Christmas time in Budapest is a glittering affair, and seeing the Nutcracker at the Hungarian State Opera House is the icing on top! I can’t believe it took me seven years of living in Budapest to try it, but when my friends invited me along, I realized it made perfect sense! After all, I’d been curious to see the recently renovated Hungarian State Opera House in action. And while I’m not too familiar with opera (yet 😉 ), the Nutcracker was a familiar and fond story.
And of course, I love any opportunity to get dressed up!
But y’all…when I tell you the opera house’s interior was jaw dropping…that barely even covers it. I could have spent the whole evening in the foyer just admiring the ceiling, but there was more to see!
Entering the main room, I may have shed a tear or two (but there were definitely goosebumps!) How did I go from growing up in a small town, going to community productions of the Nutcracker with my grandma to spending Christmas in Budapest like this? Life has so many different kinds of beauty, doesn’t it? As the lights lowered and a hush fell over the audience, I had to take a moment just to soak everything in. And then, the heavy red velvet curtain parted, and the show began.
The show was a whirlwind of color, detailed costumes, and lush set design. The intermission gave us a chance to explore the grandiose opera house a bit more and sip champagne on the terrace (where my stiletto heel got stuck between the flagstones and my friend had to extract me, but that’s another story for another time, lol).
All in all, going to see the Nutcracker at the Hungarian State Opera House added a little extra magic to the holidays. I hope you get the chance to enjoy it as well!
If you’re visiting Budapest in another season, but you’d still like to see the opera’s interior, you can book an Opera guided tour!
Tip: If you want to see the Nutcracker in Budapest, book your tickets early. The shows always sell out! Tickets go on sale in the late fall, and I booked my Nutcracker tickets in September. On show days, you can try your luck for standing tickets, but those go lightning fast as well.
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