“Countess Maritza” premieres to great acclaim in Szeged
Imre Kálmán’s operetta Countess Maritza premiered to great acclaim on Friday evening at the Szeged National Theater. The production marks the musical theater debut of director Gábor M. Koltai – previously known for his successful staging of Martin McDonagh’s The Lonesome West at the Kisszínház – and features the artistic guidance of legendary conductor Tamás Pál.
Countess Maritza is one of Kálmán’s most celebrated works – a richly melodic and emotionally charged operetta, full of humor and drama. The nearly four-hour performance is bursting with energy, heightened by playful references to Ady, Marx, and Shakespeare woven into the libretto.
The operetta is performed in Hungarian, but thanks to its strong visual storytelling, expressive performances, and timeless music, it may still be enjoyable for those less familiar with the language.
The plot follows Count Tasziló Endrődy, a withdrawn aristocrat who has lost his fortune and takes a job incognito as an estate manager near Cluj. His employer, the independent and guarded Countess Maritza, is hiding from fortune-hunting suitors in rural solitude. Predictably, the two fall in love – but their happiness is threatened by misunderstandings, a forged identity, a fictional baron who suddenly appears, plenty of champagne and pálinka, eccentric relatives, a wealthy Romanian prince, and their own stubbornness.
With a stellar cast and a production full of charm, Countess Maritza proves entertaining even for audiences who don’t usually gravitate toward operetta. The piece has enjoyed worldwide popularity, with notable productions in cities such as Vienna, New York, Toronto, Krakow, and Hanoi.
For a behind-the-scenes look at the early stages of the production, read our previous article on the start of Countess Maritza rehearsals here.
Photos by Szilvia Molnar / Szegedify, taken during the dress rehearsal.
