Photos from the Budapest Elisabeth added.

[Valancy]

I haven't yet added my Geneva pictures here, mostly because I noticed I didn't yet have as good pictures of the Elisabeth statue as I want, and I also still need to go and see her apartments in the Beau-Rivage Hotel. So I figured I will post all of those at the same time. But I felt like procrastinating from work for a bit and contributing a little to this site, so I've added some photos from the Budapest production of Elisabeth; some from the early 2000s production, some from the newest production. (For Máté fans: no, none of him yet. I didn't yet get around to pictures of the 2nd cast of the new production, which would have him. Maybe later.) I really love the Hungarian production but it's not always so well known, so I thought I'd put a few more pictures up to be viewed than have been put up so far. There are lots more in the theatre website at www.operett.hu if someone is curious.

The Hungarian production seems to be something that people either love or don't like so much. I love it; I guess I'm weird enough for Hungarians because I love just about everything they do in musical theatre though many people find them strange. In their Elisabeth, though some costumes and sets could be better I generally adore the visual outlook (I guess it's the lighting and colours, then), and I just generally like the way their version is done and directed, even if I might change some things if it was me - to start with, I'd add Wenn ich tanzen will to the production! And they've got lots of awesome actors, including some great Sisis and my all-time favourite Death (Szabó P. Szilveszter, who is the 1st cast Death again at the moment).

For clarification for those not so familiar with Hungarians, in Hungary they put the surname first and Christian name second, and I decided to write the names in the Hungarian way. If you prefer to transform them to the normal Western way you would say Kata Janza, Attila Dolhai etc.

Soon it's December, so I should find out who I'm going to see on stage when I go to Budapest... Usually the cast info comes out in the beginning of the previous month. Can't wait to find out!

[Valancy]

I find the Essen choreography a bit boring, mainly lots of walking around. On the other hand, I also don't like the Vienna/Stuttgart choreography at all. The Finnish chorepgraphy had no sense to it and the Takarazuka choreography is even less interesting than the Essen one. But how you described the Hungarian sounded a lot more what I want than anything I've seen...

[Nikki]

I've always liked the choreography for this song in Essen but wasn't keen on the Vienna and stuttgart setups. This IS stunning though, I wanted to add the clip to this site but wasn't able to because of the way the player is set up

[Valancy]

Ooh, I really like how that sounds. I've never been satisfied with any choreographies of that song that I've seen, and I like the idea of it really being played out as a dance. Also, him as a conductor of others' movements and dancing appears in Mayerling as well, so it makes thematic sense.

They must mean to add that at some point, if they've actually choreographed it like that. I hope they will do so in January already....

[Nikki]

Well there's more emphasis on dance, it's in the mist of a celebration of the coronation.
During the 1st chorus he's manipulating her movements like a musical conductor before going to her and dancing with her, she tries to escape by dancing with others. He follows dancing with a few other partners before becoming infuriated and throwing them aside to reach her
*Sigh* I love it

[Valancy]

I don't know, actually, because I haven't seen the clip in question. (Must make a point to do so, but now it's impossible because of bad internet access), but someone else said it's from a rehearsal. I hope they intend to add it, but I don't know why they haven't done so in the beginning of the new production. What's the choreography like?

[Nikki]

Oh the clip is only rehearsal? I assumed it was from an actual show, it probably say's so at the site for all I know but because I don't understand I'm none the wiser :)
You'd think that if they are rehersing it they intend to add it? I hope so, it looks awesome they way they play it out

[Valancy]

Yeah, that thing about Hungarian names must be confusing for people who don't know Hungarian. Because of that, I was originally writing all the names in the 'normal' order (ie. Kata Janza etc.) but then I noticed that fans of Hungarian versions anyway usually used the Hungarian order, and then there's the fact that I have trouble 'westernizing' Szilveszter's name so that it doesn't sound strange.

I also heard that there was a rehearsal clip of Wenn ich tanzen will available on a Máté website (haven't been able to view it yet, alas), but I've been told that the song is still not in the new production. Maybe they plan to add it at some point. It's strange that it's not there, because I think the musical definitely needs an Elisabeth/Death duet, and there's a Hungarian translation and Kata and Szilveszter have been performing it a lot, and it usually is one of the most popular songs of the musical...

[Nikki]

Thanks for clarifying the facts on hungarian names, I had noticed that with Máté's name and didn't know/understand it
I'm starting to get into this production and although I've yet to become familiar with it I like what I've seen and heard so far
I've seen a clip of Wenn Ich Tanzen Will from what must have been from recent performances in Hungary on a website for Máté and it looks great.
I hope to learn more about this production it looks so unique and interesting so I definately look forward to hearing your future views and reviews! ;)