The evening featured performances by Hungary's best operetta artists as well as by guests from Prague, Vienna, and St. Petersburg. The singers performed excerpts from all of Kálmán's most famous works, including A Csárdáskirálynő (The Riviera Girl), Marica grófnő (Countess Maritza) and Die Bajadere (The Dancing Girl), as well as lesser known operettas such as Zsuzsi kisasszony (Miss Zsuzsi) and A Chicagói hercegnő (The Duchess of Chicago).
The statue of Kálmán, sculpted by Gábor Veres, was a dream come true for theatre director Miklós Gábor Kerényi.
The gala was not the only one celebrated by the Budapest Operetta Theatre in October. On Saturday, the theatre hosted this year's Hungarian Operetta Day awards. Zsuzsa Lehoczky, a winner of the Kossuth Prize, Hungary's highest honour for artists, as well as the Jászai Mari Prize, was presented with a lifetime achievement award. Zsuzsa Kalocsai was chosen best operetta performer of the year, Attila Dolhai was voted best musical actor, and Dávid Szabó received the Marshall Baton Award for most promising newcomer.
Author: Ferenc László
