Szabolcs Fényes was born 100 years ago

On the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of the Oradean composer, Szabolcs Fényes, a festive commemoration was held on Monday. As the first station of the series of events, a memorial tablet was unveiled in the wall of the house where the composer was born at Nicolae Jiga Street (previously Lukács György Street). “The classic of Hungarian light music was born in this house and he spent his childhood here” – announces the inscription under the embossment - Szabolcs Fényes’ profile – which is the work of the sculptor, Árpád Deák. At the inaugurtion ceremony, Katalin Czvikker the managing director of Szigligeti Theatre was the first who greeted the assembled people and then she called upon Rozália Biró, vice mayor to speak, who read aloud the short biography of the composer. Among other topics she explained: hopefully not only the people who gathered here today but all, who come by will notice this tablet and the young generations will be conscious of the fact that Fényes is the composer of the music of such well known hit songs like: „Nemcsak a húszéveseké a világ”, „Szeretni bolondulásig” or „Fehér sziklák”, which was interpreted by Zorán. This was followed by the speech of Attila Cseke, RMDSZ senator, who was also very well informed about Fényes’ life work, as he said: he was not only a magnificent composer but a very amusing person as well, who was able to laugh at his absurd life: he was the director of Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre when the time of secularization came. This way the institution or according to the communist terminology the “factory” lead by him was also overtaken by the state, and Fényes was also replaced, but several years later he –“ the capitalist director”- as he was called previously, was asked again to become the director of the Operetta Theatre. After the speeches the actual unveiling followed, with the help of the composer’s two nephews Balázs Fényes és András Fényes.

The commemoration continued in the Szigligeti Theatre’s box hallway where the artistic career of the composer was evoked. Béla Nagy, the retired literary secretary of the Szigligeti Company talked to György Nemlaha, the contemporary of Fényes. After that the programme continued with the opening ceremony of a chamber exhibition about the composer’s life and career. The exhibition was compiled with the help of the Fényes family, the Scientific Directory of the National Széchényi Library and the Hungarian Theatre Museum and Institute.