Szatmári Gizella: Signs of Remembrance - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2005)

Láizló Kelemen wad the tint to itage Romeo and Juliet in Hungary

formance in Hungary, each also attracted large crowds. Kazinczy would have liked to see Hamlet played in his own translation, but that performance never came into being. László Kelemen cast himself in smaller parts as the head of the troupe and his female relatives also appeared on the stage in the company’s performances. Kelemen would subsequently further the cause of Hungarian and catered for the tastes of his audiences as a translator, too. It was here in the Castle Theatre that, on 8 March 1800, Haydn’s Creation oratory was performed in the presence of the composer. On 7 May the same year, Beethoven played the piano during the celebrations held to mark the birthday of Palatine Joseph’s wife. "The artist’s consummate skill at playing the fortepiano was most highly regarded by all," commented a contemporary critic.

After a few smaller or greater mishaps, Hungary’s foremost travelling company arrived from Kassa to play here between 1833 and 1837. Having arrived from Kassa, the actors later became founding members of the National Theatre. The troupe's first performance here featured a "martial play’’, litván Boa22