Theatres, museums, cinemas, historic sites: the European cultural sphere is also bearing the brunt of the energy crisis. In Hungary, theaters are particularly affected. To survive the winter, they must restrict their energy consumption, or even temporarily lower the curtain, says an article from the portal 24.hu.
In the capital, Budapest, the Theater of Gaiety (Vigszinhaz) and the Katona Theater “reduce light intensity during rehearsals, only turn on full light during performances, and plan to turn down the heat when troops perform live,” says the webmagazine. Solar panels “were installed on the roof of the Vigszinhaz” and the Juranyi Theater, another Budapest venue, “plans the same by the end of the year”.
The Théâtre de la Gaiété also plans to “change your boiler” and D’“install screens” as insulation. The Katona has “changed the climate system of two small annex rooms in the city center” et “replaces the majority of its lighting system with energy-saving bulbs”. Beyond soaring bills, theaters “do not benefit from price controls [de l’énergie]unlike the population”, et “are struggling more and more to find suppliers, whereas the latter were fighting before to supply them”.
Interruptions et augmentations
Some rooms even have to temporarily cease their activity to survive. The Erkel Theater in Budapest “will close all winter”. Le Juranyi “will probably stop a month around the holiday season”. In the region, the Szigligeti Theatre, from Szolnok, in the center-east of the country, “will stop from december to february”. That of Szombathely, in the West, “from December 20 to January 30” and that of Szekesfehervar, in the Centre-West, “could discontinue in January-February”, lists the site.
Weakened by the explosion in the price of gas and electricity, the theaters of Budapest which remain open are bailing out their coffers as best they can. The Vigszinhaz “raises its prices moderately, increases the number of performances of the most popular plays and removes from the bill those which work the least”. Le Radnoti Sinhaz “expands its circle of patrons” et “sells stage costumes”. The communications officer of the Katona Theater is worried:
“Over the next few months, the question is not how much our charges will increase, but whether our audiences will continue to come to the theater after receiving their gas bills.”