Standing Ovation! The Hungarian Revival of Elisabeth 2025 – A Legendary Musical Returns to the Budapest Arena!

On May 31, 2025, the legendary musical Elisabeth 2025 made a triumphant return to Budapest Arena, featuring a dazzling star-studded cast. Original leads Kata Janza (Elisabeth) and Szilveszter P. Szabó (Death) reunited for a long-awaited, one-night-only spectacle that captivated audiences across generations.

With soloists, ensemble, choir, full orchestra, and dancers, the performance showcased historically accurate, luxurious costumes alongside meticulously crafted direction, props, and choreography. Presented in a full-length, two-act format, it was far more than a concert—it was a fully immersive theatrical experience that filled the vast arena with vibrant life.

Elisabeth 2025, with libretto and lyrics by Michael Kunze and music by Sylvester Levay, is a Vienna-born masterpiece chronicling the turbulent life of Empress Elisabeth and her fateful encounters with Death. Since its Hungarian premiere in 1996, the show has garnered a devoted following. Its universal themes, weaving together complex human relationships, continue to resonate deeply with audiences.

Under the artistic direction of Kata Janza and staging by Szilveszter P. Szabó, with musical direction by László Maklary, this extraordinary production was brought to life through the collaboration of KaposMusical and the Janza Kata Team. Costume designers SZASENKA® and Mónika Czédli infused every garment with exquisite detail and opulence.

Kata Janza portrayed Elisabeth from the age of 16 to 61 with stunning precision, illuminating the stage with her emotionally rich and powerful voice. Szilveszter P. Szabó embodied Death with an almost metaphysical presence—his captivating, profound voice left a haunting resonance throughout the arena.

Attila Dolhai’s portrayal of Crown Prince Rudolf revealed even greater emotional depth than before, expressing the pain and turmoil of a troubled life with nuanced vocal mastery. Tamás Földes, as Luigi Lucheni, impressed with natural charisma and commanding vocal strength. Ádám Bálint (Emperor Franz Joseph) delivered a superb vocal and dramatic performance, while young Jombor Horváth, portraying 10-year-old Rudolf, impressed with his clear voice and confident stage presence. Piroska Molnár brought to life the message “Music transcends all” through a soul-stirring performance that deeply moved the entire audience.

Producing a stage of this magnitude requires immense dedication and skill. With world-class sound and lighting, KaposMusical continues to stand as Hungary’s leading independent musical production company. Both Janza and Szabó, serving not only as lead performers but also as producers and directors, invested extraordinary energy and leadership to realize this vision.

At the show’s conclusion, the entire audience rose to their feet, responding to Kata Janza’s heartfelt words of gratitude with prolonged, enthusiastic applause. The atmosphere—a blend of emotion, nostalgia, surprise, and exhilaration—created a miraculous moment of unity between performers and audience alike.

This living, breathing masterpiece of Hungarian musical theatre exemplifies the genre’s full potential, and we eagerly look forward to seeing Elisabeth 2025 grace stages in Japan and around the world in the near future. For inquiries and booking requests regarding “Elisabeth 2025” or other “Musical Gala Concerts”, please contact the organizer KaposMusical at https://www.kaposmusical.hu/

For communication in Japanese, email: contact@jmpo.hu ＃Janza.Kata ＃Szabo.P.Szilveszter ＃Dolhai.Attila ＃Földes Tamás ＃KaposMusical ＃musical＃jmp中欧物語＃ハンガリーコーディネーター