The Reconstruction of Erkel Theatre

Architects: Csaba Silvester, Zoltán Turi, Gábor Zoboki
Text: Edit Pálinkás
Photos: József Hajdú

Besides the Music Academy, Erkel Theatre was also restarted to join the cultural circulation of Budapest with the primary mission to offer the young generations high-standards performances and thus to introduce them to the world of opera and ballet. The forerunner of Erkel Theatre, People’s Opera was built in 1911 as the largest theatre of Budapest, the management of which was taken over by the Opera House after several reconstructions in 1953. The present-day project was meant to primarily improve the conditions for opera performances here, thus the majority of remodellings took place behind the scenes. The auditorium was also remodelled to better suit theatre functions too. Reception areas were extended by integrating glass walls in the facade. With a more comfortable design for tiers the seating capacity of the auditorium decreased from 1935 to 1819, but even so the theatre has kept its rank as the theatre building suited to receive the largest number of audience in Hungary.

General design: Zoboki-Demeter és Társai Építésziroda
Leading architect: Gábor Zoboki DLA habil.
Project architects: Csaba Silvester, Zoltán Turi
Architects: Béla Reppert, Flóra Kőszeghy-Koncsag, Pál Rutkai, András Csiszér
Interior design: Krisztina Mádi, Áron Láncos, Patrik Pallai – MadiLancos Studio
Structure: Gábor Földvári – “Földvári” Mérnökiroda és Rendezvényszervező Kft., Ferenc Gonda – Dékettő Statikus Iroda
Technical installations: Róbert Kis, Tibor Gáspár, Dávid Balogh – Körös Consult
Electrical engineering: Ferenc Rajkai, István Pataki – Hungaroproject Mérnökiroda Kft.
Environment, acoustics: Gusztáv Józsa
Fire protection: György Báder