1850s painting of Erkel by Alajos Györgyi Giergl

Hunyadi László (László Hunyadi) is an opera in three or four acts (depending on the performed version) by the Hungarian composer Ferenc Erkel. The libretto, by Béni Egressy, is based on the play Két László by Lőrinc Tóth. The opera was first performed at the Pesti Nemzeti Magyar Szinház, Budapest on 27 January 1844. Hunyadi László is considered to be the first important Hungarian opera and Erkel's musical style draws on folk influences, particularly the dance known as the verbunkos.

The opera was reworked in 1935 by Kálmán Nádasdy, Gusztáv Oláh and Miklós Radnai, which is what is usually performed today. The reworking changed the libretto almost completely, switched out and even removed some parts, shortening the piece by about 30-45 minutes.

Roles

Role Voice type Premiere Cast, 27 January 1844
(Conductor: - )
László V King of Hungary tenor Mihály Havi
Erzsébet Szilágyi widow of János Hunyadi soprano Rozália Klein Schodel
László Hunyadi her son tenor Adolf Pecz
Mátyás Hunyadi László's brother mezzo-soprano Lujza Éder
Miklós Gara the count palatine bass Miklós Udvarhelyi
Mária his daughter soprano Leopoldina Molnár
Ulrik Cillei the regent bass Mihály Füredy
Rozgonyi an army officer baritone Benjámin Egressy

Synopsis

The opera is based on events which took place in Hungary in 1456-7. The great military leader, János Hunyadi, who defended Hungary against the attacks of the Ottoman Turks is dead and power has passed to his enemies. The foreign new king, László V, is weak.

Act 1

László Hunyadi's soldiers do not want to let the foreign king and his mercenaries into the castle because they do not trust him. They advise László against letting him into the castle, who refuses. Meanwhile, György Brankovics is caught. He was carrying a letter that promises the heads of the Hunyadis to Cillei, the king's stepfather, Croatian viceroy and acting king. László's soldiers are outraged, but they are interrupted by the king's arrival. Cillei immediately accuses László of treason, which he refutes by offering to hand the castle's keys to the king. The king refuses because the keys are best kept in László's hands. The guests leave and the king's German mercenaries arrive, who are not let into the castle because the castle guards can defend it.

When King László V is informed about what happened, he is startled. Cillei convinces him to hand over the ring that symbolises power. László Hunyadi is dreaming about his fiancée Mária, when he is interrupted by Rozgonyi. He reveals that Cillei wanted him to join the conspiracy against László. László alerts his followers who hide in the chamber. Cillei enters and tells László that the king has invited him to a dinner. László tells Cillei that he knows about the conspiracy. Cillei pulls out a dagger and tries to stab László, but László's followers kill Cillei before he can do any harm. The king arrives who is horryfied by Cillei's dead body, and under the pressure, pretends to excuse László.

Act 2

László's mother, Erzsébet and her ladies are waiting for the king's arrival. Erzsébet is not convinced about the king genuinely excusing her son, so she has a vision about László being executed. She faints, and her ladies wake her up and reassure her that the vision was just a nightmare. The king arrives and notices Mária. He falls in love with her. Gara comes up with a plan: he will give his daughter's hand to the king instead of László Hunyadi, reassuring his position of power. The king requests the presence of the two Hunyadis, so he can excuse them. Erzsébet is worried again, but she is reassured when her sons return. The king publicly vows to not avenge Cillei's death and accepts László and Mátyás as his brothers.

Act 3

The king is dreaming about Mária. Gara appears and tells the king that he will give Mária's hand to him if he contributes to the execution of László. He reluctantly agrees.

At the wedding of Mária and László. Mária sings about her overwhelming joy. The joy doesn't last long, as Gara and his soldiers arrive to arrest László.

Act 4

László is daydreaming about his lover in his jail cell. Suddenly, the cell door opens and Mária steps in. She bribed the guards and tries to convince László to flee with her, but he trusts in the king's vow and stays. Gara arrives and is infuriated when he finds out that Mária was let into László's jail cell. Mária begs her father to spare László but is unsuccessful.

A wild storm is raging at the place of the execution. Erzsébet begs God to save her son. The executioner strikes three times to no avail, at which point László should be spared. The crowd shouts for mercy. Gara, however, instructs the executioner to strike again. László's head falls to the ground.

In the 1935 revision, Act 4 is merged into Act 3.

Recordings

  • There exists a famous recording of the aria "Nagy ég ..." (known as the La Grange aria, because it was written in honor of the soprano Anna de La Grange) made by the great American dramatic soprano Lillian Nordica in 1907, for Columbia Records. This particularly brilliant example of Nordica's singing has been reissued on CD by Marston Records (number 52027-2) and other labels.
  • Simándy József (Hunyadi László), Szabó Miklós, Faragó András, Szönyi Olga, Jámbor LásLó, Orosz Júlia, Déry Gabriella, Bódy József, Pálffy Endre, Petri Miklós, The Choir of the Hungarian Radio, The Choir of the Hungarian Army Central Ensemble, The Orchestra of the Budapest Philharmonic Society (recorded date: June 29-July 9, 1960, by Qualiton).
  • Hunyadi László András Molnár, Istvan Gáti, Sylvia Sass, Dénes Gulyás, Hungarian State Opera and Chorus, conducted by J. Kovács (Hungaroton, 1985).
  • Hunyadi László (ősváltozat) Attila Fekete, Beatrix Fodor, Erika Miklósa, Gabriella Balga, Gábor Bretz, Dániel Pataky, Krisztián Cser, Károly Fekete, Honvéd Male Choir, Orchestra of the Hungarian State Opera, conducted by Domonkos Héja (2012). This is the "original" version (the final version that Erkel worked on, completed in 1860)

A slightly modified version of the original version, performed at the Hungarian State Opera in 2023, can be viewed on the OperaVision YouTube channel until 21 January 2024.

Sources

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