The US Premiere Of Mario & The Magician

With their historic home venue currently under construction, the world renowned Hungarian State Opera embarks on a historic tour of US shores, bringing the music of their homeland to New York City's Lincoln Center for a strictly limited run this Fall. The 134 year old company debuts a vibrant program of ballet and opera works, including the US premieres of Ferenc Erkel's Bank Ban and Janos Vajda's one-act opera Mario and the Magician.

Rounding off their short David H. Koch residence, the Opera presents an eclectic double bill featuring the 100th Anniversary showcase of Bartok's popular Gothic opera Bluebeard's Castle and the Vajda's aforementioned modern Hungarian classic Mario and the Magician. Based on the German novella by Thomas Mann and set against the backdrop of the rise of fascism in post WWII Germany, Mario and the Magician follows the tyrannical exploits of the titular hunchbacked magician, who hypnotises an entire Italian resort town with disastrous results...