THEY KNOW WHAT LOVE IS
„Look how beautiful a woman my mother still is, with grey hair. I’d like to play her! (...) You know, I’d like a role in which I attract men even in old age, I should exude... Eros!” She inspired Miklós Hubay to write a one act play titled They Know What Love is for her. The play is based on composer Berlioz’s memoires, i.e. it’s about a true story. Klári Tolnay’s partner was the then young Imre Sinkovits. Due to the play’s lasting success, they would continue to perform it for forty years, “aging into” their roles.
French romantic composer Hector Berlioz goes to see his childhood love Estelle Duboeuf and proposes to elope with the decent grandmother, taking her away from her family. They recall the passion of their youth, buried deep later on, conforming to conventions. But it’s never too late to “stop time”. True love lives on agelessly in everyone, it just takes courage to experience it. Miklós Hubay chose an excerpt from Sándor Weöres’ poem Happiness as the play’s slogan:
“We’ll be old and wrinkled,
but with flowers in our hearts.
Our great cloud-swing in flames…”
Miklós Hubay (1918-2011) created the richest dramatic oeuvre of our era, yet, his works have often been more appreciated abroad than at home. His writing achievement is special, because he built it consciously, he had meant to become a playwright since his youth. “Miklós Hubay lived a long life in theatres and for theatres,” wrote literary historian Lóránt Kabdebó. He had vast knowledge of history, art and languages. In his papers and essays, he elaborated on major subjects. He lived and worked in Geneva and subsequently, in Florence. He was also a significant literary translator. It is as a result of his initiative that we celebrate the Day of Hungarian Drama every year.
'Estelle: ...I was twenty when you last saw me. Since you remember me so fondly, I've wanted to remain a memory. But no, you want reality. This sad and ridiculous reality.
Hector: ...Look at these deep wrinkles, my grey hair, the turmoil of my troubled soul mirrored by my eyes... I've been en route to you for fifty years. So far, I've respected convention. Enough of that now!'
