International Theatre Workshop Launched in Sopron - Young Artists from Six Countries Collaborate in a Weeklong Creative Residency
The University of Theatre and Film Arts Budapest (SZFE), in collaboration with the National Theatre of Hungary and the University of Sopron, proudly presents the second edition of the International Theatre Workshop – Sopron 2025, taking place from 1 to 9 July on the picturesque campus of the University of Sopron. The initiative gathers jung actors and directors from Hungary and abroad, alongside distinguished educators and theatre professionals, for a week of intensive artistic collaboration. The official opening ceremony was held on 2 July at the Ligneum Event House.
Organised under the auspices of SZFE, the workshop hosts students and master teachers from six countries – Hungary, Spain, Romania, Peru, Bulgaria, and Mongolia – including representatives from the University of Theatre and Film Arts Budapest, the Faculty of Arts at Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Science Rippl-Rónai Campus in Kaposvár, the Universitatea Națională de Artă Teatrală și Cinematografică “I.L. Caragiale” (National University of Theatre and Film Arts, Bucharest) in Romania, the Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) in Peru (Peruvian University of Applied Sciences), Spain’s Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático de Castilla y León (Higher School of Dramatic Arts of Castile and León), the Mongolian State Academic Theatre of Drama and the Drama and Puppet Theatre of the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts in Bulgaria.
This international ensemble of over 80 participants engages in a dynamic programme of training sessions, workshops, and collective creative processes, fostering a rich exchange of theatrical traditions, methodologies, and visions. The endeavour seeks not only to share knowledge, but also to cultivate new possibilities for intercultural cooperation and artistic innovation.
Prof. Dr. Enikő Sepsi, Rector of SZFE, underlined in her welcome address:
“The International Theatre Workshop is far more than a summer academic event. It forms an integral part of SZFE’s international strategy and development. We are delighted that our students have the opportunity again to collaborate in such a vibrant and inspiring environment, working side by side with young artists from across the globe. Encounters of diverse cultural heritages, the mutual sharing of theatrical expertise and the act of creation itself may offer formative experiences that resonate throughout our participants’ professional journeys. We believe that this initiative contributes to the shaping of open-minded, transnational theatre communities.”
Each morning, the programme commences with intensive training sessions led by acclaimed Hungarian and international theatre practitioners. As András Kozma, dramaturg, literary translator, SZFE lecturer and leader of the workshop (representing the National Theatre), explained: participants are introduced to a wide spectrum of actor training methods – from the classical techniques of Stanislavski and Nemirovich-Danchenko, through Michael Chekhov’s method, to Grotowski- and Suzuki-based actor training, as well as contemporary physical theatre practices.
Afternoons are devoted to collaborative creation in international, mixed groups, mentored by director students. These sessions culminate in the development of 20–25-minute performance pieces inspired by Romeo and Juliet, reinterpreted through the tools of contemporary theatre. The final presentations will be staged in Sopron on 8 July.
The workshop is enriched by cultural and community events, including city tours, traditional Hungarian folk dancing, night party in the swimming pool, fire jumping and a visit to the Cave Theatre. Beyond the professional enrichment, the organisers aspire to foster enduring human connections and unforgettable shared experiences.
Prof. Dr. Attila Gábor Fábián, Rector of the University of Sopron, emphasised:
“It is a great honour for both our city and our university to host such an international gathering of artistic minds. A modern university must be more than a centre of academic excellence; it must also serve as a welcoming space for artistic expression and cultural engagement. We highly valued the partnership we have forged with SZFE and the National Theatre. Our students and faculty not only benefit from this summer programme, but also throughout the academic year, as part of the ‘Theatre, Naturally!’ performance series, which brings two productions per semester to our cultural calendar. Sopron is also a proud citadel of culture. The University of Sopron, honoured with the title of ‘University of the Year 2025,’ is steadfast in its support of the next generation of artists.”
This initiative stems from a tripartite cooperation agreement signed in May 2025 by the three institutions, aimed at launching joint artistic and educational ventures. The collaboration aspires to create platforms that nurture creativity, stimulate professional dialogue, and offer practical, experience-based learning opportunities. Ultimately, the partnership seeks not only to advance the development of young artists, but also to invigorate the broader Hungarian cultural landscape with fresh inspiration and international perspectives.
Other News
The First Half-Century of the Théâtre du Soleil and Two Special Guests – Book Launch in the SZFE Books Series
The SZFE Books series is once again enriched with a significant volume. Its mission is to make essential theatrical and film works available in Hungarian, works that are indispensable to contemporary artistic discourse. The newest addition is French theatre historian Béatrice Picon-Vallin’s book: Théâtre du Soleil – The First Half-Century of Ariane Mnouchkine’s Sun Theatre. The launch will take place on September 29 at the Doctoral School of SZFE.
“The Body Is Reality” – David Cronenberg in Budapest
David Cronenberg, the world-renowned Canadian director of the body-horror genre, visited the Uránia National Film Theatre as the guest of honor of the Budapest Classic Film Marathon. At the audience Q&A organized by the NFI and SZFE, viewers heard not only about the beginnings of his career and behind-the-scenes stories from his legendary films, but also about what technology and artificial intelligence mean to him.
Romeo and Juliet in the Rain – the Sopron International Theatre Workshop has concluded
In 2025, the University of Sopron once again hosted the International Theatre Workshop. On the closing day, July 8, the students presented the short stage performances inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet that they had been working on during the week at six different locations in the university’s botanical garden.
Students of SZFE at the Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Film Festival is the world’s most famous and prestigious film festival, held every year in the second half of May in Cannes. The main venue for the screening of films competing for the Palme d’Or, the festival’s top prize, is the Festival and Congress Palace (Palais des Festivals et des Congrès) on the Croisette. This year, 25 students from the SZFE traveled to the festival; we spoke with two of them, first-year television production student Kata Hegedüs and second-year student Eszter Simon, about their experiences.
The stage awaits! – new masterclasses at the SZFE
The University of Theatre and Film Arts will launch three 12-week masterclasses in February 2025: movement, voice training and a combined movement-voice training masterclass. The training coordinator for the movement masterclass is Vidáné Szent-Ivány Kinga, associate professor and winner of the Gyula Harangozó Prize, while the voice training coordinator is Borbála Keszei, assistant professor and winner of the Liszt Ferenc Prize.
Budapest among the best student cities in Europe
Based on a survey by The Campus Advisor, Daily News Hungary published the European university ranking, in which Budapest ranked 4th. The analysis is based over 17,000 authentic ratings by students and reflecting the real experiences of those with first hand knowledge.
Unique concepts - King Lear as a film or a stage play unique concepts
On a fortuitous day, December 13th, all eight of our Erasmus students presented their examination projects from their product design course under the guidance of Professor Éva Szendrényi. The focal point of their project work was the adaptation of the first scene of King Lear, either as a film or a stage play, applying the students’ unique concepts. The adaptations ranged from contemporary themes – a drag queen show, a modern USA Wall Street business narrative – to a fantasy tale. The presentations combined freehand drawings and photos. It was fascinating to observe how the students conveyed the characters’ features and dynamics through costumes, exploring how textures and colours could represent the nuances of the characters’ roles and the social distances within the narrative. Each presentation showed how the space, costumes, colours, and lighting design work in a play or film, expressing our students’ creativity and skills.
Money-making has always been a part of Art
Prof. Paulo Leite teaches at Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa in Portugal – He specialises in screenwriting and production and has long been involved in screenwriting and film finance and film marketing in the UK. We asked him about his experiences and views during his Erasmus exchange at SZFE.
