Magyar News, 2006. január-május (17. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
2006-02-01 / 2. szám
Concert by Gabriella Lendvay and Béla Czikány One goes to a concert, looks for the seat that has the number of his ticket, or if it isn’t numbered then one chooses the importance of hearing or seeing. In cases the performer’s appearance and talent are in the front. The concert I am writing about took place in a church. It didn’t have the formality of a stage where lights go on and off, and the curtain opens and closes. Everything was relaxed, friendly and you couldn’t ask for anything better. There were two singers, Gabriella Lendvay, soprano and beautiful, performing with Bela Czikany, tenor and handsome. They made a good team, their voices were superb. Gabriella is with the Hungarian Theater in New York, and Bela is from the Operetta Theater in Budapest. The program pleased young and old, and if you looked around at the audience you could pick out a big handful of people who with body language or the expression of their mouth were totally taken by the familiar songs. Later on I pointed out some people in the audience who were ready to join in as third member of the performers. The songs were from such famous composers as Ferenc Lehar, Imre Kalman, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Pal Abraham, and A.L. Weber. The whole event was organized by Agnes Szlovencsak, and she sure put together a full house. Let us learn about Gabriella.. She was bom in Transylvania at the time when her father was stationed there. Originally the family came from a famous place, Tokaj, where they owned vinery. The family left in 1956 escaping from the Soviet Communist rule. They settled in Philadelphia where the father, Mr. Nagy, became one of the founder of the Hungarian Center. Gabriella’s schooling took place in Philadelphia where she studied opera singing at the Collage, also in in Fairfield followed the performance with Bela Czikany at the XLV Magyar Kongresszus in Cleveland, Ohio. It is a tough time to keep in her footprints because they are all over the world. We were lucky. The first time she visited us, she played Katalin Karadi. Those who organized the performance from this end didn’t put their efforts into it. I guess that somebody playing this well known actress was not the best choice. Probably just “Hungarian songs” as the title would had been a better choice. Gabriella Lendvay stood out as a child with her distinguished voice but performing came later. In between she got married and had children, one girl and two boys. She was successful in all direction. Gabriella Lendvay Delaware. On top of this she enrolled in the famous Settlement Music Academy. This didn’t satisfy her Hungarian heart. She went to Hungary. Her cousin, Judit Rajk, a contra alto opera singer, and a professor at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest became her teacher. Gabriella visited Hungary twice every year since 1994 to take lessons. The same year she joined Erzsi Cserey at her New York Hungarian Theater. Gabriella was a new voice with a Hungarian training. Also with amazing talent she played Katalin Karadi, Hanna Honti, and many others. Listening to her singing with eyes closed, one would recognize the imitated person. Naturally with Erzsi Cserey she travelled all over the States. Her present visit Page 4 Bela Czikany On the left: Lendvay Gabriella and Bela Czikany perform a duo from a Hungarian opera. On the right: Two friends, Agnes, who organized the concert, and Gabriella, who filled it up with a warm soul.
