European Musicals my beloveds

⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

István, a király [Stephen, the King], 1983.

(show link, no subs)

(show link with subs by @saltavenegar)

(English translations of the lyrics)

A rockopera about the succession of Stephen I and his fight for the throne with his relative,* Koppány. It's also about the foundation of the Kingdom of Hungary, it's basically Hungarian Hamilton.

Most known song: Szállj fel szabad madár [Fly high free bird]

+ bonus: Nincs más út csak az Isten útja [There is Only God's Way] with Sándor Péter as István and Dolhai Attila as Koppány

*Koppány was the oldest male relative in the family at the time, but I have no idea exactly how he was related to István and I will not Google it. Koppány's claim on the throne was the so-called 'principle of seniority', meaning that after the old ruler (in this case, Géza, István's father) dies, the oldest male-relative takes over. This went against the new succession principle that Géza introduced with Christianity, the principle of primogeniture, where the oldest son (István) takes over. Also there was a religion-based disagreement as well, but I won't go into that now.

⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

A padlás [The Attic], 1988.

(show link, no subs)

(English translations of the lyrics)

This musical features the four ghosts of forgotten fairy tale characters (such as the 8th dwarf or the kid who pointed out that the emperor has no clothes) trying to cross over. They arrive at an attic which should be the perfect place to do so, and there they meet Rádiós, a technology nerd, Süni, a musically talented girl, Mamóka, a grandma without grandkids and Témüller, the cartoonishly yet cleverly evil landlord and The Ferryman who is supposed to guide them to the Other Side.

Despite the seemingly silly premise, this show discusses mortality, perspectives on life, loss of family, communism (you have to know Hungarian to get this, unfortunately, but just believe me that it has many, many lines and details that are referencing the political situation of Hungary at the time)

Most known song: Fényév távolság [Lightyear's distance] — it's beautiful, moving and deserves all the hype it gets

⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

Valahol Európában [Somewhere in Europe], 1995.

This is based on the 1948 movie with the same name. Detail wise it's set in late WW2 era Hungary, but it can apply to any war, any place, any time (you'll see why in a second). It's about a group of heavily traumatised orphans trekking across the country, trying to find a place for winter and to stay in general. But even when they find it, not everything is solved.

(English translations of the lyrics)

(show link, no subs)

The characters all have a depth to them that you maybe wouldn't expect, with backstory details sprinkled thorughout. The musical touches on topics such as how violence can skew children's worldview, wartime rape, parentification, found family etc.

Most known song: A zene [Music]

+ my personal favourite: Miért van?! [Why?!]

+ bonus: Dolhai Attila singing Miért van?!

⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

A dzsungel könyve [The Jungle Book], 1996.

(English translations of the lyrics)

Not much to say about this plot wise, it's yet another version/mish-mash of Kipling's stories. I'll be honest, I saw this once when I was 9, but I'm listening to the songs ever since and they are bangers.

Because I haven't engaged with it, I don't know what the most known song is, but here are some of my favs:

- Nyitány [Prologue] that sets the vibes masterfully;

- Csak egy út van [There's only one road to take] which is yet another chance for Hungarian musical theatre guys to sing their hearts out (also it was added later so it's not on the album);

- Szavakat keresek [I'm looking for words] which is a nice love duet between Mowgli and... whatever the girl's name was, as I said, I saw it once.

⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

A Pál utcai fiúk [The Paul Street Boys], 2016.

(English translations of the lyrics)

Oh god, where do I even start with this one...

It's based on the children's book and mandatory school reading of the same name by Molnár Ferenc (English translation here, it's an amazing book).

Both the book and the musical are about two groups of boys, the Paul Street boys and the redshirts, fighting over an empty plot of land between Budapest's tall houses in the late 1800s. On the surface it may seem like a book about fighting over a football field, but it's main topic is actually war and how war is the most useless, stupidest thing in the world (and it was written way before WW1 so!! the author didn't even need the Great War to know this). It deals with the topic in a way that's easily digestable for younger readers as well, but it's not childish in any way. The author has a humorous style with references kids may not get (inflation :D), the characters are loveable, even the "bad guys", and you will be crying by the end, both the book and the musical.

(Fun fact, it's virtually impossible to get tickets to it unless you know someone with the right connections, it's that popular, even though it has been almost 10 years now)

Most known song: Mi vagyunk a grund! [We are the grund*] — fun fact about this song, when it came out, every schoolteacher in the country spiritually latched onto it, it is still often played at graduations, school year starting and ending ceremonies etc., + a few years ago during the teacher's strike it became sort of a theme song for it

+ personal favourite songs:

- Add át! [Pass it on!] which is an amazing intro song, sets the vibes perfectly + it has a fair amount of ensemble which you know I adore

- Igen, jó volt [Yes, it was good] which is devastatingly beautiful and also a chance for our musical theatre boys to slay so hard

- Az ember eltéved [Man gets lost] which is an enemies duet and that's all I'm gonna say, just listen to it

*grund is what the boys call their plot of land

⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･ ⠄⠂⋆ ･

Other ones that I haven't (fully) seen/listened to, links will lead to bootlegs recorded with a brick, sorry

- Abigél [Abigail] - based on the novel by Szabó Magda, set in WW2 era Hungary before and during the German invasion; I highly recommend the book, it's amazing

‐ Sztárcsinálók [Starmakers] - something about Ancient Rome and Nero, songs are fire

‐ Szép nyári nap [Beautiful Summer's Day] - our topic is communism once again

- Szentivánéji álom [A Midsummer's Night Dream] - what it says on the cover, proshot (pt1, pt2) featuring Janza Kata, Szabó P. Szilveszter, Dolhai Attila, Bereczki Zoltán & co.

- Ördögölő Józsiás [Józsiás the Devilkiller(?)] - I just know this exists and that there is gay fanfiction about it on AO3 so I thought it was worth a mention :D