Visitors planning to participate to the official opening of the Jelen/Lét Festival on March 14th at 7 p.m. where the Danube Artists’ Ensemble will present a Hungarian ethnic drama entitled “Ballads of the Danube” at the National Theater. It is worthwhile to get their tickets before they are sold out.
This year, the Jelen/Lét Festival of the Hungarian Ethnic Theatres will be held between March 14th and March 22nd at the National Theater, for which ticket sales have already begun. At the festival, which is realized with the professional support of the Hungarian Ethnic Theatre Association and the Hungarian Theatre Company, viewers can see Serbian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Gypsy, Greek, Armenian, Slovak and German performances every year, mostly in their native language, with Hungarian subtitles and, for the second year in a row, with a competition program, raising the standard.
We do not know of any other country where minority communities that nurture other ethnic cultures can be present for a whole week in the National Theater of their capital, which is why the JELEN/LÉT
festival is being organized in a unique way in Hungary. The minority groups are presenting their theaters’ latest works at the National Theater for the ninth time. The festival, organized by the Hungarian Serbian Theater, will be opened by the Danube Artists’ Ensemble’s production: Ballads of the Danube – Dances and Prayers Along the Danube, which brings the dances of the Danube peoples to the stage with the participation of the StEfrem male choir.
JELEN/LÉT 2026 Festival of the Hungarian Ethnic Minority Theaters
“We do not know of any other country where minority communities that nurture other ethnic cultures can be present for a whole week in the National Theater of their capital.
In the light of world events, it is more important than ever that the performing artists and performing arts institutions of the 13 nationalities be able to perform together again, to be able to stand in front of their audiences again in a joint theater celebration.
With the support of the Government of Hungary and the Hungarian National Theater, 13 minorities of Hungary can use the beautiful building for the ninth time this year to present the latest works of their theaters. Organized by the Serbian Theater in Hungary, with the professional support of the Hungarian Minority Theater Association and the Hungarian Theater Society, the audience can see Serbian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Romani, Greek, Armenian, Ukrainian, Slovak and German performances every year, mostly in their mother tongue, with Hungarian subtitles.“
At the end of the festival, the results of the participating theaters in the competition program will be announced on March 22nd on the Gobbi Hilda stage in the following categories: best male lead actor, best female lead actor, best direction, best supporting male actor, best supporting female actor, best set design, best costume, best mask – makeup, most viewers, best dramaturgy, best music, best choreography.
Further information/ tickets: info@jelenletfesztival.hu
Recommendation by Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 