The Kiralfy Brothers - Knowledge (XXG)

711: 260: 297:, in which their father, Jacob Königsbaum, was ruined. When they were young children, Imre and Bolossy began to teach themselves to dance. They continued for years until their father caught them and promptly enrolled them in dance classes. Soon, they were dancing at large venues such as the Hungarian Circus. There the brothers first performed under the name "Kiralfy" instead of their family name of Königsbaum; the boys' father changed their name to prevent them from being recognized as the sons of a revolutionary. They were never recognized, though over the years, there were a number of close encounters with 859:. According to Bolossy, this production in Portland required “a huge open air theatre with a particularly broad canal connected to a lake. The four hundred foot stage was the largest ever constructed in the Northwest and allowed me to put two hundred performers in action in one scene. I could still hide myself and cruise the show in a gondola to evaluate the performance.” In 1888, Bolossy returned from his trip to Europe and brought two new spectacles to America, 336: 667: 567:. The Kiralfys were immediately praised for their use of pastel backgrounds which please the eye but do not distract from performance. They were also some of the first American producers to utilize realistic set design. For example, their trees looked like actual trees and not theatrical renditions of trees. They convinced Jules Verne to add a bit about a hot air balloon to the already-extensive adventures of 508: 810: 30: 826: 555:, where the original production was performed. In terms of special effects, the brothers rented an elephant for $ 150 per week, brought a steam engine from Europe to run automation, and created a new stage deck for the Academy of Music to accommodate for a sinking steam ship. Audiences loved the depictions of foreign attractions such as the 314:, while the three of the four younger siblings went to school and learned dance. The Kiralfy family motto was "All the World's a Stage." Eventually, their sisters Haniola, Emile and Katie, as well as their youngest brother Arnold joined Imre and Bolossy in the dance industry. Only their brother Ronald was uninterested in dance. 360:

the Chatelet gave me the ability to produce big spectacular numbers. At the Opera I learned the choreography that would help me to plan my lavish musical productions. And it was there that my encounters with the artists proved how exciting and challenging the work of producers and directors could be.

681:

into the works with plans to be lit electrically for special effects scenes. The spectacle was presented at Niblo's Garden in 1883. There was still use of gas-lighting and they were not the first ones to employ electric lighting (they, themselves, had previously used electric light in their revival

392:

at the Olympic, in which the “Kiralfy Troupe,” as they had come to be known, were performing. The reviewers of the production praised both the dancing and the scenery greatly, declaring the latter to be “of exceptional beauty”. This “exceptional beauty” would become a common theme in reviews of the

359:

There is no question that in Paris I acquired my training, not only in the finest Ballet technique from Monsieur Barres, but in the areas of production and management. The presentations at the Theatre Francais taught me dramatic staging. My experience at the Theatre de la Porte-Saint-Martin and at

706:

The Kiralfy Brothers had a 13-year long producing partnership. In 1887, Imre and Bolossy Kiralfy had a falling out and the firm disbanded, driving Bolossy and Imre to produce outdoor spectacles. Neither publicly addressed the split, although, Bolossy intimated that his brother was making business

364:

Bolossy Kiralfy was 26 when he retired as a performer and began the second phase of his career where he focused on producing and choreographing. He adapted European productions to the United States. The Kiralfy Brothers had a 13-year-long producing partnership. According to Bolossy Kiralfy, “The

330:

Real musical theatre had to be popular theatre, attracting an audience from all segments of society. It had to embody in logical form all aspects of the theatre – music, lyrics, dance and drama – in a production that was usually greater than the sum of its parts. It had to have a meaningful story

423:. They added musical numbers, improved the costumes (beyond exposing the legs of the actresses), and strengthened the dance numbers. According to Bolossy Kiralfy, their revival was an immense success, playing over one hundred performances before going on tour and breaking 587:

opened at the Academy of Music, after a legal challenge due to another New York troupe trying to mount the same Paris production, and it was a major hit. The special effects and exciting story attracted large audiences consistently. It became so popular that the

781:

opened the site in 1895, and was the first of a series of annual exhibitions there, which drew heavily on the abundance of transport links in the area to attract a mass audience. Highlights of the site included the two-storey Empress Hall, built for Kiralfy in

431:, E.K. Collier, and W. Martin, as well as the Kiralfy sisters’ dancing talents, was later revived from November 1874 to January 1875. With this production, the brothers achieved their goal of making popular theatre, and they made a strong effort to elevate 623:

opened again at Niblo's Garden on January 22, 1877. It was presented at Niblo's Garden nine times, together with a series of very successful tours and revivals between 1881 and 1892 throughout New York City and the United States. Some of the houses for

146: 404: 301:

police, during many of which their father was nearly arrested. Jacob Königsbaum and their mother, Anna (Rosa) Weisberger, were highly supportive of their sons' career. They gave up their clothing business to take the brothers on tour through

250:

in Europe to directing and producing in the United States, the Kiralfys spent their lives astounding audiences with unseen visual phenomenon and were never afraid to push the boundaries earning them a special place in entertainment history.

465:'s 1874–1875 season, on September 4, 1874. This production was called a “delectability” by the historian George Odell. Its players included actresses Julia Seamen, Lillie McDonald and Katie New, as well as the Kiralfy Sisters as dancers. 648:. For the audience and the producers, much of the appeal in such frequent productions lay in the fluidity of the plot, which allowed many opportunities for additions to the story, scenery and dance. The fantastic situations 489:, and the Temple of Enoch were wonderful to behold, and were master-pieces of scenic painting,” and goes on to note that, because the piece was under the direction of the Kiralfys, it would “undoubtedly draw full houses”. 579:

and a curtain for scene changes that was in the shape of a fan. The Kiralfy production was larger than the Paris production, having a cast of 35 principal actors, a ballet corps, and over 200 ensemble members.

372:

in May 1869, the Kiralfy Brothers may already have envisioned how to produce their ideas of spectacle on stage. For four years, the family continued to tour as dancers, until eventually being contracted by

1712: 608:, “seemed to be much pleased with the brilliant spectacle”. After the production closed in October at the Academy of Music, it went on tour to the outer boroughs for two weeks, until it reached the 535:. According to Bolossy Kiralfy, their goal with the production was to “convert American theatre audiences into enthusiasts for the French style of musical spectacle” which so inspired the brothers. 889:

and required no less than 200 performers. In this production, Kiralfy included performers like the James troupe of eccentric games, and Alexandrov Brothers, the famous Russian musical clowns.

707:

deals behind his back. Upon their split, Bolossy continued to work in fantasy and fable whereas Imre pressed on with progressive era productions filled with science, technology, and machinery.

904:}. Kiralfy introduced some novel features in this production, one of which was an eccentric boat moving about on real water. Bolossy Kiralfy died in 1932 at the age of 84 in New York City. 242:

toward the end of the 19th century. The brothers paved the way for many of our modern day spectacles. With backgrounds in music and dance, these performers turned producers dazzled

1702: 773:

in quoted as response to the production “Kiralfy out-Kiralfy’s himself” Imre Kiralfy then moved to England where he created even larger spectacles. The twenty-four acre

877:. Bolossy purchased the play itself along with the scenery, costumes and effects used in the original production. Kiralfy had several interviews with Jules Verne and 790:

whose forty carriages could each accommodate thirty people. Imre Kiralfy became a British citizen in 1901. The renowned producer died on April 27, 1919, at age 74 in

652:

and company get into on their trip around the world, allow for inserts and interpretation. Due to their success with this work, the brothers bought a property at 39

710: 477:

on the same day. Odell said it brought “a veritable flood-tide of success”. When one of the many revivals of the Kiralfy Brothers’ production was brought to the

91: 259: 1717: 485:

in April 1879, reviewers praised the ballet and scenery, while essentially ignoring the acting. One reviewer comments that the sets of “Pandemonium,

881:

to improve certain scenes and adapt them for American audiences. Kiralfy also introduced two new ballets in this production; one of them is called

728: 246:

with theatrical wonders. The brothers had a long and successful partnership and even continued to have success in their individual careers. From

764: 552: 743:

with 2,000 performers, a grand number at the time. In 1892, to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus' "founding" of America, he produced

575:

balloon onstage to be operated by wires. Aside from adding special effects, few changes were made to the Paris production. They added the

1078:

Craig, Jenifer (1990). "Bolossy Kiralfy, Creator of Great Musical Spectacles: An Autobiography by Barbara M. Barker; Bolossy Kiralfy".

1026:

Craig, Jenifer (1990). "Bolossy Kiralfy, Creator of Great Musical Spectacles: An Autobiography by Barbara M. Barker; Bolossy Kiralfy".

677:

When the electric lightbulb was commercialized around 1880, the Kiralfy brothers took full advantage. They quickly put a production of

326:, where they were immediately taken with theatrical spectacle. Bolossy believes he first developed his theory of theatre in the city: 774: 756: 1562: 532: 551:

production as precisely as possible, and hired all the cast and crew members, except for the principal speaking roles, from the

527: 589: 1529: 365:

American public not only became educated of our large dance extravaganzas, they demanded them in all musical productions.”

1692: 497:; the plot was weak but the gorgeous set, astonishing special effects, and beautiful girls served well to cover this up. 901: 748: 698:

is widely regarded as the Kiralfys’ most important work which showcased the Kiralfys’ expertise in dance and spectacle.

294: 277:

The Kiralfy Brothers, Imre (1845–1919) and Bolossy (1848–1932), were the eldest of seven siblings born in the 1840s in

517: 609: 900:, which was claimed to be best ballet of the time. The production featured 350 magnificent costumes designed by 1707: 543:

novel and adapted for the stage by Michael d’Ennery, was another Parisian import. To mount the show in the

428: 690:. In their production, the invention of incandescent light was celebrated along with the invention of the 653: 1665: 1644: 1697: 1600: 814: 803: 605: 478: 1494:

Musical Comedy in America: From The Black Crook to South Pacific, From The King & I to Sweeney Todd

1449:

Musical Comedy in America: From The Black Crook to South Pacific, From The King & I to Sweeney Todd

1329:

Musical Comedy in America: From The Black Crook to South Pacific, From The King & I to Sweeney Todd

896:

which opened at London first. Kiralfy promised this ballet to be more brilliant and effective than the

637: 470: 331:

with a universal theme, and it had to have a hero or heroine with whom the audience could sympathize.

799: 641: 1103: 1095: 1051: 1043: 752: 645: 601: 486: 348: 177: 61: 694:

as incorporated in a dance of telegraph messengers. Not a word was spoken in the production and

597: 507: 462: 450: 424: 420: 374: 1567: 1087: 1035: 852: 593: 335: 265: 199: 727: 878: 861: 835: 427:'s record number of performances of a revival. Their production, featuring actors such as 415: 379: 298: 270: 222: 181: 65: 686:) but they were the first and only production to be lit under the personal direction of 311: 307: 666: 413:

In August 1873, the brothers first produced their own musical spectacle, a revival of

1686: 1107: 1055: 769: 740: 687: 544: 388: 369: 351:

but they refused to become permanent performers. Bolossy reflects on his training in

278: 243: 239: 203: 195: 173: 126: 57: 1666:"With Two New Spectacles, Return From Europe of Bolossy Kiralfy with Some Treasures" 1645:"With Two New Spectacles, Return From Europe of Bolossy Kiralfy with Some Treasures" 649: 629: 568: 482: 247: 1586: 874: 830: 787: 540: 512: 383:. Their first foray into the production side of theatre came in 1871, with the 1571: 1508: 145: 1556: 1241:

Tryniski, Thomas M. (1880). "Drama in the United States". The New York Mirror.

825: 633: 556: 403: 691: 564: 494: 384: 231: 227: 843:

During his time alone, Blossy Kiralfy focused a lot on outdoor theatre. In

786:

which could seat 6,000 viewers for his spectaculars, and the 300-feet high

306:. For many years, the family continued to travel, touring all through both 809: 29: 791: 560: 525:

On August 28, 1875, the Kiralfy Brothers put up, “in spectacular style,”

290: 286: 83: 1099: 1047: 795: 777:

grounds were rebuilt in 1894 by Imre Kiralfy in a Mughal Indian style.

87: 1631:

Bolossy Kiralfy, Creator of Great Musical Spectacles: An Autobiography

844: 783: 572: 493:

is a perfect example of the Kiralfys’ mastery of the key concepts of

303: 235: 1091: 1039: 596:, who attended a performance on September 17, 1875, with Secretary 824: 808: 726: 709: 665: 548: 506: 402: 352: 334: 323: 258: 851:, which included a lake and water canals. A few years later, in 282: 469:

ran until November 14, 1874, and a competing theater company,

1185:(Vol. IX. 1870-1875 ed.). Ams Pr Inc. pp. 406, 555. 892:

The other production that Kiralfy brought was the new ballet

714:

The Barnum and Bailey Greatest Show on Earth: Imre Kiralfy's

547:, the brothers re-created the scenery and costumes from the 571:

and his companions so that the Kiralfys could put a real

322:

As teenagers in the 1860s, Bolossy and Imre travelled to

656:, which they used for offices and residence until 1921. 616:, this Kiralfy Brothers production did not end here. 1713:

History of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

1230:(Vol. IX. 1870-1875 ed.). Ams Pr Inc. p. 608. 1215:(Vol. IX. 1870-1875 ed.). Ams Pr Inc. p. 548. 763:

at the Chicago World’s Fair which was picked up by the

1391:(Vol. X. 1875-1879 ed.). Ams Pr Inc. p. 729. 1286:(Vol. X. 1875-1879 ed.). Ams Pr Inc. p. 120. 1256:(Vol. X. 1875-1879 ed.). Ams Pr Inc. p. 66. 923:

Creator of Great Musical Spectacles: An Autobiography

885:

and required 120 performers; the other one is called

1434: