Take A Trip Around The World

Regarded as one of the best folk ensembles in Hungary, The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble is coming to the McCallum Theatre on Monday, January 22 at 7pm.

The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble was established in 1951 to collect and play authentic folk music and to preserve the folk dances and traditional costumes of Hungarian-inhabited areas by putting them on stage for the public.

During the more than fifty years of its existence, the Ensemble has achieved its aim by revitalizing the culture of the Hungarian people. With their rich and colorful repertoire, the Ensemble is highly regarded as one of the top touring groups in the world. It has performed in 44 countries across four continents and won the admiration of an audience of more than seven and a half million people. In the last few years, the Ensemble encountered special interest in the United States and Canada, which was illustrated by their fourth invitation to undertake a three-month coast-to-coast American tour in 1994. They have also toured the Far East and Western Europe.

The Ensemble consists of 30 dancers, 14 members of the Gipsy Orchestra and 5 members of the Folk Orchestra. The choreography of the many dance numbers are all based on authentic dances, some of which were collected in isolated villages with dance elements dating back hundreds of years, across many generations.

The five members of the Folk Orchestra play authentic, traditional instruments and perform Hungarian folk music at its highest artistic level. The famous Gipsy Orchestra plays both dance accompaniments and solos. Their rich repertoire includes folk music which inspired Hungarian and international classical composers such as Liszt, Brahms, Kodály and Bartók.

Aside from its performances around the country and abroad, the Ensemble gives approximately 90-100 annual performances in its Corvin tér Theatre, in the Budai Vigadó.

For a colorful and extraordinary concert experience rich in history and culture, The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble presents a show perfect for the whole family to enjoy!

Tickets for the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble on Monday, January 22 at 7 pm, are on sale now. Ticket prices are $75/55/45/20. Tickets are available at the McCallum Theatre Box Office by calling 760-340-ARTS, online at www.mccallumtheatre.com, or by walk-up. -- www.mccallumtheatre.com