Posts Tagged ‘architecture’

27 Sep

REOPENING OF THE “VÁROSLIGET CAFE AND BAR” AT THE CITY PARK – BUDAPEST

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Before speaking about  the real purpose to the invitation of the press  and media representatives  to be at the newly opened Városliget Cafe and Bar, should like to take short trip around the surrounding area.

Having a peek back-in-time the Városliget – City Park  already had a role in the  . The park and its surroundings was considered to be a popular scene, a territory to noblemen for hunting. In the Age of Reforms,  the entire park was extremely popular as a neat place for the residents to spend timeout in the woods and forest, and in those days it was called the City Forest.

Historical  Panorama – ANNO 1895 … „Városliget”  – City Park is one of the most popular parks in Budapest.  Culture and the Hungarian hospitality have had received significant role for over 150 years. This venue is the place where during the blissful days, months and years was  recon as a place for peace around the nature and peace within the soul for the visitors. At the City Park there was always something happening, ongoing developments, festivals, entertainment, sporty events … just mentioning a few … throughout the years.

Hopping over to the millennium era … In the year 2000, Hungary went through an enormous cultural and architectural developments. At the Városliget – City Park  there was, is always something happening, ongoing developments, festivals, entertainment , sporty events, fairs … just mentioning a few … throughout the 365 days.

Városliget – City Park … To-day – 2013.  come rain, come shine the Városliget – City Park is worthwhile to visit  at any season. During the 365 days both locals and tourist would catch their attention to the rich attraction, choose from different activities, like heading out on a gastronomic tour, but  can meet the eye for culturelovers, because just steps before entering  the City Park, there is at both sides at the Heroes’ Square the Museum of Fine Arts (built between 1900 and 1906) and just across the platform facing  the Contemporary Palace of Art (built between 1900 and 1906). The awesome sites doesn’t end here,   cause just a short walk and there you are, arrived to the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden (established 1866). We are still in the circle of the Városliget – City Park when we arrive to Hungarian Circus and Variety (first show in 1889). Actually, the surrounding area  at the Városliget -City Park  has so much to offer, not only can admire the visited places but while rolling along  getting hungry  there’s a classy place to eat  at the Városliget Cafe and Bar.

Now here comes the cream on top of the cake  coming back to the place where during the midday hours the press and media representatives were invited  to a pre-official opening of this newly renovated gorgeous interior taking folks back in time with dishes and cafe from the early times.  Along the “Városliget” – City Park’s  Ice Ring, the beautifully renovated building officially opened a new spot in town, the “Városliget Cafe and Bar” offering traditional values.  Beside the press individuals, public figures also attended the opening. The press call was opened by Mr. Stephen Bottyán, Head of project who talked about the conditions of the contract and its fulfillment. As he also added, Quote: ” The actual execution, research, designers and draftees works took 9 months.  It was an enormous challenge, having to have deeply in mind the aspect to create the historical and cultural continuity, presenting the historical values. The implementation only took 3 months. The building was demolished at several parts of the building. A new face was presented with a newly design kitchen and cafe interior. Superb panorama to the skating ring during the season of winter and rowing boats in the summertime can be viewed from any corner of the Vajdahunyad – City Park  Cafe and Bar’s wide windows. The Budapest’s ice rink and the rowing boats  give many locals and tourists much pleasure. It’s one of Europe’s most beBejegyzés előnézetebeautiful open-air ice rink for the skatelovers. One of the house’s popular features comes in the form a  dish:  the “Tányérhús” (Boiled calf-meat in broth) and its history goes like this … This is the finest dish of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. It became very popular because it was a favorite meal of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria. Soon it spread throughout the entire Monarchy. Hungary included, prepared in the kitchens of aristocrats and bourgeois as well. The Tányérhús is an original  gastro-historical classic, where only the top quality Hungarian meat and veggies, served with special toppings and garnishes.   Beside other specialities of the house is the “Liget Cafe”, rosted, drilled, cooked on the spot, severed aside as like in the old days  with a small glass of fresh water and a mini cookie, just like in the days of 1895.  Cannot leave the place without not tasting the “seal of a delicious meal”. It might as well be a dessert. These are from the old cook books and revives the memory of the Városliget and Budapest during the blissful days of peace in the early nineteen hundred. See some heavenly taste at the slide-show. At the end of the presentation all present were invited to have a taste of the house. The complex currently has 30 people working, but at its mature stage,  this figure may rise 60 people. They also have kids menu and while their yummies are prepared there are available  coloring sheets with crayons  to color the Vajdahunyad Cafe and Bar  and if wish so take their art home.

Looking contemplatively through the huge windows from the Vajdahunyad Cafe and Bar shows a breathtaking scene  to the oldest construction at the City Park, the Vajdahunyad Castle (built between 1896-1908) which was to build in the year 1000, to celebrated the Hungarian Conquest of the Carpathian Basin (895).  The Vajdahunyad Castle can  easily be reached  from any side of the castle having four bridges connecting this superb site.

Actually, the surrounding area  at the Városliget – City Park  has so much to offer, not only can admire the visited places, but while rolling along  getting hungry  there’s a classy place to eat  at the Városliget Cafe and Bar.

Update and snaps by Aggie Reiter

27 May

NEWSLFASH – MARGARET ISLAND OPEN-AIR STAGE THEATER – JUNE, 19. CELEBRATING DAY OF FREEDOM

Posted by www.rollinginbudapest.com in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

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In the frame and headlines to this year’s Summer Festival will be the following: Celebration of the Day of Freedom at 7 p.m. on June, 19. 2013. at the Margaret Island Open-air Stage Theater, but before rolling on to the end of the day, in the morning hours Major Mr. István Tarlós will hand over honorary citizen titles at the New Town Hall. thereafter, at 3 p.m. he will inaugurate the newly renovated fountain on Margaret Island. A tremendous Gala Concert will take place by reaching the end of the holiday, starting sharp at 7 p.m. with the Budapest Festival Orchestra giving a free concert in honor of celebrating the honorary citizens of the day. This free concert is organized for the second year. The surroundings of ancient trees and the fresh smooth air will surely be an evening to remember and hopefully the summer weather will be finally here in Budapest at this wonderful concert show. The Budapest Festival Orchestra  will be conducted by Mr.Gábor Takács-Nagy and the music of Mozart’s K 199 in G major Symphony, followed by Bizet-Shchedrin Carmen  will fill the air at the Open-Air enlarged modernized stage. Also the audience will for the first time have to opportunity to relax and enjoy  the show in the newly renovated auditorium seats.

The concert is free of charge, but ticket requests are previously required. They can be purchased through ordering online at the http://www.szabadter.hu site, starting from May, 24 and onwards. The tickets can be picked up at the Open-Air Stage Theater’s Ticket Office at District VI. 68 Nagymező Str. and also at the box office on the spot at the Margaret Island during the opening hours, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.  through Monday-Friday, and from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.  on Saturday and Sunday- Whether by any chance they run out of the 2700 seats by the time you wish to purchase yours, then you may still have a chance to book for your tickets (there is 800) at  the water tower encompasses the cloister, through:

http://szabadter.jegy.hu/arrivalorder.php?eid=229332&aid=3156&vid=120

 and for those who couldn’t make it to reserve a seat, they will not stay OOPS, cause the program organizers do not wish them to miss an awesome concert like this, therefore at the surrounding area  at the entrance to the Theater’s on the green grassy plain, projectors and speakers will be placed to follow and enjoy the show.

Special shuttle bus service back-and-forth to the scene of the event will be provided by the Budapest’s Transport Center.

The event is organized on behalf of the Municipality of the Open-Air Stage Theater Ltd.,

Ms. Theodóra Bán executive and artistic director.

Update by Aggie Reiter

12 Apr

DIRECTOR MR. JIRI MENZEL TOGETHER WITH THE HUNGARIAN MOVIE LOVERS – BUDAPAEST

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There are only hours left to „The End” to the 20th Titanic International Film Festival  2013 – Budapest!

Indeed the Czech barrels of its Staropramen beer will be empty. Also an end stop with the vibration going to and being around the festival during the past days at the cinemas for the movie lovers.  For the time being, to-day had the opportunity to see at the exhibition brought to the VAM Design Center introducing Prague’s contemporary architectural to be showing the future world of its sights and sound of the modern Prague.  What may have really tickled many visitors was to see personally, the most successful Czech New Wave director Mr. Jiri Menzel.

Early Thursday evening the air was pretty hot … no … not because the hot summer had arrived to Budapest, yet not …have to wait for that, but for the arrival to hold a presentation by the 75 years old  magnificent  Czech director Mr. Jiri Menzel to the VAM Design Center in  Budapest. To meet Mr. Menzel was the cream on top of the cake … why? … because probably not too many of the Czech citizens may see him personally like we have had been lately here in Budapest.

While awaiting for his arrival on the main stage two presentation took place and in between tasting Czechs food and beer eased the thirst. Indeed, visitors felt a bit like being in Prague. The first presentation was about the Czech New Wave Academy Award-winning director’s opera. Overall, were warmly advised to see it.

The second presentation was about the exhibition titled “New Face” of Prague to be seen on  the spot.  The presentation was by Czech historians and theoreticians of modern and contemporary architecture,  Mr. Petr Kratochvíl and Mr.Zdeněk Lukes, whereas they gave an overview of the Czech capital city and its modern buildings –  Quote: „The tourists visiting Prague are most familiar with its classic face. That is natural when tourist visit a city or a town.  Well-known,  building a new area needs to constantly evolve and be in dialogue with the past and present. So far hopefully we are doing well, but right now we are far away to compare any similar characteristics to the city of Vienna. We inherited from the socialism era  quite disgusting buildings in Prague.”  Wish to emphasize two superb shots of area  seen at the exhibition. One was the marvelous new age in the design concept to the new neighbourhood around Prague. The surrounded area with the greenery, the house constructions on a relatively small and abruptly slooping site makes the site more-and-more attractive. The tall building has the ability to form a point of orientation, let alone within a unique historic setting can also cause a problem … as tested at the financial district of London, where the commerce have begun to overshadow  St.Paul’s cathedral.  So Praha now is faced with a dilemma of its current process of decentralisation. The homework is out …   under what conditions to allow the skyscrapers into the new local centers. Well we will see what tomorrow may bring!

The second shot of demo was the eye-catching design of  the Slavia Praha Football Stadion, which is to be the most modern sport area in the Czech Republic. It combines a variety of functions… alongside the stadium of 21000 seats for footy lovers! Also thought of having space for office, hotel and conference center and a footy stadion without a fan shop won’t be missing as well. Als, the comfort will be available for the V.I.P.’s with boxes and a club area to get set for the ball!

Here came the fullstop to the presentation! Suddenly faces  and shoulders turned away from the stage, Mr. Menzel half-way walking through  the hall caught everybody’s attention. Visitors wished to be the first to catch him and ran to him to be sure to get his autograph … so our virtual trip to tomorrow’s Prague came to an end.

Stepping to the stage Mr. Menzel was offered some „homeland” the Staropramen beer, but as he stated, he  hates  beer. Hearing that remark, later asked him has he tasted the Hungarian pálinka? He told me he has, but not fond of it so much. Q.: And how about the wines from the land of Hungary? A.: quote I prefer wine and in the case of wines I like the red wines.” Asked him whether he had wine from Szekszárd, one of the best or the best red wine originate from that area. With a wide smile and nodding his head – Quote: “I have previously visited Szekszárd and tastes the red wines  over there and they are very intensive, one of a kind.”  He gave an exclusive presentation and showed snaps of his new movie. One of the visitors asked him does he have in mind to come to Hungary to direct at a theater. Mr.Menzel right away had the answer – Quote: “It depends on how much they pay.  Have not yet been asked to do so, but who knows, it can or may happen but my price is high! By-the-way previously visited and worked in Hungary. Thanks to my lucky star I worked here already and when I ain’t feeling too good at home, I drop over here.” Of course everyone laughed at his comments but seeing the twinkle in his eyes said it all … he himself was also happy of what he said. Well that’s a nice way coming to TheEnd of his a discussion.  After Mr. Menzel presentation movie lovers were lucky enough to see, meet, speak with him  so for many made  their day by getting an autograph personally from him. He was as  generous as can be, signed his name on one’s  label of the Staropramen beer, on a beermat, at the page of his book, some folks brought his photo to be signed,  on the leaflet of the Titanic festival, on lady’s T-shirt, on their skirts and for many signed his name on the bared hands and so forth.

Update and snaps by Aggie Reiter

28 Jan

HEARLD NEWS FOR THE COMING SUMMER … ROLLING OVER TO THE ARENA DI VERONA …100 YEARS OF SUCCESSES!

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Late afternoon there was a press call at the Italian Culture Institution in Budapest, regarding to the announcement of wide-spread of programs to come during the summer of 2013,  at the Arena Di Verona.   Upon the press gathering spoke with Carrado Ferraro, Sales and Maketing Director and Francesco Girondini,  2008, Superintendent of the Opera and Symphony Foundation Arena,  (previously ’94-’98  Deputy Mayor of the city of Verona) and also they both shared interesting information about the high seasons events. The 2000 years old Arena  will be celebrating its 100 years anniversary of consistently on repertoire: opera, ballet and theater plays. As to the celebration of its 100 years, 200 breathtaking sites-and-sounds will be on stage.  Was also told, that before each arena show, the arena can be visited on a tour to see, hear about its history, along with the famous shinning stars who once step out  under the moon light at this historical scene.  No doubt , Verona is the  City of musical works. The Arena di Verona became the first open air opera house in Italy, and the largest in the world: a record it still holds today. With the Opera Festival, Italian and international culture has been enriched with a new way of presenting the performing arts, a feature that has helped to make Verona one of the European capitals of music. Last year, AIDA was out on stage on 600 occasions. This year the Arena de Verona opens with AIDA, with invited international guests. Each year the  general public is from Europe.  Naturally, most of the visitors  52-55% are from Italy, Germany and Austria takes 25% and of course there are Opera lovers from the other side of the Ocean.  The arena hold 13ooo to14ooo sear, but all depends which show goes on stage, how much space is needed for the performances. This year it will be the a most sophisticated, representative show. The opening of the Opera Festival in the middle of June, for almost a century, represents an important media and cultural event for not just for the City of Verona, but as well for all visitors whose ears are sharp for a pleasant evening at the opera.

Indeed, the open-air theaters are unique by themselves, cause the  “stars above the skies” specifies the natural light.

Just going back in time, in 1913 many things happened around the world … the Opel made vehicle came out, the opening of the Panama channel, the brand Camel cigarette stepped into the tobacco shops and many headlines of Budapest’s natural hot springs were just to open to the public.

BACK TO THE FUTURE …

THE ARENA DI VERONA: 1913 – 2013.

… “My father was sitting at a table at the Löwenbrau,” recounts Nina Zenatello Consolaro, daughter of the tenor Giovanni Zenatello, “together with the Maestro Tullio Serafin, Ferruccio Cusinati, Ottone Rovato and the singer Maria Gay. They were talking about music, of course, opera music and Giuseppe Verdi. Suddenly my father pointed to the Arena and with triumph in his voice said, “Look, this is the theatre I’m looking for. This is where performances unique in the world could be held.” At the first test of the acoustics Zenatello raised his eyes to the starlit heaven and, as if by unconscious vocation, burst out with the first of the one thousand Celeste Aida renderings at the Arena. The tenor Zenatello and the theatrical impresario Ottone Rovato took on the financial risk of promoting a great opera performance at the Arena to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi’s birth: on 10th August 1913 Aida went on the boards with Zenatello himself in the role of Radamès and Ester Mazzoleni as Aida, Tullio Serafin was on the podium and the scene sets were by Ettore Fagiuoli. The success was sensational and decreed so by a public coming from every part of the world. The most illustrious guests included Arrigo Boito, Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, Ildebrando Pizzetti, Riccardo Zandonai, Massimo Gorki and Franz Kafka.

This was also the start of the brilliant history of the Arena Orchestra and Chorus, and of their conductors who consider performing at the Arena to be a unique honour and a noteworthy engagement, as well as an emotion that it is difficult to become used to. The musicians who have stood on the podium have differed widely in training, culture and style, and include three celebrated directors and composers: Pietro Mascagni in 1921, Riccardo Zandonai in 1939 and Mikis Theodorakis in 1988. After Tullio Serafin there have been many other great names: Sergio Failoni, Antonino Votto, Gino Marinuzzi, Vittorio Gui, Franco Capuana, Francesco Molinari Pradelli, Rudolf Kempe, Argeo Quadri, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Lovro von Matacic, Elihau Inbal, Nello Santi, Peter Maag, Giuseppe Patanè, Michel Plasson, Anton Guadagno, Yuri Ahronovitch, Donato Renzetti, Gustav Kuhn, Daniel Oren, Riccardo Muti, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre.

The greatest opera singers of the XX Century have also trod the boards of the Arena, starting with the debut of a very young Maria Callas in the role of Gioconda, in the opera of the same name by Ponchielli, in the evening of 2nd August 1947. And the names of many other singers, directors, set designers and dancers have been linked to the Festival seasons: Aureliano Pertile, Giacomo Lauri Volpi, Gina Cigna, Beniamino Gigli, Ebe Stignani, Carlo Tagliabue, Maria Caniglia, Tito Schipa, Mario Del Monaco, Renata Tebaldi, Giulietta Simionato, Gino Bechi, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Magda Olivero, Tito Gobbi, Franco Corelli, Virginia Zeani, Renata Scotto, Montserrat Caballè, Mirella Freni, Fiorenza Cossotto, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Renato Bruson, Piero Cappuccilli, José Carreras, Salvatore Licitra, Luciana Novaro, Leonide Massine, Roberto Fascilla, Mario Pistoni, Carla Fracci, Paolo Bortoluzzi, Luciana Savignano, Maurice Bejart, Gheorghe Iancu, Vladimir Vassiliev, Rudolf Nureyev, Nicola Benois, Georg Pabst, Herbert Graf, Attilio Colonnello, Sandro Bolchi, Pietro Zuffi, Jean Vilar, Pier Luigi Pizzi, Luciano Damiani, Luciano Minguzzi, Vittorio Rossi, Gianfranco De Bosio, Beni Montresor, Remo Brindisi, Giuliano Montaldo, Sylvano Bussotti, Werner Herzog, Franco Zeffirelli.

So far there have been 89 seasons, the only interruptions being for the two world wars, under various private and public managements: in 1936 the Ente Autonomo Spettacoli Lirici Arena di Verona (the Autonomous Arena of Verona Opera Performances Board), often called simply the Ente Lirico Arena di Verona, was founded. This was when the office of General Manager was introduced. And in 1967 the Artistic Director was introduced to work together with the General Manager. In 1998 the Ente Autonomo Arena di Verona was transformed into a Foundation under private law, and the present Fondazione Arena di Verona was instituted, which has been in force since 22nd June 1998. The entry of private partners represented a very big change in the life of the Arena, bringing new impetus on the cultural level. The Foundation, in fact – like the former Ente Lirico Arena di Verona – is not dedicated to the pursuit of profit but aimed mainly at developing the city’s most important artistic activity, guaranteeing the quality of the performances and increasing their power to attract the public, as well as promoting musical education in society in general. Since 3rd April 2008 the General Manager Francesco Girondini has been at the helm of the Foundation.

Common denominators of all managements are the unique and prestigious performances: from 1913 to 2011 Giuseppe Verdi was the main author on the stage of the Arena, with his operas that are particularly suitable for the Verona amphitheatre, not only for their great epic and historic significance, as in Nabucco and Aida (of which there have been 52 versions, and 581 performances), but also for the particular scene-setting possibilities that the Arena allows also for more intimate and personal themes like those of La Traviata, Otello, Rigoletto.

But the magic of the Arena is not limited to the on-stage experience: the Amphitheatre offers nothing less than a genuine spectacle in itself, a performance within a spectacle, starting with the spell-binding ritual of lighting the candles, which precedes the start of every performance. A custom that was first conceived at the Arena and which has now been exported to all places where outdoor performances are held.

In addition to the summer Festival, since 1975 the Verona opera board has extended its artistic activity by organising, from October to May, symphonic, opera and ballet performances in the nearby Teatro Filarmonico, rebuilt after being destroyed by the bombardments of the last war. With this expansion, the repertory artistic groups were instituted – the Orchestra, the Chorus and the Ballet Corps – as well as the technicians and the administrative structure, which since then have contributed to spreading the image of the Arena di Verona throughout the world, with about 50 performances in the Arena and 70 at the Teatro Filarmonico, as well as many other performances in Italy and foreign tours. This intense work makes the Artistic Groups of the Arena world ambassadors of Italian culture, of which melodrama is one of the most important expressions. Since 2010 the Teatro Filarmonico Season has opened every year on 13th December with a new opera production, and the programme of operas, ballets and concerts closes the following year in November, with a summer break in the Arena.

AHEAD TO THE FUTURE …

ROLL OVER TO VERONA NOT JUST FOR OPERA LOVERS!

SHAKESPEARE SAW SOMETHING CAPITIVATING WHEN HE WROTE ROMEO AND JULLIETTE TO TAKE PLACE AT VERONA. NOW THE TIME HAS COME TO PAY A VISIT AND  BESIDE  VISITING THE OPERA FESTIVAL STROLL ALONG THE ANCIENT PATHS OF VERONA.

“From 14th June to 8th September 2013, 58 performances for 6 titles and 4 Gala nights welcome you at the Arena di Verona for the 91st edition of the Opera Festival, dedicated to the great composer Giuseppe Verdi, on the occasion of the bicentennial of his birth. In order to celebrate the first century of the Arena di Verona Opera Festival, and to inaugurate the next 100 years of great opera, the Centennial Festival 2013 will see the very well-known Plácido Domingo as Honorary Artistic Director; he will also be conductor and singer on the greatest stage in the world. 

The new awaited set design of Aida by La Fura dels Baus will inaugurate the Festival. Aida, the opera in the Arena par excellence, will be also displayed in its 1913 Recalling by Gianfranco de Bosio, starting from 10th August. From 15th June, Nabucco will be on stage, together with Verdi’s Popular Trilogy, composed by La Traviata (from 22nd June), Il Trovatore (from 6th July) and Rigoletto (from 9th August). From 31st August, also Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod, a permanent opera of the Arena repertoire, will be on stage.

Then we will enjoy Verdi’s music again, with Messa da Requiem, on 13th July: the Arena di Verona Orchestra and Chorus, together with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, will be conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. On 17th July, a Gala will be dedicated to the composer from Busseto, with three great conductors who will be protagonists on stage: Andrea Battistoni, Riccardo Frizza and Giuliano Carella.

2013 will also be the year of the bicentennial of the German composer Richard Wagner’s birth. On 15th August, a Gala will be dedicated to him and to Verdi, starring the young and famous Daniel Harding, who will conduct Plácido Domingo together with the greatest singers of Wagner’s repertoire, such as Evelyn Herlitzius, Violeta Urmana, Vitalij Kowaljow, and Verdian singers such as Martina Serafin. Completes the programme the 20th August Gala, in which Daniel Oren will conduct the winners of the latest editions of the Operalia competition, promoted by the Mr. Domingo.”

Further information, tickets, accommodations etc. log on to http://www.arena.it

 

 Updated by Aggie Reiter