02. October 2006.

The Herend Porcelain Manufactory chose the worthiest venue and the best opportunity to express its ars poetica and its appreciation of the arts.

The gala opening performance of the Hungarian State Opera's 2006/2007 season, a premiere of Three Stage Works by the world-famous composer, Béla Bartók, offered an excellent opportunity for the Manufactory to create and to present a porcelain masterpiece expressing its appreciation of and admiration for one of the oldest pillars of Hungarian culture, the Opera House, and the Hungarian tradition of opera.

The history of opera in Hungary goes back more than 300 years, and the Opera House, designed by Miklós Ybl, has been its home since 1884. Along with the National Museum and Vigadó, the Opera House is one of the most important 19th century buildings of Budapest. Essentially neo-renaissance in style, it harmoniously amalgamates elements of the renaissance and baroque styles in its architecture, ornament, wood carvings and cast iron features, thanks to Ybl's attention even to minute details such as chandeliers, wall brackets and door handles.

The Herend artists have applied similar care and attention to detail to the exquisitely shaped neo-classical vase. The vase depicting the building was presented to the Opera House on 15 September by the Herend Manufactory as a token of appreciation. It was made using a meticulously applied special technique, and the artist needed all his exceptional skills to ensure that the curves of the vase did not distort the picture of the building. The ornamental vase was presented to the acting director of the Hungarian State Opera at the opening performance by Dr. Attila Simon, CEO of the Herend Porcelain Manufactory.

The first night of Bartók's Three Stage Works also offered an opportunity to the Herend Porcelain Manufactory to express its thanks and admiration to the leading representatives and patrons of the arts on the 125th birthday of the composer, one of the greatest Hungarians of the 20th century. Thus the 'Prize for Hungarian Arts' and the Manufactory jointly awarded the Béla Bartók Memorial Prize to the Hungarian State Opera in recognition of its work and achievements to date. Of course the prize was a Herend porcelain bust of Béla Bartók, which was presented by the founder of the Prize for Hungarian Arts, Lajos Gubcsi.