There are some operas which are rarely—if ever—staged, but whose music becomes famous—even wildly popular—in the concert hall. Everyone has heard the overture to Rossini’s “William Tell,” for example, but only a few fortunate (or very determined) opera fans ever get to see the whole opera staged.

Zoltán Kodály’s opera “Háry János” falls into this strange class of works both popular and obscure. This comic opera debuted at the Royal Hungarian Opera House in Budapest on today’s date in 1926, and recounts the adventures of an old veteran named “Háry János.”

In the village tavern, Háry boasts of his heroic military exploits: how he singlehandedly won a battle against the Emperor Napoleon, for example. Why, the Emperor’s Wife even fell in love with him, and he could have ran off with her if he’d wanted, but he chose to remained true to his Hungarian sweetheart back home.

You get the idea…

Kodály’s opera was a tremendous hit in Budapest, but was not taken up elsewhere. Perhaps some of the humor was lost in translation, and even today, performances outside of Hungary are quite rare. But a concert suite of excerpts from Kodály’s brilliant score depicting Háry János’s imaginary adventures was taken up eagerly by orchestras worldwide.

Kodály’s “Háry János” Suite quickly became a popular showpieces for virtuoso orchestras, with performances and audiences alike enthusiastic over its unbeatable combination of great tunes, colorful orchestration, and smile-inducing wit.