Hungarian-born Livia Budai has emerged as one of the world's leading mezzosopranos.
From numerous international-singing awards she moved on to Budapest State Opera, for four years after having been graduated with honors from the acclaimed Franz Liszt Academy of Music. In 1977 she joined the respected German Music Theater in Gelsenkirchen, and the same year made her highly successful debut at Covent Garden as Azucena (with Bergonzi). The following year LIVIA BUDAI was Eboli in San Francisco. From 1980 through 1990 she portrayed the whole range of dramatic mezzo-soprano repertoire with the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. During the same period, LIVIA BUDAI appeared at the Vienna State Opera in the role of Eboli, as well as a new production of the original French version at the Covent garden, and then performed in a host of operas across Europe, including Madrid (Elisabeth in Maria Stuarda with Caballe), Florence (Giulietta,Maddalena), Barcelona (Eboli and Laura), Hamburg (Azucena, Eboli, Amneris), Monte Carlo (Carmen), Berlin (Laura opposite Domingo, Amneris, Azucena, Venus and Carmen with Atlantow), Bologna (Brangaene, Preziosilla, Bartok’s Judith), Rome (Bartok’s Judith). In 1985 LIVIA BUDAI was Judith in the Radio France production of Bartok’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” and then appeared as Ada at the Grand Opera de Paris in Berio’s “La Vera Storia”, a role she has repeated in Florence and in concert in Amsterdam’s Holland Music Festival in 1986. In the same period she debuted as Delilah in Antwerpen, a role she repeated in West Palm Beach (‘84), Liege (‘86), and Bonn (‘90). LIVIA BUDAI recent engagements included Amneris in Niece ‘87 and Arena di Verona ‘88, in Bonn ‘89, in Budapest ‘90 Laura in Berlin ‘86, Bonn ‘88 and Arena di Verona ‘88, Azucena in Budapest ‘88 and Essen ‘91 (new production), Fricka (Walkur) in Torino ‘87 and ‘88,Cassandre (Les Troyens) in Marseilles ‘89,Carmen in the Arena de Nimes ‘89 and in Marseilles ‘89, Fenena in Orange ‘89. She debuted in Brussels at the Theater Royal De La Monnaie in ‘79 as Eboli and appeared in that Theater in many times since as Azucena, Brangaene, Mrs Quickly (‘87), Kundry (‘89), Ortrud (‘90), Fricka and Waltraute (‘91) new Ring Production, Herodias, (‘92), Ulrica (‘92). Her North American appearances included in Toronto Azucena ‘84, Amneris ‘86, West Palm Beach, San Francisco, and Azucena in Metropolitan Opera New York ‘87 (with Pavarotti, Sutherland) also Azucena in New Jersey State Opera, ‘88.Michigan Sate Opera’88, Ulrica in Edmonton,’90, La Princes de Bouillon in Montreal ‘90. LIVIA BUDAI’s most recent engagements included Venus in Hamburg ‘90,’91,’93, and ‘94.Marfa / Dimitrij in Munchen ‘92, Klytamnestra in Antwerpen ‘92, Amneris in Hamburg ‘93 and ‘94, Klytamnestra in Frankfurt ‘94, Fricka in Frankfurt Ring ‘94. Klytamnestra in Hamburg ‘95, Frugula in Il Tabarro in Brussels ‘95, Eboli in Antwerpen ‘95, Ulrica in Brussels ‘95, Herodias in Brussels ‘95, Zaide in Brussels and Paris, ‘96, Venus in Nagoya and Tokyo ‘96, Klytamnestra in Dortmund ‘96, Carmen in Hungary, Summer Festival ‘96, Klytamnestra in Dortmund ‘97, Frugola in Brussels ‘98, Abuela in Brussels ‘98 and, Venus Palermo ‘98 Azucena Budapest ‘99 Ortrud Dusseldorf ‘99 Hata Monte Carlo Oedipus rex 2000 Brussels Antwerpen Azucena Amneris 2001 Budapest Kabanicha Luzern Brussels 2001 and many more. LIVIA BUDAI’s first solo record of Verdi, Gluck, Ponchielli, etc. arias was released in June 1989 under Hungaroton label and CBS La Gioconda with Marton, Lamberti, Milnes and Ramey, conducted Patane was released in November ‘89. Her other recordings include: Mahler Symphony No.8 Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, E.Inbal (Denon label),Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana Munich Radio Orchestra L.Gardelli (Eurodisc), Charpentier Te Deum Budapest Symphony Orchestra (Hungaroton), Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra (Hungaroton), Schumann Lieder op 69/91,Mendelssohn Motetter op 39. (Hungaroton), Schumann: Requiem fur Mignon, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, (Hungaroton), Dittersdorf: Ester, Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra (Hungaroton), Collection of Bartfa, Camerata Hungarica (Hungaroton). Her television broadcast included: from Belgium (BRTV0 Don Carlo ‘81, Il Trovatore ‘84, Tristan and Isolde ‘85. From Holland Icebreaker ‘83, from France (Marseilles FR-3) Rusalka ‘82, from Findland Don Carlo ‘85, Falstaff from Aix-en-Provence ‘89 and from Orange Nabucco (FR3) ‘89. LIVIA BUDAI not only offers a superb voice, but also brings a great vitality to all her characters. As well, she is comfortable in a concert setting, having performed in numerous major centers London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Budapest, Brussels, Montreal, Toronto, Vienna...
