Rehearsals in Budapest Opera House

Sometimes, season subscribers are invited to rehearsals, but not the general public. The general public don't know the rules. No noise, no applause. You are an observer only. The artists have work to do and don't want or welcome any distractions.

The regular performances are an outstanding value, about a third of cost of performances in western Europe or North America of similar quality. Why not buy tickets and go?

I would call or email and ask them (go to the main website and follow the link to CONTACTS). I have contacted them in the past and they were helpful and timely. I looked at what else was going on about that time and while all the Swan Lake performances are sold out, there are some other performances that have a dozen or so seats left.

What you might do: At the start time of the rehearsal, walk up the pedestrian road on the right hand side of the Opera House. On the right just past the opera house is a butcher shop that sells amazing sausage and they well sell you a link, some bread, mustard and a drink pretty cheap. Outside the place are some stand up tables. https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5035639,19.0579362,3a,75y,17.92h,89.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCdP3L_JdIhqlMMXq7-hqtg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Now, with a little luck, the Opera House windows will be open and you can listen to the music of the rehearsal while you have a dang good link....... (we've done this a few times).

Oh, I am pretty sure the owner is Jewish so don't count on it being open late Friday or at all on Saturday.

Normally if a company lists a dress rehearsal on a website, then it will be ticketed and open to the public. If you can share the link, I may be able to help figure out what's up. I'd expect at some point the tickets will be for sale if they advertised the dress/ general rehearsal.

Oh PS -- Consider taking a tour of the Franz Liszt Conservatory - or seeing a concert in their concert hall, which is just as good. It is SPECTACULARLY beautiful and one of the great concert halls in Europe.

As I said, the people at the Opera House are very helpful:

Dear James

I regret to inform you, that the rehearsals are not open for everybody.

Only those can purchase tickets, who hold a valid Hungarian Student ID, or a Hungarian Pensionner’s ID. Ticket purchase for the rehearsals is only possible in person at the box office, because our collegues need to check the validity of the IDs.

I would recommend that you choose a different day or show to attend to!

with regards,

Koncz Krisztina
Szervezési koordinátor | Ticket Sales and Audience Services Coordinator

Magyar Állami Operaház | Hungarian State Opera

"the rehearsals are not for everbody"

this is a very amusing English mistake... maybe the rehearsals contain some unsavory things, and you are better not attending :)

I would call it a genuine attempt to be helpful despite the obstacles of language.

Thanks for all the replies, I had emailed the opera house previously and not received a response. Good to know and I will likely take Jtraveler's Listz recommendation.