As the final stop of its Hungarian tour, the Suzhou Kunqu Theatre from China will perform at the oDEon Theatre Hall in Debrecen on Tuesday, July 14. The artists will present excerpts from some of the finest works of the more than 600-year-old Kunqu Opera tradition. The performance is organized by the Confucius Institute of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Debrecen in cooperation with the Chinese Cultural Center in Budapest and Ott-Home International Meeting Point.
Kunqu is one of China’s oldest forms of opera, combining poetry, music, singing, dance, and drama. It occupies a distinguished place in the history of Chinese literature, traditional opera, and the performing arts. In 2001, UNESCO recognized Kunqu as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
The Suzhou Kunqu Theatre began its Hungarian tour in Budapest, continued in Miskolc, and will conclude with its performance in Debrecen.
As the professional ensemble from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province—the birthplace of Kunqu Opera—the company has faithfully preserved the genre’s ancient performance traditions and authentic style.
Over the past decade, the troupe has also successfully developed modern interpretations of Kunqu. These productions have gained recognition not only within the world of Kunqu Opera but across China’s broader cultural landscape. Alongside preserving classical artistic heritage, the company actively promotes traditional Chinese culture, bringing fresh energy to this centuries-old art form while exploring new ways of passing on China’s cultural legacy to future generations.
“For the first time, audiences in Debrecen will have the opportunity to experience this extraordinary form of Chinese opera, where graceful movements, elegant costumes, distinctive facial makeup, and centuries-old melodies evoke an artistic world that has preserved the beauty of Chinese culture across generations,” László Erik Kovács, a staff member of the Confucius Institute at the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of Humanities, told hirek.unideb.hu.
During the performance, the opera will be subtitled in both Hungarian and Chinese.
Admission is free of charge, but advance registration is required.
The performance begins at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, at the oDEon Theatre Hall (138 Böszörményi Road, Debrecen).
