The dramatic verse of Imre Madách opens the festive season of the Open Air Festival. The Tragedy is among the most-played performances – it has been on stage 61 times for 16 summers – and in the initial glorious era, it was staged almost every year: the audience could see the play each year between 1933 and 1939. After the twenty-year-long undue break forced by the war, the Tragedy, starting from the second year, returned to the Dome Square 6 times in the 1960-es, and for a season in both the 1970-es and the 1980-es. It was last on in 2000. After Ferenc Hont, Tamás Major, László Vámos and Miklós Szinetár got the opportunity to direct the play. The roles of Adam, Eve, the Lord and Lucifer have been played by such actors as Árpád Lehotay, Anna Tőkés, Lajos Básti, Ferenc Bessenyei, Éva Ruttkai, Miklós Gábor, Imre Sinkovits, Géza Hegedűs D. and Ildikó Bánsági.
The production in 2011 will be directed by the emblematic figure of middle generation of directors, Attila Vidnyánszky. The audience could see performances created in his conception in 2009 and 2010 – the Sólyompecsenye (Roast Falcon) and Tóték (The Tót family). The artistic work started with him will be accomplished by the prose premier in the Dome Square. The management intends to offer the main roles to such renowned actors who have already proved their talent on the stage of the Dome Square. The Tragedy will be shown twice this year.
The cast of the plays – for both the productions of the Dome Square and Újszeged – will become public at the beginning of the next year, after the signing of contracts.
