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| setting = Altamont Free Concert | premiere_date = | premiere_location = Comedy Theatre of Budapest | productions = 1986 Albany, NY 2007 Budapest, Hungary concert | awards = }} ''An Imaginary Report on an American Rock Festival'' ((ハンガリー語:Képzelt riport egy amerikai popfesztiválról)) is a Hungarian musical by composer Gábor Presser, lyricist Anna Adamis and book writer Sándor Pós based on the short novel of the same name by Tibor Déry. The musical premiered in 1973, and being the first successful Hungarian rock musical (and also Presser's first theatrical work) opened the way for popular music to Hungarian theatres and literature. It is set in a U.S. rock festival and tells a story of a married Hungarian immigrant couple. The tragic musical became an instant critical and box office success in Hungary and—thanks to the several guest performances—Europe after its premiere in the Comedy Theatre of Budapest on March 2, 1973. Since then it has been performed by many Hungarian theatres in Europe while its English debut was in The Egg, Albany, New York, in March 1986. According to , a Hungarian encyclopedia of plays, “the most prominent productions were Balázs Kovalik's staging of 1999 in Szeged with choreography by Tamás Juronics and János Szikora's clear-out, thought-provoking rendition in Szolnok (2005).” The songs of the musicals became hits in Hungary and parts of the repertoire of Locomotiv GT. A radio play version of the musical was made in 1979. On the 25th anniversary of the premiere, the songs were reworked by Gergő Borlai, which were the basis of a new concert version of the show. ==History== Sándor Pós writer and dramaturge, assistant director of the National Theatre, seeing his career opportunities as a director have been exploited there, suggested the need of a "youth theatre" at a professional debate in 1971. While researching for the proposed repertoire, Levente Osztovics recommended him Tibor Déry's short novel titled , the theme of which Pós found appropriate for the adolescent and young adult audiences. Since his submission for theatre establishment didn't get an official answer, he presented the idea of the play to the manager of the National Theatre, Béla Both, who liked the concept and charged Pós with the dramatisation. Déry, being uncertain in the outcome of the enterprise until the premiere, gave his permission. After Both retired, the new manager, Endre Marton chose to direct the play himself and appointed Pós as assistant, but the rehearsals never started. After three months of waiting, Déry—with Pós's approval—gave the rights to the Comedy Theatre and Pós contracted to Magyar Rádió. Manager Zoltán Várkonyi gained the permits from the Department for Agitation and Propaganda of the Central Committee of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party by introducing the plot as a "criticism of the Western hippie culture". The authorities, however, kept their eyes on the rehearsals. Várkonyi asked László Marton to direct the play. During rehearsals Pós's 120-page-long draft was significantly shortened,〔 but was enriched with songs in accordance with the customs of the theatre. While several "traditional" theatrical composers were suggested for ''An Imaginary Report'', Marton preferred to work with popular musicians. His first choice was the Illés — to whom the original novel often refers to, drawing a comparison between them and The Rolling Stones. However, lyricist János Bródy and composer Levente Szörényi turned down the opportunity because of the anti-rock surface layer of the original short novel. (They continued to search for the topic of their planned rock opera in Hungarian history, see: .)〔 Next the authors of the other popular Hungarian rock band, the Locomotiv GT—composer Gábor Presser and lyricist Anna Adamis—were asked who were unfamiliar with theatrical composing at the time.〔〔 Their initial answer was negative for similar reasons but Presser, after rethinking the novel, ultimately changed his mind. He said, “When I met with Tibor Déry in connection with ''Rock Festival'' asked him if I understood correctly what the novel was about. I thought, it was about when you leave (homeland ), you bring it with you. He said 'yes'. So the story was in place for me.” Presser—previously known only as a rock musician—used his own musical style when composing thirteen songs for the musical. Concerning the lyrics, Adamis stated: ''An Imaginary Report'' met negative responses prior to its premier due to the paradox that caused the Illés to turn down the project. According to the paradox, the musical criticises the extremes and exaggerations of the popular culture, the youth culture, yet exploits its musical style. While the theatre world disliked the integration of rock music, the popular music industry had a problem with its topic. The play violated taboos on drugs, homosexuality, and the Holocaust. Péter Szántó wrote in his book ', “''An Imaginary Report'' was born in a hostile, tense environment. There was a split in the Locomotiv, since Károly Frenreisz (his brother Zoltán Latonovits exited the Comedy Theatre with anger) left the band. Almost each star of the contemporary () beat, rock, and pop-music was against it because they thought it to be against youth, and they didn't like the fact that a band like the Locomotiv participated in an official theatrical production. They thought it to be the treason of the genre.”〔〔 Upon its premiere on March 2, 1973, ''An Imaginary Report'' became a Europe-wide box office and critical hit.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「An Imaginary Report on an American Rock Festival」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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