Debrecen4U
September 10, 2025
The 2025 Kaszás Attila Award was presented at the National Theatre Season Opening Ceremony
The award was received by actress, Eliza Sodró at the Radnóti Miklós Theatre.
“Debrecen’s theatre art, surpassing its urban and regional significance, is now becoming decisive at the national and Carpathian Basin levels,” Mayor László Papp said at the gala of the National Theatre Season Opening, after the Csokonai National Theatre became a cultural strategic institution.
The Csokonai National Theatre opened 160 years ago with the performance of József Katona’s play Bánk Bán. The building hosted the all-day National Theatre Season Opening on Tuesday, the highlight of which was the presentation of the Attila Kaszás Award.
“Attila Kaszás’s personality still sets an example of human dignity, professional humility, and community service: these values live on in the award. The Attila Kaszás Award is about the spotlight, but equally about the invisible attention behind the scenes that sustains a community,” highlighted Dániel Vadász, acting director of the Csokonai National Theatre.
The special feature of the award is that the companies nominate, the profession chooses, and the final decision is made by the audience. Thus, the award is both a sign of professional and human appreciation. The award was earned by actress Eliza Sodró. “Let’s pay more attention to each other, pay attention to those who have drifted to the sidelines, pay attention to those who are just starting out, appreciate the elderly, and support the independent,” Eliza Sodró called attention to.
“Arts are the noblest means of expression of the human soul: in addition to helping talents flourish, arts education also strengthens our national identity,” as Irén Novák, Deputy State Secretary for Arts and Community Culture, said at the gala event. “It is particularly important that we build on values that forge a close bond between us and provide a spiritual anchor for our community. That is why the cultural government is committed to supporting all initiatives that serve the building of the homeland, the spiritual enrichment of the Hungarian nation, and the preservation of our cultural heritage,” she pointed out.
“The Csokonai National Theater became a cultural strategy institution as the first rural theater. Thanks to the completion of the Csokonai Fórum as a modern play space and the unparalleled renovation of the Csokonai National Theatre, the highest-quality rural theatre infrastructure has been created in Debrecen,” mayor László Papp said in connection with the new status. “Debrecen’s theatre art, surpassing its urban and regional significance, is now becoming decisive at the national and Carpathian Basin levels. This rank is also a responsibility, the responsibility to convey the values of Hungarian and universal culture even more in the future,” he emphasized.
Being a cultural strategic institution, the theater will receive more than HUF 900 million in additional support this year.
Source and photo credi t:debrecen.hu
