A stone’s throw from the Sötét kapu, right in downtown Miskolc at 5 Rákóczi Street, the House of Arts (Művészetek Háza) promises zero boredom in 2026. The venue lines up literature, pop and classical music, theater, film, and fine art, plus easy online ticketing for everything. It’s a quick stroll from the Villanyrendőr and the Avas wine cellars—perfect for turning a show night into a full evening out.
Jazz, Stand-Up, and a Classic Tearjerker
The calendar starts intimate and stylish: Jazz Inside Band sets the tone on Friday, January 16 at 19:00 with sophisticated live jazz in the MÜHA Café.
Two days later, on Sunday, January 18, László Lakatos brings his brand-new Dumaszínház special, I’m Here (Megjöttem), to Miskolc with three consecutive performances at 16:00, 18:00, and 20:00. Pricing is demand-based—so book early if you’re planning on laughs in prime time.
On Monday, January 19 at 19:00, Veres 1 Színház stages Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias (Acélmagnóliák), set in a small-town hair salon where fragility and grit collide. The women aren’t heroes, but they can laugh through pain—and make us laugh too. Cast: Nelly Fésűs (Truvy), Anna Götz/Andrea Balázs (M’Lynn), Boglárka Ferenczy-Nagy (Shelby), Edina Csáki (Annelle), Enikő Zorgel (Clairee), Gyöngyi Molnár (Ouiser). Translation by Gabriella Prekop; directed by Dániel Dicső with sets by Ferenc Szakács, costumes by Nóra Cselényi, and dramaturgy by Enikő Deés.
Bedlam, Benefits, and a London Heist of a Plot
Michael Cooney’s Nicsak, ki lakik itt?! returns Tuesday, January 20 at 19:00, and again Friday, May 8 at 19:00. This Bánfalvy Stúdió farce (revived in 2025) is a two-act whirlwind directed by Csaba Horváth, produced by HCS and Oliver W. Horvath, with translation/dramaturgy by Albert Benedek. A Hungarian in London—rolling in unemployment benefits, old-age pension, sick pay, family allowance, disability benefits, and of course free cow’s milk—decides he’d rather ditch the illicit cash than lose his wife or his freedom. But shedding benefits isn’t easy. Cast includes Iza Varga/Zsófia Kondákor (Linda Szűcs-Swan), Ferenc Hujber (Róbert Szűcs), Ganxsta Zolee (Gyurka), and more, with a jealous-wife subplot involving a breastfeeding-bra business that’s as absurd as it sounds.
Hamvas, Wine, and Songs on the Wind
On Wednesday, January 21 at 19:00, József Wunderlich teams up with cimbalom virtuoso Bálint Tárkány-Kovács and Tárkány Művek for Hamvas Songs (Hamvas dalok), a night that imagines Béla Hamvas not just as a philosopher but as a songwriter, channeling his Balaton hillside musings on God and wine into music. Texts are drawn from Hamvas—especially The Philosophy of Wine and essays like God’s Snack and Fried Soup (Rántott leves)—edited and composed by Tárkány-Kovács, directed by Géza Galán, visuals by Ágnes Albicz. Performers: József Wunderlich (actor), Borbála Fekete (vocals), Júlia Viszkeleti (vocals/winds), Márton Fekete (viola), Péter Molnár (double bass), Zsolt Rónai (guitar).
Literature Meets Pop: Star Jam (Csillaglekvár)
Thursday, January 22 at 19:00, for Hungarian Culture Day (Magyar Kultúra Napja), Star Jam (Csillaglekvár) brings a living, breathing dialogue of literature and music: Szilárd Balanyi (Quimby), Anna T. Szabó, Dorina Galambos, and Flóra Kiss. Sparked by Balanyi’s 2022 album Well, This Is It! (Na, ez az!), which featured lyrics by writers like Anna T. Szabó, János Lackfi, Krisztián Grecsó, and Zsófi Kemény, the set blends songs born from Anna’s poems with prose and verse interludes, instruments slipping under readings before the music takes the lead again.
New Year Operetta Gala: Wine-Drenched Nostalgia
Saturday, January 24 at 15:00 and 19:00, the Monarchy Operetta (Monarchia Operett) uncorks Joy in Wine (Borban a vigasság) – New Year Operetta Gala, a lavish time-travel through the heritage of Hungarian wine and operetta, spotlighting the life and passion of legendary grape breeder János Mathiász. Expect beloved drinking songs and sparkling operetta cuts from Imre Kálmán, Jenő Huszka, Pál Ábrahám, Johann Strauss, Béla Zerkovitz, Mihály Eisemann, and Szabolcs Fényes, including In Vino Veritas (Borban az igazság), We Musicians at Heart (Mi muzsikus lelkek), Hey, Gypsy (Hej, cigány), Csopak, Somló, Badacsony, On the Miraged Hortobágy (Délibábos Hortobágyon), and A Drunken Night (Egy részeg éjszakán). It’s sight, sound, and taste rolled into one: dazzling sets, glittering costumes, humor, romance, lead soloists, and a rich score. Runtime: 150 minutes with one intermission.
Six Women, One Pole, Zero Shame
Sunday, January 25 at 15:00 and 19:00, Dave Simpson’s The Naked Truth (Meztelen igazság) spins a musical comedy about six very different women who sign up for a pole-dancing course for confidence—and quickly find they’re there for more than the moves. Friendships spark, secrets surface, and they learn to love their bodies. Driven by a bold idea, they shed their inhibitions—and their clothes—for charity. It’s witty and liberating, celebrating self-acceptance and female solidarity. Cast: Petra Haumann (Trisha), Piroska Kokas (Bev), Anita Deutsch (Faith), Zsuzsa Nyertes (Sarah), Évi Sári/Barbara Xantus (Rita), Linda Fekete (Gabby). Directed by Rita Tallós.
Symphonic Series and Rock & Roll Roots
The Miskolc Symphony Orchestra’s (Miskolci Szimfonikus Zenekar) Maestro subscription anchors the season: Monday nights at 19:00 on January 26, February 16, March 9, April 13, and Thursday, May 7—expect big orchestral energy across winter and spring.
On Tuesday, January 27 at 19:00, Made in Hungária (a musical in two acts) roars back to the early ’60s. After defecting and returning, the Fenyő family from Angyalföld finds teen Miki—here, Ricky—hooked on everything American: gum, Marlboro, Hawaiian shirts, Ballantine’s, and above all, rock ’n’ roll. With a radio-tech mentor and amps cobbled together from a shoebox and a nightstand, a band is born, blasting Viva Rock and Roll from Saint Stephen Park (Szent István park) to the Tisza Street block party. Cast highlights: János Ondrik (Ricky), Tamás Mészáros (Jerry Lee Lewis), Csaba Vizeli (Rudi), Tamás Töpler (Röné), Balázs Szarvas (Csipu), Kristóf Cserna (Tripolisz), Krisztián Ráduly (Kis Nyírő), Milán Krncan (Bigali), plus Ágnes Kuczmann (Vera), Edina Csizmadia (Marina), Dorottya Tóth (Duci Juci), Edina Végh (Mother), Zsolt Kósa (Father), Márton Harmati (Sampon), Gabriella Tar (Hella), Nóra Bányóczky (Gretchen). Choreography by Gábor Bakó; directed by Csaba Vizeli.
Abigél Endures
Wednesday, January 28 at 19:00 and again Wednesday, May 6 at 19:00, Magda Szabó’s Abigail (Abigél) takes the stage. The beloved story hasn’t left the public eye since publication, whether as the oft-reissued novel, the endlessly re-run TV series, or its musical incarnation—proof that some tales simply refuse to age.
