Which is stronger — passion or honour? How can sincere devotion coexist in the human heart with jealousy, integrity with betrayal?

Pietro Mascagni’s opera Cavalleria Rusticana, premiered with enormous success in 1890, tells the love drama of ordinary people in a Sicilian village. It is a realistic and deeply moving story accompanied by emotionally rich and expressive music.

At the festival, the production is staged by renowned Verona Arena stage director Paolo Panizza, with the participation of four outstanding choirs. Santuzza is portrayed by acclaimed Serbian dramatic soprano Marija Jelić, while Turiddu is performed by tenor Antonello Palombi, whose motto is: “Where there is music or singing, there is peace and joy — yet theatre and life are not the same.”

The first half of the evening features performances by the choirs, followed by the opera premiere after the intermission.

The pontPÉCS Festival

11 - 14 JUNE in PÉCS

Pont Pécs? Yes, pont Pécs! Once again, an international multidisciplinary arts festival is coming to the foothills of the Mecsek Mountains—a great reason to visit Pécs at the start of summer and spend a few days in the country’s most charming city. Culture is part of our everyday life here—not just a visitor—and during the pontPÉCS Festival, these extraordinary days become even more intense!

We are launching a new, exciting multidisciplinary arts festival that focuses on the diversity of contemporary art, the wholeness of art, creative collaborations, and unique artistic perspectives. The festival’s atmosphere will be set by Boban Marković, the most popular Serbian Roma band, followed by dozens of theatre performances, including productions by the Vígszínház, the Novi Sad Theatre, and the Senta Theatre, there will be a symphony featuring Vasarely’s works performed by the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra, the opera *Cavalleria Rusticana* (Rustic Chivalry) reimagined by an Italian director, and the spectacular, globally acclaimed musical entitled *Tesla*. The Hungarian House of Music is moving to the Planetarium, we’ll be taming AI, and in the film section, we’ll have the chance to meet directors in person, including Oscar winners Kristóf Deák and Ferenc Rófusz.

“Everyone wants to be from Pécs”—that’s the slogan of the University of Pécs, and it’s true for the most outstanding artists teaching at the University’s Faculty of Arts as well! The Festival’s goal is to showcase the artists who have made Pécs their home, presenting themselves through their own works and performances as film or theatre directors, producers, or dramaturgs; but we can also enjoy exhibitions by the most brilliant visual artists, as well as meet conductors, and university students from Hungary and abroad studying theatre production.

Why Pécs, though? —we ask you and ourselves this question, and we’re confident that these four days will provide the answer!

During the four days of the Festival, we can immerse ourselves in the spirit of Pécs: we can move from one performance to the next, including, discussions, masterclasses, and exhibitions. The productions invited to the Festival feature Central European culture; this year’s festival primarily hosts our southern neighbours, as Pécs is both an international university city and the gateway to the Balkans, embodying and embracing the freedom of cultural diversity and openness between East and West.

All we need is you! You can purchase discounted day passes and festival subscription passes, but even if you just want to attend a single performance, it will be an unforgettable experience. Make a mental note and mark your calendar: pontPÉCS!