Jordán said he looked back with satisfaction on his time with the theatre because "the operation of the theatre and the troupe went well, just as I expected. Hard feelings about the National Theatre were forgotten quickly, both in a political and a professional sense. We managed to put together a very strong troupe, perhaps the best in the country. We have put on many successful productions and experienced just a few failures."
Jordán said it was mainly because of its diverse repertoire that audiences developed a good relationship with the theatre. "Between 92 and 93 percent of tickets were sold during the past five-and-a-half years, which shows that the theatre found an audience and audiences found productions they could appreciate. I feel the public has paid attention and reacted sensitively to developments in the institution."
Jordán notes that even outside of the capital, Hungarians spoke about the National Theatre as an institution they identified with as their own.
Jordán said he was on very good terms with the theatre's new director Róbert Alföldi, who will take over the top post at the theatre from July 1. Alföldi has "already prepared plans for the 2008-2009 season, sacked some actors and hired new ones, as he considered right....I will finish this season in a month and it is very important that I can hand over the theatre with balanced books. The amount of support planned for the second half of the year will be fully available to my successor."
The director of the National Theatre must be given full authority and nobody should interfere with his work, Jordán said. "Róbert Alföldi is a young and dynamic personality, a very talented man. He will certainly do things differently from me, but this is expected of him."
"He must not make compromises, because there is too much at stake," Jordán added.
Jordán said he considered his career as a chain of events, all of which required the others to happen. "I have spent a happy five-and-a-half years at the National Theatre and I hope it has also been a useful period. I am leaving with a heavy heart but I have always found it hard to make changes in the past," he said.
The reconstruction of the Local Guards Cultural Home in Szombathely will start in August and public procurements are underway. The first phase will be completed by Christmas and the new company can occupy the building in January. However, the entire building will not be completed until the autumn of 2010. "In the meantime, we will hope that a new theatre will be built on March 15 Square. A tender (for the theatre) will be invited in the near future," Jordán said.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
