Oldal 43 [43]
MILITARIZING OPERETTA, OR THEATRE CRITICISM
AS WAR PROPAGANDA
KÁLMÁN NÁDASDY AND GÉZA PÁRTOS:
FREE WIND, 1950
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Title: Free Wind. Date of Premiere: 6" May, 1950. Venue: Operetta Theatre,
Budapest. Directors: Kalman Nadasdy, Géza Partos. Authors: Viktor Vinikov,
Vladimir Kracht, Viktor Typot. Translators: Gyorgy Hamos, Endre Gaspar.
Composer: Isaak Osipovich Dunayevsky. Set designer: Zoltan Fülöp. Costume
designer: Tivadar Mark. Choreography: Agnes Roboz. Conductor: László
Varady. Company: Operetta Theatre, Budapest. Actors: Marika Németh, Lilian
Birkás, Teréz Komlóssi (Stella), Erzsi Hont, Ilona Kiss (Klementin, Stella’s
mother,) Pál Homm, László Palócz (Márkó), Tivadar Bilicsi (Filip), László
Keleti (Foma), Zsuzsa Petress, Anna Zentai (Pepita Diabolo), Judit Hódossy,
Katalin Jánossy (Monna), Éva Rehák, Éva Marton (Berta), Andor Lendvai,
András Faragó, László Palócz, Tibor Nádas (Caesar Gall, an actor), Kamill
Feleki (Prompter), Lajos Mányay (George Stan), Róbert Rátonyi (Miki), Vera
Sennyey, Lili Murányi (Paulette, the marquise), Andor Ajtay (Chesterfield),
Jézsef Romhanyi (Barkeeper), Jézsef Antalffy (One-Eyed), Istvan Balazs
(Chief constable).
CONTEXT OF THE PERFORMANCE IN THEATRE CULTURE
The first performance of a Soviet musical play at the nationalized Operetta
Theatre was meant to be an outstanding event of socialist culture. The critical
discourse, which presumably coincided with the experience of the performance
only partially, praised Free Wind not simply asa “success ina festive mood”,’”° but
as a “breakthrough in our cultural policy” and an “act of social importance”.1?!
Free Wind was also separated from productions of both the previous and the
present seasons, so that its unique character could be stressed.!?? Between the
120 Dénes Tóth: Szabad szél. Dunajevszkij nagyoperettjének bemutatója, Színház és mozi, Vol. 3,
No. 24, 14" June, 1950, 7.
121 Speech by György Sebestyén, in A Színház- és Filmművészeti Szövetség és a Zeneművész
Szövetség vitája Dungjevszkij Szabad szél c. operettjével és az Operett Színház előadásával
kapcsolatban 1950. május 20-án (- Szövetségi vita), Typed manuscript, 13. Location:
The National Archives of Hungary, 2146.62.
122 Cf. "It is a huge artistic endeavor that cannot be compared to the rather weak productions
that were seen at the Operetta Theatre last year.” Speech by Endre Székely, Ibid., 4.
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