Repertoire / The Miraculous Mandarin

A CO-PRODUCTION OF THE EVA DUDA DANCE COMPANY AND THE BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA 

Choreographer & Director: Eva Duda

One of Béla Bartók’s most renowned works, The Miraculous Mandarin, explores the physical and psychological boundaries of human passion, desire, and purification. This monumental musical piece, conducted by Iván Fischer, was presented in collaboration with the Budapest Festival Orchestra and the Eva Duda Dance Company in 2023 in both Budapest and Rome. In 2025, the production returns to the MÜPA Concert Hall and will also be introduced to audiences in Bucharest and Bonn.

The action, notated within the score itself, unfolds on an elevated stage surrounded by the musicians. Internationally acclaimed choreographer Eva Duda brings the story to life using the rich language of contemporary dance: dynamic and nuanced movements, sensitive gestures, and an evocative visual world guide the audience into Bartók’s dramatic universe. The complexity of the piece is not only musical but thematic as well: its tale of physical desire and spiritual purification remains powerfully relevant today, carrying a strong humanistic message.

The production remains faithful to the original dramaturgy of the characters and actions created by the composers, while offering a fresh interpretation. The modern choreographic language and innovative spatial design place the passionate and erotic visions of the work in a new context.

The choreography echoes the tension and turbulence of the music, while the movement gently and expressively follows the lyrical arcs of the score. Throughout the performance, the masterful harmony between music and dance reveals the piece’s intense emotional charge and deeply human moments.

Exceptional artists take the stage in the leading roles: dancer Zoltán Csere, recipient of the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit, embodies the Mandarin; Vera Bundschuh, soloist of the Eva Duda Dance Company, plays the Girl; while the role of the Gentleman is performed by Tibor Kováts, an Outstanding Ballet Artist and recipient of the Liszt Ferenc Award.

Performers:

Mandarin: Zoltán Csere

Girl: Vera Bundschuh 

Gentleman: Tibor Kováts – Liszt Award-winning Principal Artist

Student: Mátyás Kovács

Tramps: Kostas Charalampous, Kristóf Deák, Dominik Gyugos

Costume: Edit Szűcs

Lighting Design: József Pető

Stage Design: Róbert Zentai, Eva Duda

Choreographer’s Assistant: Máté Váth

Production Manager: Orsolya Vitárius

Company Manager: Dr. Anita Vodál

Choreographer & Director: Eva Duda