Hungarian composer Eotvos's new opera to premiere in Munich

"The Tragedy of the Devil", a new opera by Hungarian composer and conductor Peter Eotvos, will be premiered in the Bavarian State Opera (BSO) in Munich on February 22, the press chief of the Hungarian State Opera told MTI on Monday.

The new opera was commissioned by BSO on the proposal of General Music Director Kent Nagano, who had encouraged Eotvos to compose monumental pieces for stage even previously, said Judit Varkonyi.

It was BSO's General Manager Nikolaus Bachler who mooted the idea with Eotvos to compose a new piece around the theme of Hungarian 19th-century author Imre Madach's classic piece "The Tragedy of Man", which had been first published in 1862.

Bachler has requested another artist of the Hungarian State Opera, artistic director Balázs Kovalik, to adapt what Eotvos called a "comic-Utopian" piece to BSO's stage.

The premiere will be broadcast live by the Bavarian State Radio.

Peter Eotvos is regarded one of the best-known interpreters of 20th-century music. He has composed some 35 pieces including operas, concertos and compositions for string quartet, piano, cello and percussion.

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