Dutch Cultural Season 2004
Hongarije aan Zee 2004
In spring 2003 the Hungarian cultural government decided to organize a cultural season in Holland during the actual EU-presidency. Apart from modernizing and strengthening the national image – we think – the cultural relations of the two countries were promoted. “Europe’s attention is to be called upon Hungary step by step, which needs a systematic way of thinking. We went to a country where we were met by a fascinated audience as we had been the first from among the newly joining countries in the Union”, said István Hiller, minister of culture.
The always open Holland with its multicultural views almost “guaranteed” the favorable reception of the Hungarian programs. It was the first time that Hungarofest Public Benefit Company put forward contemporary Hungarian art: we were helped by András Török, Curator General. The name Hongarije aan Zee was a reference to an imaginary geographical place; we tried to come up with an idea of a Hungarian settlement in Holland so that the Dutch could make themselves at home there. The Hungarian name Partra, Magyar! (Ashore, Hungarian!) is a playful phrase, but it also implies that our “cultural disembarkation” is supposed to be an attempt to feel more comfortable in order to make an attempt to steal into the heart of the host country.
The symbol of the season was a Hungarian chili paprika of the shape of a Dutch pump in order to reform the “wrangler-goulash-great-Hungarian-plain” stereotype about our country. The series of programs started with the concert of the Budapest Festival Orchestra – conducted by Iván Fischer –, and all the tickets had been sold well in advance. The varied musical events were meant to represent the traditional and contemporary Hungarian musical trends. The shows of Muzsikás, Amadinda Percussion Group, Balogh Kálmán & The Gypsy Cimbalon Band, Dél-Alföldi Saxophone Group were also full-house concerts. The closing concert of the National Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Zoltán Kocsis in the Hague was also a worthy final moment of the season.
The De Telegraaf wrote an article – Hungary is more than goulash and paprika – about our debut: “Hungary, one of the 10 newly joining countries gave us a varied and rich calling-card proving that they have much more to offer than paprika and czardas”.
The card which was renamed with a wink Ashore, Hungarian meant that this Central-European country would not only strengthen and expand the cultural relations, but would like the Dutch to reassess the image of Hungarians. In the previous years Hungary successfully offered some similar “menus” to France, Italy, and England as well. The Hungarian organizers first got in touch with Hungarian artistic institutions and connoisseurs in order to create a “properly seasoned” series of programs suitable for the Dutch sense of taste, too. As a result 240 productions were chosen, and they were performed by approximately 2,000 artists in 30 different cities.
