The various fields of art date back to a rich past in Debrecen and its region. Under the shelter of the Reformed College great opportunity was provided for the development of sciences and arts. Due to the works of engraving students the arts products of the local printing house, bookbinder’s workshop and craftsmen the town itself became well-known and famous faraway during the last centuries.
In the twentieth century, a number of artists had strong ties to the town such as László Holló, László Félegyházi, Imre Égerházi, Árpád Bényi all painters and Ferenc Medgyessy sculptor. Visitors can see László Holló’s and Ferenc Medgyessy’s works in separate exhibition buildings while based on the Antall-Lusztig collection the Modem Gallery offers a selected exhibition from the art works of contemporary representatives of Hungarian art of painting and painters from the twentieth centuries.
The artists of our county are represented with remarkably great success both in local and national or international art exhibitions. The Autumn Art Exhibition of high standard provides the conditions for the common appearance for amateur and professional artists.
Colonies of Artists, Art Camps considerably assist the artists’ activity. The most important colonies and art camps are Hajdúsági International Colony of Artists in Hajdúböszörmény and Hortobágy Art Camps having a more than 20-year-old past. Through foreign contacts established by the county government and town municipality the artists of our county can be involved in the activity of foreign colonies of artists and art camps.
The life of literature with considerable traditions in Debrecen should also be remembered. The town where Mihály Fazekas, Csokonai Vitéz Mihály, Árpád Tóth, Sándor Tar lived and worked has its own museum of literature. Its present life of literature is established by the review of literature called Alföld and Debrecen Literary Days arranged by the review every year. Among others Géza Aczél, Szilárd Borbély poets, Péter Bálint and Miklós Tóth-Máté writers live and work in our town today.
Music culture experienced the first considerable change when György Gulyás was appointed the headmaster of Secondary School of Music in Debrecen. Apart from making modern Hungarian and foreign music popular and making good use of music pedagogy established by Zoltán Kodály and by Kodály’s pieces of music he made his mark as music professional by establishing Kodály Choir of Debrecen. Later Maróthi Choir directed by Lajos Czövek joined the group of choirs of Debrecen traveling in all parts of the world. A new era started for Philharmonic Orchestra of Debrecen and the opera ensemble of Csokonai Theatre under the directing activity of Vilmos Rubányi. The variety of music life is marked by events of international importance: the town hosts Béla Bartók International Choir Contest in even years and in odd years military bands from all over the world come to our town to the Festival of Military Bands.
Young people from Debrecen have always contributed to the popularization of the Hungarian light music. Numerous music groups started their career here in order to conquer the public.
An outstanding field of the cultural, art and educational life in Hajdú-Bihar County is the theatre life that practically is concentrated to Debrecen.
The theatre life in Debrecen boasts of an unrivalled abundance among the towns in Hungary.
Apart from the two recognized theatres called Csokonai Theatre and Vojtina Puppet Theatre, numerous amateur and alternative theatre ensembles also have an important part of the variety of the theatrical life in our town.
Csokonai Theatre dating back to a past of about one and a half centuries represents the central workshop of the theatrical art in Debrecen. The considerably ample range of repertory of the theatre with drama, dance and opera section and three playing spots offers high standard plays for every age-group. In the repertory you can find classical operas, popular operetta, musicals, the famous plays of world literature as well as the dramas of the Hungarian contemporary literature. The theatre underwent a transformation in 2006. The objectives of the present theatre management include the search for the special „Hungarian theatrical language” of universal validity. In this complex process affecting several fields of culture Csokonai Theatre as an establishment and the Debrecen Theatrical Region being in formation have a leading and integrating role on national level.
One of the biggest investments in Debrecen is a group of buildings called Debrecen Forum to be inaugurated soon. Part of the buildings will be the new theatre equipped with modern stage technology and seating hundreds of visitors.
One of the main puppet theatres of high standard called Vojtina can be found in our town. It offers not only theatrical performances but also so called play-houses on various issues and exhibitions to the audience. Vojtina Puppet Theatre is following the same road as it did in 1975 when it started its activity as a puppeteer company. The plan of the performances is based on folk-tales and the works of Hungarian classic authors, but the works of great authors of fairy tales are also chosen. In addition to the performances for children of great success, plays for adults are included in the programme from time to time. The programme of activities in play-houses follows the same intellectual road: folk-tales and works of folk poetry are played with groups of children and the common playing becomes a joy of feast.
Alföld Stage as one of the most considerable creative workshops of the theatrical life in Debrecen was established by other kinds of theatrical and community motivation working for three decades. The group was established by György Thuróczy in 1971 who had great theatrical experience. He had been the leader of this theatrical group for a long time. His successor was László Porcsin and in 2005 Csaba Sóvágó took over the leadership. The performances in the last thirty years have been a part of a multi-coloured and wide-ranging profile. Their performances include folklore programmes, absurd dramas, works of ancient classic authors, contemporary plays performing written works of art or a constructed play. The members of the theatrical group form a close community where being together and the professional development are equally important.
