On January 21 at 6:00 p.m., the Balaton Theatre’s Simándy Hall opens its doors for a free evening that brings a lost icon into sharp focus. Historian, museologist, and teacher Dr. Lajos Szarka delivers The Forgotten World Beauty: Böske Simon, Born in Keszthely, tracing the life of the hometown figure who once captivated the world. Szarka has written 20 books and over a hundred publications, many on Jewish history in Hévíz, Keszthely, and Zala County, and on the biographies of notable Jewish figures who shaped national life. For five years he balanced teaching with work as a historian-museologist at the Budapest Holocaust Memorial Center. He co-founded the cultural journal Hévíz and, in December 2014, established the Immanuel Hungarian–Israeli Friendship Society in Keszthely, which he still leads. Under his guidance, the city has hosted several acclaimed conferences on the history of Hungarian Jewry and Israel. Everyone curious about rediscovering Böske Simon’s story is warmly invited.
Getting Close: Words, Music, and What Binds Us
On January 26 at 6:30 p.m., the Balaton Theatre’s main stage turns intimate with KÖZEL – What Connects Us, a literary and musical surprise evening with author Sarolta Dobray and psychiatrist-composer-performer Dr. György Bánki. “Come here. Closer. Very close…” The invitation sets the tone for a night that leans in. Marking the release of Dobray’s new short story collection Közel (Close), the event moves through the finest tremors of life: motherhood, loss, childhood memories, whispered moments, small but telling gestures. These are scenes we rush past in the everyday, yet when allowed near, they unfold into entire worlds. Instead of focusing on what divides, Dobray’s stories turn the gaze toward what connects. The evening’s twist: Bánki steps beyond psychiatry, scoring the readings with his own compositions and layering in psychological insights that open fresh strata within the texts. Expect a rare, tender atmosphere where stories don’t just end—they resonate. The Közel book will be available to buy on-site.
Boundless Frames: Freedom Without Limits?
On February 6 at 6:30 p.m., entrepreneur and Shark Tank (Cápák között) star investor András Moldován arrives live at the Balaton Theatre with Boundless Frames – A Dead End for Infinite Freedom?, an interactive talk drawn from his second book tour. The promise: no livestream can match the spark of being in the room. Moldován’s events transform audiences into active participants as he reframes the personal and social boundaries we need. Without these structures, he argues, the dream of total freedom collapses into a dark cul-de-sac. Come for a thought-provoking yet highly entertaining experience—and hear a star investor think out loud in real time.
Science Stand-Up: Living with AI
On February 11 at 7:00 p.m., the Balaton Theatre hosts Scientific Stand-Up – László Mérő: Symbiosis with Artificial Intelligence. Where does AI research stand in the 21st century? Should we fear the rise of machine minds? How do the intelligent systems we’ve built shape our days and the future racing toward us—and are Hollywood’s visions of takeover or technological singularity warranted? Mathematician, psychologist, publicist, and former AI researcher Dr. László Mérő approaches AI from multiple non-technical angles, sketching the imagined future we’re already living in and speeding toward. He explores how an artificial consciousness, created by us, might affect individuals psychologically and even physiologically, offering a bigger-picture lens on a rapidly entangling coexistence.
Inside Serial Killers’ Minds
On February 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the theater hall, Human Beasts – A Glimpse into the Minds of Serial Killers pulls back the curtain on crime’s darkest corridors. Tickets: 5,500 HUF. Former top homicide detective Péter Doszpot and advisory forensic psychologist Gábor Antal lead an exclusive evening that follows the trail of serial killers. Who are they, really? What drives their twisted psyche toward cruel, bizarre acts? How does a psychopath think—and can they be treated? What investigative instincts are needed to find them, what mistakes expose them, and is there a true antidote to their threat? Through film clips and real cases, the pair shows how policing and psychology intertwine across notorious Hungarian and international cases from the 20th century to now. Do childhood traumas create serial killers? What does science say, and what do field veterans know? Two experts, two viewpoints, one chillingly unique night.
Raising Teens Today
On March 10 at 6:00 p.m., psychologist, trainer, and university lecturer Dr. Annamária Kádár presents Tweens and Teens – What Are They Like Today, and How Do We Connect with Them Well? in the Balaton Theatre’s main hall, organized by the Open Academy. Tickets: 4,200 HUF. Expect practical insight on today’s adolescents, the challenges they face, and ways to build real connection—less friction, more understanding, and strategies that actually meet them where they are.
