00-Danube, Chain Bridge, Parliament (on the right), and Margaret Island (the trees in the river). Taken from a viewpoint below the Citadel. Buda (the hilly city) is on the left side of the river. Pest (the flat city) is on the right.
01-From Vienna, I took the RailJet (a local, not a bullet train) from Wien West station. We traveled about 250 kilometers (155 miles) in 3 hours.
02-Waiting to board the Railjet to Budapest. Definitely a younger crowd.
03-Inside the first class coach to Budapest.
04-On the train, Wien to Budapest
05-On the train, passing another Railjet
06-On the train, Wien to Budapest. Railjet seems to be an enterprise of the Austrian Government.
07-Coming in to Budapest
08-In the Budapest Keleti Station
09-The Budapest M1 Metro, Europe's first and oldest. The tram-like cars offer a straight shot from my hotel to Budapest's city center.
10-On the way from the Metro to the Opera House, I stumbled on this 1909 Secessionist-style building
11-New Theatre (SZINHAZ) is spelled on the frieze.
12-Theater entrance
13-In twin niches either side of the entry, the plaques announce "Szinhaz (theater) 101 years." Note the wreath and bow with the Hungarian colors.
14-Originally the "Parisiana" music hall (1909). The name was spelled out in gilt-framed squares in the frieze above the entry.
15-The letter "H" in the frieze
16-A simple but elegant service door and exit
17-Aerial view of Hungarian State Opera House, 1884. Canopy marked "Veuve Clicquot" is Belcanto Restaurant, where I ate after touring the Opera House. Új Színház (the New Theatre) is one block to the lower left (off the photo).
18-The neo-Renaissance Hungarian State Opera House, 1884, is a richly-decorated building and is considered one of the city’s most beautiful buildings.
19-State Opera House and banner for Mephistopheles. Composer Gustav Mahler was director in Budapest (1887–1891). Otto Klemperer was music director from 1947 to 1950.
20-The State Opera House underwent major renovation 1980–1984.
21-A section through the opera house from the entry (left) to the horseshoe-shaped concert hall (19 at right). Interiors shown in upcoming photos are 5, 7, and 10.
22-Entrance lobby
23-Entrance lobby, looking up to the second and third levels
24-Stairwell. The next photo is a detail of the ceiling dome (top background, this photo).
25-Looking straight up at a shallow dome in the ceiling.
26-This either the imperial room or the Székely Bertalan Room or both. The longer ceiling panel is shown in the next photo.
27-Ceiling detail, imperial room (Székely Bertalan Room).
28-Wall panels in the room are emblazoned with the crest/initials of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary.
29-This identifies the upcoming portrait: Delly Rózsi (1912 – 2000) in Tristan and Izolda
30-Primadonna Delly Rózsi (1912 – 2000) in Tristan and Izolda
31-Portrait of R Matyas Maria. Googling, I found that Maria Matyas, soprano, and the Barthel Woodwind Ensemble, performed on April 26, 1938, in the Lyceum series (which ran from 1928-1945 in the Louis Kaufman Auditorium, Graveraet High School, Marquette, Michigan).
32-The horseshoe-shaped interior
33-Stage front (proscenium)
34-The royal box
35-Proscenium arch
36-An early version of the Hungarian Coat of Arms hangs near the top of the proscenium.
37-The chandelier
38-The chandelier
39-Belcanto Restaurant across from the Opera. I had been sitting at the table at the left, but "Der Bomber, 13" and his party were seated next to me. They were loud and chain-smoked.
40-Belcanto Opera Restaurant. I was hungry and had a good fish. Then on to nearby St. Stephen's Basilica for an evening organ concert.
41-St Stephens Basilica, Google earth
42-St Stephen's Basilica (1851) from Karoly Korut
43-St Stephen's western facade
