Ferenc Erkel

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Ferenc Erkel [ˈfɛrɛnʦ ˈɛrkɛl] (November 7, 1810, Gyula - June 25, 1893, Budapest) was a Hungarian composer. He was the father of Hungarian grand opera, written mainly on historical themes, which are still often performed in Hungary. He also composed the music of "Himnusz", the national anthem of Hungary, which was adopted in 1844.

The librettos of his first four operas were written by Béni Egressy. Beside the operas, which he is the best known for, he wrote pieces for piano and chorus. He headed the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra (founded in 1853). He was also the director and piano teacher of the Hungarian Academy of Music until 1886. The Hungarian State Opera House in Budapest was opened in 1884, of which he was the musical director.

In 1839 he married Adélt Adler, they had four sons - Gyula (July 4, 1842 Pest - March 22, 1909 Újpest), Elek (November 2, 1843 Pest - June 10, 1893 Budapest), László (April 9, 1844 Pest - December 3, 1896 Bratislava) and Sándor (January 2, 1846 Pest - October 14, 1900 Békéscsaba) - who participated in the composing of his later operas.

Erkel was an internationally acknowledged chess player as well.

A department of the Opera House was established in 1911 in Budapest which also performs operas, named Erkel Színház (Erkel Theatre) since 1953.

[edit] Operas

Bátori Mária (1840, two acts; Mária Bátori is the lover of László, son of Coloman of Hungary
Hunyadi László (1844, four acts)
Erzsébet (1857, three acts, only the second is by Erkel)
Bánk bán (1861, three acts; Bánk bán is a palatine of Andrew II) – this opera is often thought of as "the" national opera of Hungary
Sarolta (1862, three acts)
Dózsa György (1867, five acts)
Brankovics György (1874, four acts)
Névtelen hősök (1880, "Nameless heroes", four acts)
István király (1885, "King Stephen", four acts)
Kemény Simon (remained in fragments; planned to be of three acts)