to quit, but I'm quite sure they won't have both him and Máté quitting at the same time, so I guess we'll wait and see what actually happens.
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safira
Chorus Member
Posts: 128
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Post by safira on Aug 15, 2009 7:11:44 GMT -5
As for the future, they tend to totally mix casts anyway so he'll probably play with everyone who plays Elisabeth. That would explain why the casts were sometimes quite "confused" this year. It´s just bad for people from abroad to plan when to see which cast. There also are rumours of Szilveszter planning to quit, ... Please God, let this be just a rumour! Although I could understand Szilveszter if he´s rid of this character. He can´t do anything without being compared to "his" death.
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Post by Valancy on Aug 15, 2009 11:41:10 GMT -5
That would explain why the casts were sometimes quite "confused" this year. It´s just bad for people from abroad to plan when to see which cast. What's so bad about it? I think it's really interesting that you can see different combinations of actors, not just full first or second casts. The first or second cast doesn't mean that the actors should always be in only those combinations, and most of the time they aren't. For example, I've seen Rómeó és Júlia 12 times (yeah, I know) and not once did I have a full first or second cast. But the mixtures were so interesting! And for example in Elisabeth - like in most other shows, really - my dream cast is a mixture of first and second cast people, so I'm glad these mixtures can sometimes happen. I also hope Szilveszter won't quit any time soon because he's fantastic in the role... And the last time I saw him on stage, I really didn't get the feeling he would be quitting. He seems to love it so much. Unlike Kata, who seems so jaded with the role I'm fervently hoping she will quit... Playing the roles since 1996, though, I'm not surprised if both of them are starting to feel like quitting... But I'm hoping Szilveszter will stay around for some time more.
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Post by Fantasma da Opera on Aug 15, 2009 19:55:49 GMT -5
As for the future, they tend to totally mix casts anyway so he'll probably play with everyone who plays Elisabeth. That would explain why the casts were sometimes quite "confused" this year. It´s just bad for people from abroad to plan when to see which cast. Indeed. I'm really hopping they don't mix much the Casts of Rebecca next year...'cause I intend to go to Budapest to see the show and the last thing I wanted was a "Casting nightmare" to try to figure out when will an actor be on or off...'cause I definitly wouldn't like to pay to see for example Zoltan as Maxim and then get there and have to bare with Szilveszter... Same aplied if I intended to see Elisabeth... People from abroad that don't live in Hungary don't have the time to see all the casts etc, and it would be nice if they could at least have some stability and don't mix the casts that much. Have a 1st and 2nd Cast is great...starting to mix them isn't that good. I hope Hommonay replaces Szilveszter (surprise!) but beside the fact that I don't like him, I think Maté is doing a great job as Death in Hungary. I liked him far better than I did in the Vienna production, while Szilveszter has been playing the role like forever and it starts to sick after a while. (Just like Uwe returning to Elisabeth over and over and over again)
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Post by Valancy on Aug 16, 2009 4:23:13 GMT -5
People from abroad that don't live in Hungary don't have the time to see all the casts etc, and it would be nice if they could at least have some stability and don't mix the casts that much. Have a 1st and 2nd Cast is great...starting to mix them isn't that good. I don't get what you're saying, I'm sorry. That's assuming that everyone loves best either the full 1st cast or the full 2nd cast. I at least tend to have my favourites so that some of them are first cast, some second cast. For example, in Elisabeth I want to see Szilveszter (though obviously Zsolt, too) but I don't want to see Kata again, so mixing casts (so that Szilveszter plays with Niki or Betti) would be good. In Rómeó és Júlia my ideal cast is a combination of 1st and 2nd cast. And so on. I think the bigger problem travellers from abroad will run into is the fact that even after the cast for the day has been announced, it may change any time, even a few hours before the show. This irritated me many times when I was going to see shows in Budapest, and then I at least lived in the city and could always see it again next month - it was so much more frustrating for friends who came from abroad and had rejoiced about seeing a particular actor in a role and then couldn't! But it can't be helped, I guess. About Rebecca, it seems to me that in the early months of a new show they usually do full first and second cast shows so that the actors get used to the piece before starting to play with different people. There are certain ways for figuring out when there's likely to be first cast, but they're never quite certain. I don't think they'll mix the Ich/Maxim pairs, though, because I've heard it said Szilveszter and Dóra don't get along... You haven't even seen him live. I found him far weaker in Budapest than in Vienna. Which I actually didn't expect, I thought I'd like him better there. And even those of my friends who did like him usually admitted his acting wasn't particularly good, they just found him otherwise charming. For anyone who's curious, here are a bunch of pictures from Szeged with Zsolt as Death: picasaweb.google.com/itb.panorama/ElisabethSzegediSzabadteriJatekok# I do wish they hadn't tried to make him look like Szilveszter but had given him a look of his own that suits him. Though maybe something about the camera and lighting makes it worse, since in a lot of the pictures Niki doesn't look quite like I'm used to her looking, either.
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safira
Chorus Member
Posts: 128
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Post by safira on Aug 16, 2009 9:04:37 GMT -5
People from abroad that don't live in Hungary don't have the time to see all the casts etc, and it would be nice if they could at least have some stability and don't mix the casts that much. Have a 1st and 2nd Cast is great...starting to mix them isn't that good. That´s exactly what I meant. Sure it´s interesting to see both casts mixed. But if you want to see somebody for sure it´s easier to book the right tickets if they still have stable casts. And in the end stable casts doesn´t mean there can´t be sudden changes. Illness and co. aren´t looking at castboards. And it also doesn´t mean I must like a full 1. or 2. cast. I can have my favourites in both casts and still its easier to know when they will be on than to hope to see them together one day. That wouldn´t happen if I was watching. Especially not if they act the same role. I´d like to see Szilveszter and Zoltán as Maxim (like I did as Pfeiffer) and if I manage to go there and see two shows I wouldn´t be happy to see either of them twice. Same with Szilveszter and Zsolt as death. I don't think they'll mix the Ich/Maxim pairs, though, because I've heard it said Szilveszter and Dóra don't get along... ;D Why can I imagine this so well? Thanks for the link, Valancy.
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