After the Berliner Ensemble, the Dresden Theater is not willing to come to the MITEM either. In this way, they show solidarity with their teachers and current students.

There is growing resistance from students and teachers to the reduction of the autonomy of the University of Theater and Film Arts (SZFE) due to the government’s decision to continue the university as a foundation under Attila Vidnyánszky. More and more world-famous artists are joining the solidarity movement around SZFE, but the Vidnyánszky family is not expanding. You can follow the latest developments in the SZFE scandal in our article series.

The Staatsschauspiel Dresden withdraws its participation as a guest in the MITEM festival organized by Attila Vidnyánszky at the National Theater in Budapest due to the “increasingly aggressive” debate around the University of Theater and Film Arts (SZFE), announced the Dresden company on their website.

The company would have performed Sin and Punishment directed by Sebastian Hartman in April this year, but due to the epidemic, the festival was reorganized in May 2021. The theatrical announcement, first noticed by Telex, describes the events with SZFE: the The university was previously considered a “space for free thought and creativity” a patronage of a loyal member of the government ”, which“ deprived the hitherto free leadership of almost all powers ”and the protests“ had no consequences ”.

Joachim Klement, director of the theater, said: “We have always defended a free society in which freedom of thought and artistic expression is a fundamental value of democracy and part of fundamental human rights. What is currently happening in Hungarian cultural life confirms our impression that our artistic work would be used as part of some kind of cultural struggle. Therefore, we cannot accept the invitation from MITEM. With this, we express our protest and solidarity with the teachers and students of SZFE in Budapest ”.

The background to the company’s lines may be that Attila Vidnyánszky recently argued in his hearing at the European Commission, where he said that the anarchic conditions at SZFE are already dangerous from a fire safety point of view, that the variety of companies that act in MITEM.

Previously, one of the most recognized German companies, the Berliner Ensemble, canceled its performance at MITEM for similar reasons. In his response to them, Vidnyánszky wrote, confident that although our worldviews are really different, we still understand each other, and MITEM is an open festival where artists with different visions are still welcome guests.



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Return from the Vidnyánszky festival in one of the most famous European theaters



hvg.hu
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The Berliner Ensemble thus supports the protest of students and teachers of the University of Theater and Film Arts.

Vidnyánszky to the European Parliament: Anarchy in the SZFE is already dangerous from the point of view of a fire department



Bálint Kovács
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The European Parliament held a hearing on the University of Theater and Film Arts. According to Attila Vidnyánszky, the protesters did not show solidarity with the SZFE, the event was the start of the campaign of the left-wing parties. According to the Secretary of State, the autonomy of the university is now greater than before, but according to the resigned rector of László Upor, this is only true for the board close to the government.