Tennessee Williams’s world-renowned drama returns to the repertoire of the Hungarian National Ballet between 19 and 27 June 2026, in Marianna Venekei’s full-length choreography set to an original score by László Dés. The leading roles are performed in a double cast by Lea Földi and Jessica Carulla Leon, Iurii Kekalo and Raffaello Barbieri, as well as Artemisz Pisla and Katerina Taraszova at the Eiffel Art Studios of the Hungarian State Opera.
Blanche DuBois has lost almost everything: her family estate, her social standing, and the love of her life. Yet when she arrives with a single small suitcase at the home of her sister Stella in a run-down district of New Orleans, she still carries within her the elegance of the old Southern aristocratic world. The stifling confines of the modest working-class flat where she seeks refuge soon become the setting for tragic conflict as the fragile woman confronts the raw, instinctive, and practical outlook of Stanley, the master of the house.
Marianna Venekei’s choreography transforms the psychological processes of Tennessee Williams’s play into movement. The story unfolds through the sisters’ duets, the tense encounters between Stanley and Blanche, and Blanche’s memories and visions. László Dés’s original score creates a distinctive musical landscape by layering jazz elements, contemporary textures, and symphonic thinking. The result evokes both the atmosphere of 1940s New Orleans and the characters’ personalities and emotional states.
As in previous seasons, the principal roles are performed in double cast by Hungarian National Ballet artists experienced in dramatic repertoire. Blanche is portrayed by demi-soloist Lea Földi and principal dancer Jessica Carulla Leon, both of whom have been associated with the production since its premiere in 2017. Stanley is danced by soloist Iurii Kekalo and demi-soloist Raffaello Barbieri, who bring to the role its powerful energy and menacing presence. Stella is interpreted by demi-soloist Artemisz Pisla and coryphée Katerina Taraszova, capturing the young woman caught between two worlds.
As the season-closing ballet production of the Hungarian State Opera, A Streetcar Named Desire is performed on 19, 20, 26, and 27 June 2026 at the Eiffel Art Studios.
Photo by Valter Berecz
