description Háry János Overview
Háry János is a Hungarian singspiel by composer Zoltán Kodály, first performed in Budapest in 1926. Its spoken dialogue and musical numbers frame the extravagant stories told by Háry, a veteran soldier who claims to have defeated Napoleon and won the admiration of Empress Marie Louise. Kodály later selected music from the stage work for the orchestral Háry János Suite, which is frequently performed independently.
help Háry János FAQ
What kind of opera is Háry János?
Háry János is a Hungarian singspiel, meaning it combines musical numbers with spoken dialogue. Zoltán Kodály wrote it around the exaggerated stories of a veteran soldier named Háry.
What does Háry János claim to have done?
Háry claims that he defeated Napoleon and won the admiration of Empress Marie Louise. The opera treats these boasts as extravagant storytelling rather than reliable military history.
When was Háry János first performed?
The work was first performed in Budapest in 1926. It became one of Kodály's best-known stage works and is closely linked with Hungarian musical culture.
Who composed Háry János?
The composer was Zoltán Kodály, one of the major Hungarian composers of the twentieth century. The score draws on Hungarian folk-inspired musical language while supporting the comic, heroic exaggeration of the plot.
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