Béla Faragó was born in 1961 in Kaposvár.
He studied composition in Budapest, first at
the Béla Bartók Secondary School of Music,
then the Liszt Academy of Music, and finally
in the Netherlands at the Royal Conservatory
of Music in the Hague. Since 1990, he has been
a teacher of classical composition, orches
tration, harmony, international folk music,
and improvisation techniques at the Jazz
Department of the Liszt Academy of Music. In
1995, he was one of the founding members of
the Bárka Theater Company in Budapest and
worked as its musical director until 2007. Since
the age of 16, he has participated in various musical events as both pianist and
composer, as a member of Group K.Z.S. and Group 180, and as a soloist; he
has given concerts all over Europe and in the United States. He has worked
and performed with (among others) Louis Andriessen, Steve Reich, Terry
Riley, and Meredith Monk. In 1993, as “Composer in residence”, he visited
the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada, and in 1997 was invited to
the Now Music Festival in Columbus, Ohio. He has released five CDs of his
own compositions, and as a conductor and keyboardist, he plays on around
fifty contemporary music albums as well. Over the last four decades, he has
composed around 100 pieces of incidental music for theaters, radio, and
television-plays and films. His six operas were premiered in Hungary, among
them The Metamorphosis based on Franz Kafka’s novel. He has received several
prizes for his compositions, the most important among them are: the “Best
Original Music Prize” at the VII. International Videodance Competition in
1996, Naples (Italy) for the ballet-music of The Vilis (Ghost Brides); the Erkel
Prize in 1996; the Artisjus Prize for Hungarian Music Education in 2012, for
his outstanding pedagogical achievements.
F
OPERAS AND OPERETTAS
The Secret – Chamber Opera in One Act (1993–1994) Lib: László Magács
SR: VTCD Media – VT 002
East Side Story – Opera in Two Acts (1999–2000) Lib: György Gém
Operetta – (2003), 3 Acts Lib: Lajos Parti-Nagy Pub: Luna-Sol Edition
SR: BÁRKA KHT – BR 001
Metamorphosis – Opera in Two Acts (2009) Lib: Kristóf Kovács (after Franz
Kafka) SR: Hunnia Records HRDVD 1102
The Goose Boy – Song Opera in Two Acts (2011) Lib: Géza Szőcs
Antigoné – Opera in Two Acts (2013) Lib: Dezső Mészöly (after Sophocles)
A Glass of Water – Opera in One Act (2016) Lib: János Háy
You’re Not Going Anywhere Today – Opera/Operetta/Oratorio in Three Acts
(2019) Lib: Miklós Forgács
STAGE WORKS
The Last Waltz (1989), 11 instr. Co: Warren Spears
The Villis (1993), synth., vl., vla., db., tape Co: Yvette Bozsik
The Silver Mirror – Pantomime (1993), computer, tape Dir: László Magács
Farewell to Life – Pantomime (1998), synth. Co/Dir: Pál Regős
Beckett Symphony – Pantomime (2002), synth. Co/Dir: Pál Regős
Kaddish for Myself – Pantomime (2004), synth. Co/Dir: Pál Regős
SR: HCD 32637
ORCHESTRAL WORKS
Farewell to Várad – Cantata on Janus Pannonius’ Poems (1990), S, A, Bar,
SATB, symph. orch.
Two Miniatures (Intervall-Interlude/Funeral Anthem) (2004), str. (youth) orch.
Two Interludes – Hommage à Ferenc Erkel (2010), symph. orch.
ENSEMBLE
Wind Quintet (1979), fl., ob., cl., bs., hn.
The Spider’s Revelry (1980), fl., perc., vl., vla.
The Spider’s Death (1983), fl., ob., bs., trb., 2 pno., vl., vla., vlc., db.
Pub: KZM SR: SLPX 12799, VTCD Media VT 002
Notes on a Dream (“Dream Record”) (1990), fl./A fl., ob./engl. hn., cl./B cl., bs.,
trb., pno., synth., vl., vla., vlc., db. Pub: Luna-Sol Edition SR: HCD 31192
String Quartet (1998)
Two Interludes (2000), fl., ob., cl., bs., hn., tr., trb., perc., pno., vl., vla., vlc., db.
Little Suite – Quartet of Guitars or Guitar Orchestra (2011) Pub: KZM
CHAMBER WORKS
Invention (1978), 2 pno.
On the First Day (1979), 5 perc. Pub: Luna-Sol Edition
Four Duos for Trombone (1979) Pub: KZM
Musica Ficta (1979–1987), 2/3 guitars Pub: Universal Edition
The Spider’s Wedding (1982), 5 tom-toms
Whenever You’re Away (1985), 2 guitars Pub: Akkord SR: SLPX 12946
Gregor Samsa’s Desires (1987–1991), B cl./cl., pno. Pub: Luna-Sol Edition
SR: BMC CD 023, BMC CD 048, VTCD Media VT 002
Four-Part Invention (1991), 2 pianolas
Three Dances (1991), tr., pno.
New Musica Ficta (1999), 2 guitars
Musica Realtá (2005), cl./B cl., bs. Pub: KZM
Introduction and Rondo (2016), 2 fl.
CHORAL WORKS
Prometheus – Cantata (2000), narr., SATB, perc., tape Lib: Aeschylus,
János Matuz
Silent Night (arr. on F.X. Gruber’s Music) (2000), SATB, perc.
Dustball Songs and Dances – Four-Part Choir-Suite from “Metamorphosis”
(2009), male chr. SR: BMC CD 258
VOCAL WORKS
Music for T. (1987), S, vl., org.
The Last Dinner – For the Last Time (1988), S, MS, vl., org. Lib: No Text
Gloria and Sanctus (1995), SATB, chbr. orch.
353 Days – “Mass” (1995), SATB, chbr. orch. Pub: KZM SR: BMC CD 023
Songs on Attila József’s Poems (1996), S, vl., pno. Pub: Luna-Sol Edition
Ave Maria (Aria on W.A. Mozart’s Music) (2001–2005), S, str. orch.
Lib: Paulus Diaconus
Eastern Still Life (2002), T, chbr. orch. Lib: Ferenc András Kovács
How to Find Our Lost Love? (2002) S, MS, A, Bar, chbr. orch. Lib: János Háy
Birds of Pompeii (2018), MS, fl./A fl., pno., vlc. Lib: Boglárka Cziglényi
Pub: Luna-Sol Edition
Farewell to Várad – Cantata on Janus Pannonius’ Poems (2019), S, A, Bar, fl.,
str. quartet, org. Pub: Luna-Sol Edition
SOLO WORKS
if… for piano solo (1978)
NGC 1961 M 22 (1978), pno.
Moonshadow Sonatina (1999), pno.
Serenade (2006), fl.
Hommage in Two Parts (2010)
La Nativité (2018), pno.
ELECTROACOUSTIC WORKS
“SEIKO” – Music for 100 Quartz Watches (1984)
Report to the Academy (1985), tape
“…sub galli cantum…” (1991), tr., tape SR: HCD 31624
The Villis – Ballet-Suite (1993)
Dirty Work Tape-Music (1993) SR: HCD 32449
—+++one – For One Shakuhachi-Player/Actor (1994)
1101 Sounds (1997), tape
Lux Perpetua (1998), narr., fl./A fl., tr., perc., typewriter, synth., vlc. SR: HCD 31868
Janus-Face (1998), synth., vl.
Pattern Modulations, No. 2. (1999), synth., vl., B guitar
Prometheus – Cantata (2000), narr., SATB, perc., tape Lib: Aeschylus, János
Matuz
The Faces of Light – Sound Poem (2000–2001), S, T, B, synth. Lib: Aeschylus,
János Csányi, Composer SR: BMM 0203-35214539
Four Breathes for Usui (2001), shakuhachi, fl., perc., synth. SR: HCD 32347
Shadowsong (2003), S, cimb., synth., B guitar
Aerophonic Meditation (2004), voice, rec., bagpipe, perc., synth., vl.
Zazen – Hommage à L. Vidovszky (2005), vl., synth., tape
Dance Order (Suite) (2006), bs., tape
Antiphony (2008), hn., tape
Zazen, Second Version (2008), hn., cimb., tape SR: HCD 32601
Omnes Generationes (2009), fl., picc/fl., fl./A fl., tape
PERFORMANCES/MUSIC–THEATRE
Awakening of the Arts (1980)
My Wall-Newspaper (1984), 100 quartz watches, 24 typewriters, tape
recorders, slide projectors and cameras
Love in Na’Conxypan – Mystery Play (1994–1995), 3 actors, dancer, vl., trb.,
perc. Lib: Lajos Gulácsy
—+++one – For One Shakuhachi-Player/Actor (1994)
INCIDENTAL MUSIC
Holding Breath – Film Music (1985), vocal, pno. Dir: Attila Janisch
Exit the King (1989), fl., ob., cl., bs., trb., synth., vl., vla., vlc., db.
Lib: Eugène Ionesco Dir: Tamás Ascher
The Last Waltz – Ballet (1989), 10 instr. Co: Warren Spears
Károly Bari’s Poetry (1992), vocal, fl./A fl./picc., perc., harp SR: SLPX 14234
The Lower Depths (1992), vocal, synth. Lib: Maxim Gorky
Silver Age – Film Music (1992), pno. Dir: Csaba Bollók
The Villis – Ballet-Film (1993), vl., vla., db., synth. Dir: György Gém
The Silvermirror – Pantomime (1993), synth. Lib: Milán Füst Dir: László
Magács SR: BMC PCD 015
Midsummer Night’s Dream (1994), synth. Lib: William Shakespeare
Dir: János Csányi
The Crucible (1995), chr., synth. Lib: Arthur Miller Dir: János Mohácsi
The Sleeping Beauty (1995), vocal, perc., synth., vl., B guitar Lib: István
Bálint Dir: László Magács
Winnetou – Film Music (1995), synth., perc. Dir: Csaba Bollók
Don Quijote – Film Music (1996), 2 guitars Dir: Csaba Bollók
Tom Paine (1996), vocal, chbr. ens. Lib: P. Foster Dir: János Mohácsi
Prometheus Bound (1996), female chr., perc., synth. Lib: Aeschylus
Dir: Endre Gaál
A Flea in Her Ear (1997), synth. Lib: Georges Feydeau Dir: János Mohácsi
Wounded Women (1997), vocal, perc. Lib: János Arany Dir: László Magács
Winnie the Pooh (1997), vocal, synth. Lib: Alan Alexander Milne Dir: László
Magács
Ivan Vasilievich (1998), chr., syth. Lib: Mihail Bulgakov Dir: János Mohácsi
Chalk Circle (1998), vocal, chbr. ens. Dir: János Mohácsi
Fair Ladies at a Game of Poem Cards (2000), vocal., fl., perc., zither Lib: Peter
Oswald Dir: Tim Carroll
The Paul Street Boys (2002), vl., perc., synth. Lib: Ferenc Molnár Dir: György
Vidovszky
Moonlight (2003), vlc., synth. Lib: Harold Pinter Dir: László Bérczes
Romeo and Juliet (2003), vocal, dvojnice, cl., vl., tambura, acc., tapan,
tarabuka, org., synth. Lib: William Shakespeare Dir: János Csányi
Lord of the Flies (2004), vocal, synth. Lib: William Golding Dir: György
Vidovszky
Pelléas and Melisande (2005), 3 B, perc. Lib: Maurice Maeterlinck Dir: Zoltán
Balázs
Hamlet (2005) Lib: William Shakespeare Dir: Tim Carroll
School at the Frontier (2006), vocal, synth. Lib: Géza Ottlik Dir: György
Vidovszky
Be Faithful unto Death (2006), vocal, pno., synth., perc., db. Lib: Zsigmond
Móricz Dir: Árpád Árkosi
The Caucasian Chalk Circle (2007), vocal, cimb., perc., synth. Lib: Bertolt
Brecht Dir: György Vidovszky
Henry IV. (2012), vocal, org., synth. Lib: William Shakespeare Dir: Tim Carroll
Fanny and Alexander (2012), vocal, pno., synth., perc. Lib: Ingmar Bergman
Dir: György Vidovszky
Professor Hannibal (2013), vocal, synth., perc. Lib: Ferenc Móra Dir: György
Vidovszky
Island of Treasures (2014), vocal, synth., perc Lib/Dir: János Matuz
Winter (2014), pno. Lib: Jon Fosse Dir: László Bérczes
Momo (2014), vocal, synth. Lib/Dir: János Matuz
Lord of the Flies (2018), vocal, synth. Lib: William Golding Dir: György
Vidovszky
