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DÁNIEL TIBOR HEGYI Karpenko-Kary Theater, Cinema, and Television University. The early, fruitful years he spent in Kiev had a great impact on his later life, as he did not only get to know the Ukrainian and Russian theater, he also became acquainted with the major Russian classics (Stanislavski, Meyerhold, Chekhov) and with the works of the Polish innovators, representing the newest theatrical aspirations: Jerzy Grotowski, Tadeusz Kantor, and Wiodzimierz Staniewski. Besides all this, as a don in Kiev he had the unique opportunity to start up two fully Hungarian acting classes, with students who later became members of his drama group in Beregszász. Vidnyanszky always wanted to do Hungarian theater, “especially exploring the possibilities for a renewal of the Hungarian theatrical language, [...] the inclusion and further shaping of the important Slavic theater traditions and achievements, together with the peculiar Hungarian mentality created a special and unique theatrical language.””' This aim, the “new, universally accepted Hungarian theatrical language” could only come into existence from the synthesis of Hungarian and foreign traditions, according to Vidnyanszky,” and he was already trying to get this concept to work while he was working in Beregszász, at the Illyés Gyula Hungarian National Theater.” His biggest, even internationally acclaimed, premiere during his years in Beregszász, was Mihály Csokonai Vitézs play Dorottya which was performed in Hungarian in the third Theatre Olympics in 2001, in Moscow, and was a huge success. Despite the language barrier, Vidnyanszky’s theater still received a great reception and “after the show, the praising crowd was talking about how the ancient powers of theater had torn down the barriers of language and culture, there and then the Hungarian theater won the heart of the Russian audience.”** Comparing this favorable criticism in 2001 with Vidnyanszky’s views on theatrical aesthetics, that he expressed in relation to the premiere of Joan of Arc at the Stake in 2013, his authorial concepts become as crystal clear as ever: as a Hungarian, and Christianity.” Gabor Turi: Kéltészet a szinpadon. A Vidnyänszky-korszak mérlege. [Poetry on Stage. An account of the Vidnyanszky era], Hitel, Vol. 28, August 2015, 112. Andras Kozma: Szláv alkotók a Csokonai Színházban. Előzmények [Slavic authors in the Csokonai Theater. Preludes], in István Kornya (ed.): A költői színház. Hét évad a Csokonai Szinhazban: 2006-2013. [The Poetic theater. Seven seasons in the Csokonai Theater: 20062013], Debrecen, Csokonai Szinhäz, 2013, 70. 2 Kozma: Ibid. Edit Kulcsar: Purcarete, a szinpad magusa. Egy roman szinhazi mester a debreceni Csokonai Szinhazban. [Purcarete, magus of the theater. A Romanian master of theaters in the Csokonai Theater, Debrecen], in István Kornya (ed.): A költői színház, 74. 3 Kulcsár: Ibid. 4 Kozma: Ibid.
