Two Tristans and two kings Marke are sitting on the stage. They bend over and then back. They rise their arms, turn their heads. These minimal gestures, which are slowed down can give dream-like levitation to the wordless action.

Zoltán Balázs has not forgotten his earlier relative style, (Theomachia, The Blacks, The Vampire) and he has created the archetypic story with his own linguistic. Isolde appears here in two forms too, the most beautiful one can be connected to the one with blonde hair. Franz Schubert’s Serenade can bring romantic musical arcs into the place, the greedy male gazes follow rolling on the ground the prima donna’s movements, who is running from the right to the left side, up and down. They resonate to the view, not only with their direction, but with horizontal pirouettes they can easily jump over one another.

The miracle does not stop, tiny gestures, artistic signs on their own simplicity can express the happenings, and they draw truthfully the modulations of the inner happenings. It is not a shame, that we have already known the legend of the lovers, but the experience can be full, even if we can experience the suggestion of the view. – Or even more powerfully!!!

We can thank for the dramaturg, Judit Góczán, that in spite of the paralleled roles, doublings and compressions, she can keep the main line of the story, its stylistic unit. The original story becomes more relatable, in contrast to the director’s later performances, where the tonne of the words ruined the performance.

We the Vampire-admirers, the fans of The Blacks would like it very much if in the future with the Maladype, or with other formations, here in Hungary performances will be made with similar aims, as they can characterize the most authentically Zoltán Balázs’ extraordinary creativity.

White Elephant, Kulturális Ajánló, 2013

(translated by: Veronika Fülöp)