Budapest Operetta Theatre faces scandal over large payments to writer Orbán János Dénes

The Budapest Operetta Theatre (Operettszínház) has become the centre of a controversy after investigations revealed that the institution paid several hundred million forints to writer Orbán János Dénes for works that were also financed by the state‑linked Kárpát‑medencei Tehetséggondozó Nonprofit Kft. The payments, amounting to roughly 2‑3 billion forints between 2021 and 2026, were disclosed in a detailed accounting released to 24.hu.

Members of the theatre’s ensemble issued open letters demanding explanations, stating that the leadership had lost their professional and personal trust. In response, the artistic director Homonnay Zsolt publicly distanced himself from the alleged misconduct, apologized for not preventing the situation, and reiterated his focus on artistic matters only. The theatre’s chief executive and music director also issued statements, some acknowledging the members’ anger while others defended the use of grant‑funded resources for the productions.

Amid the dispute, the planned premiere of the play “A Mester és Margarita” at the Pécs National Theatre was cancelled, with organisers citing the surrounding public debate as a distraction from the work itself. The episode has sparked wider debate over cultural funding, contract transparency and the influence of political figures in Hungary’s performing‑arts sector.