The Csokonai Theatre is the oldest and largest theatre in
Debrecen
Debrecen ( , is Hungary's second-largest city, after Budapest, the regional centre of the Northern Great Plain region and the seat of Hajdú-Bihar County. A city with county rights, it was the largest Hungarian city in the 18th century and i ...
, Hungary. It was named after one of the first Hungarian
Modern Age
The term modern period or modern era (sometimes also called modern history or modern times) is the period of history that succeeds the Middle Ages (which ended approximately 1500 AD). This terminology is a historical periodization that is applie ...
playwrights, Mihály Csokonai, who lived and created many of his works in Debrecen. The building was designed by
Antal Szkalnitzky
Antal Szkalnitzky (6 May 1836 – 9 June 1878) was a Hungarian architect.Szkalnitzky Antal Moorish styled ornamentations, the theatre opened on in 1865, with
Róza Laborfalvi
Róza Laborfalvi (born Judit Benke de Laborfalva, 8 April 1817 – 20 November 1886) Hungarian noblewoman, actress and wife of novelist Mór Jókai de Ásva.
Early life
She was the daughter of the actor and theater director József Benke de ...
as Gertrude in a performance of
József Katona
József Katona (11 November 1791, Kecskemét – 16 April 1830, Kecskemét) was a Hungarian playwright and poet, creator of the Hungarian historical tragedy ''Bánk bán''.
Biography
József Katona was born and died in Kecskemét. He studi ...
's 1819 play ''
Bánk bán
''Bánk bán'' is an opera in 3 acts by composer Ferenc Erkel. The work uses a Hungarian-language libretto by Béni Egressy which is based on a stage play of the same name by József Katona. (''Bán'' is Ban (title), ban in English, similar to a v ...
''.
Inside, the theatre is richly decorated, and outside are sculptures of
Sándor Petőfi
Sándor Petőfi ( []; né Petrovics; sk, Alexander Petrovič; sr, Александар Петровић; 1 January 1823 – most likely 31 July 1849) was a Hungarian poet of Serbian origin and liberal revolutionary. He is considered Hungary's ...
,
Ferenc Kazinczy
Ferenc Kazinczy (in older English: Francis Kazinczy, October 27, 1759 – August 23, 1831) was a Hungarian author, poet, translator, neologist, an agent in the regeneration of the Hungarian language and literature at the turn of the 19th centur ...
,
Mihály Vörösmarty
Mihály Vörösmarty (archaically English: Michael Vorosmarthy 1 December 180019 November 1855) was an important Hungarian poet and dramatist.
Biography
He was born at Puszta-Nyék (now Kápolnásnyék), of a noble Roman Catholic family. H ...
,
Károly Kisfaludy
Károly Kisfaludy (5 February 1788 – 21 November 1830) was a Hungarian dramatist and artist, brother of Sándor Kisfaludy. He was the founder of the national drama.
Early life
The youngest of eight children, his mother died in childbirth, an ...
,
Ferenc Kölcsey
Ferenc Kölcsey (archaically English: Francis Kolcsey, 8 August 1790 in Sződemeter – 24 August 1838) was a Hungarian poet, literary critic, orator, and politician, noted for his support of the liberal current in Hungary regarding the poli ...
, and
Mihály Csokonai Vitéz
Mihály () is a Hungarian masculine given name, It is a cognate of the English Michael and may refer to:
* Mihály András (1917–1993), Hungarian cellist, composer, and academic teacher
* Mihály Apafi (1632–1690), Hungarian Prince of Transyl ...
, after whom the theatre was named in 1916.
Among the important actors that have performed in the theatre are
Lujza Blaha
Lujza Blaha (''Ludovika Reindl''; 1850–1926) was a Hungarian actress and singer. She was known as "the nation's nightingale", an epithet given her by writer Mór Jókai. ''"First published in the Time Out Budapest magazine's monthly column "Magy ...
,
Kornélia Prielle
Kornélia Prielle (June 1, 1826 – February 25, 1906), was a Hungarian stage actress. She was the first actor to be honored by being a Perpetual Member of the National Theatre in Budapest, and is counted as a member of the pioneer generation th ...
Kálmán Rózsahegyi
Kálmán Rózsahegyi (6 October 1873, in Pest – 27 August 1961) was a Jewish Hungarian actor and teacher.
He descended from a family of theatre actors; his father, Ödön Rózsahegyi performed in the countryside. Kálmán Rózsahegyi also be ...
, ,
István Dégi
István Dégi (born Makó, August 21, 1935 - died Budapest, November 8, 1992) was a Hungarian actor.
Partial filmography
* ''Szerelem csütörtök'' (1959)
* ''Gyalog a mennyországba'' (1959)
* ''Égrenyíló ablak'' (1960) - Nagyfülü
* '' ...
,
László Márkus
László Márkus (10 June 1927 – 30 December 1985) was a Hungarian actor. He appeared in over 90 films and television shows between 1952 and 1985. He starred in the 1985 film '' Első kétszáz évem'', which was entered into the 36th Be ...
,
Zoltán Latinovits
Zoltán Latinovits (9 September 1931, in Budapest – 4 June 1976, in Balatonszemes) was a Hungarian actor.
Early life
His mother divorced his father Oszkár Latinovits in 1941 and married István Frenreisz, a medical doctor, with whom she had ...
, , and
Géza Hofi
Géza Hofi (born Géza Hoffmann, 2 July 1936 in Budapest; died 10 April 2002 in Budapest) was a Hungarian actor and comedian. He is possibly the most popular Hungarian parodist of all time, who has had a strong influence on Hungarian cabaret.
...