Magyar News, 1995. szeptember-1996. augusztus (6. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1996-01-01 / 5. szám
AMD SAV HELLO TO VARDAI VALU The cast ofVardai Valu ’s first operetta in Kisvarda. The final bow after the performance at the Feszek Club in Budapest. From left to right: Krisztina Elo, Ferenc Vardai Valu, Marika Nemeth, Anikó Felföldi and Ervin Kibedi. a say in his future. After 1956 he felt that nobody will want to laugh. Ferenc left Hungary and ended up in America. He measured his actions to the size of this country. He wanted big, and he had it big. He organized and directed eight shows at the Broadway Town Hall Theater, what is second to Carnegie Hall in size, and six shows at the Barbizon Plaza Theater. The first show had five performances, all with full houses. This success immediately raised the spirit to continue with this venture. It is worth mentioning some of the performers, their names surely ring bells loud and clear. There was Jeno Horvath, Sándor Szabó, Anny Kapitány, Zoltán Zorand, Teri Fellegi, Marianna Krencsei, Imre Vasady, and many more, all top ranking artists. Ferenc wrote the lyrics, music and play for the musical “The Romantic Wild West” in 1971. The play went on stage with Anny Kapitány as the prima donna. This musical survived time and place because it had been made into a record that is still available. Ferenc Vardai Valu’s creative work wasn’t missed by Vera Jako. Under the direction of Dezső Abraham and Jako Vera, in 1985, put on a show at the Vigadó in Budapest that ran two full houses. Ferenc was awarded for the quality of his show. Following this great success, the performance was brought out to America. The show took place at the Broadway Town Hall Theater in New York. This was the first, and the only time, that performers from Hungary played on Broadway. A few years later an other performance took place in Budapest. This time, as a tribute by the Hungarian art community, it was held at the Feszek Club. Marika Nemeth, Krisztina Élő, Anikó Felföldi, Ervin Kibédi, Marik Péter and László Rapcsányi performed and the Radio Orchestra musicians under the baton of László Dobsza provided the music. I asked Ferenc how did he get started. I was anxious to find out what triggered the young man back in Kisvarda to start out on this journey and give him the strength to carry on even in the most desparate circumstances. Well, the answer amazed me. Ferenc told me that when he was a young boy, he was grinding com with a hand held mill. He had the rhythm with the grinder and a wedding procession was just passing by. It gave him pleasure to hum some melody and put words to it. But his real first try wasn’t a little song or a few lines of a verse, it was an operetta. He wrote, composed, did everything. After this he started to learn music. People would say that this is the wrong way, music should come before composing. It still turned out to be the right way for Ferenc Vardai Valu. Totally convinced that he should be acknowledged, he went to Szabolcs Fenyes at his arrival to Budapest. Ferenc felt insulted because Fenyes wouldn’t see him on Thursday, only on Monday. Ferenc did not accept this. Later he regretted it and blamed the success in Kisvarda, saying that it went to his head. In the entertainment industry he made a name for himself in a very short time. He wrote for many entertainers, even for most of Latabar’s supporting actors. Histoiy didn’t give him the opportunity nor the time for the people of the country to know him because he left Hungary with the many after the unsuccessful Revolutioa Here in America the good beginning wasn’t enough to keep afloat, language barrier and a different life style limited his possibilities to expand into the American life. Survival set the trap, he had to work and then take care of a family. He is back in swing again. Besides has shows in Hungary, he is in demand here too. In the first week of December the Hungarian Theater and Art Society of New York, sponsored by New York State Council on the Arts, put on a show including Varadi Valu’s “Karácsonyi Muzsikaszó” (Sound of Christmas Music). The show was directed by the very talented and ambitious Erzsi Cserey. We wish that some of these shows would be performed around in our area so that the Hungarian speaking members of our community would have access to them. We are looking forward to have Ferenc, who is a Huntington resident now, join in the events of our Hungarian community. For the time being we should be satisfied with some of his published materials. His book, “Ezen a világon nevetni kell” (You must laugh at this world) lives up to its title. The audio and video cassettes bring back memories of Budapest and give a selection of Ferenc's joyfirl music. While writing this article, his tape, “From Broadway to Budapest” was playing. Then my wife played it again, and the third time she was humming the catchy melodies. Give me a call, if you are interested in Ferenc Vardai Valu’s music and humorous writings on 377-0569, and I will help you get in touch with Ferenc. A good time is worth a little trouble. Joseph F. Balogh Page 7
