Featuring soloists Ildikó Megyimórecz and Szabolcs Brickner, the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus as well as dancers of the Hungarian National Ballet, the 2023 Christmas video with Hungarian lyrics by Szilveszter Ókovács and arranged by Boldizsár László is based on Josh Groban's 2004 hit single.
Regarding the choice of music, the OPERA's general director was introduced to the song in the mid-2000s when he was employed as communications director. The performance and the positive message of the song, the sense of community born of interdependence, elevation and a creative desire to go beyond ourselves were the reason he found the hit suitable for an operatic arrangement. The video directed by Zsombor Czeglédi is available on the social media sites and at the end of this article. It also features the two dancers of the Hungarian National Ballet, semi-soloist Kristina Starostina and soloist Kekalo Iurii, who are a couple in real life and have been members of the ensemble for a decade. It is for the first time that chorus members appear in the annual Christmas videos of the OPERA. The tradition was established in 2021 with Cantique de Noël by Adolphe Adam followed by The Carol of the Bells in 2022.
Performed by Kristina Starostina and Iurii Kekalo (dance), Ildikó Megyimórecz and Szabolcs Brickner (vocals), the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus (chorus director: Gábor Csiki), Veronika Botos (viola d'amore solo); conducted by Csaba Sámuel Tóth
Music: Rolf Løvland; arranged by Márton Andorka, László Boldizsár; lyrics by Brendan Graham; Hungarian lyrics by Szilveszter Ókovács
Sound engineer: Tamás Horváth; mixing and mastering: Károly Paczári; musical director: Boldizsár László
Concept: Szilveszter Ókovács; artistic director: András Almási-Tóth
Production Manager: Andrea Bánki
Director, DP, editor: Zsombor Czeglédi
Cinematographer: Krisztián Varga; cameramen: Márk Kovács, Gyula Németh; drone footage: Zoltán Máthé; technicians: Árpád Illés, Boldizsár Balajthy
Head lighting technician: Tamás Pillinger
