The UK stage première was at the Buxton Festival in 1982 conducted by Anthony Hose, with Alan Opie in the title role.
[2] The story is of a veteran hussar in the Austrian army in the first half of the 19th century who sits in the village inn regaling his listeners with fantastic tales of heroism (in the tradition of Miles Gloriosus[2]).
That his stories are not true is irrelevant, for they are the fruit of a lively imagination, seeking to create, for himself and for others, a beautiful dream world.
"[3] Háry János embodies the poetic power of folklore to go beyond political frustrations; Kodály intended to bring his national folk music to an operatic setting.
"[4] At the request of the Universal publishing house in Vienna, Kodály himself described the message behind Háry János: "Every Hungarian is a dreamer.
Örzse and János talk with Marci, a Hungarian coachman working at the French Court, who tells them that Mária Lujza, the daughter of the Emperor, is being refused passage by the Russian guard.
The envious Ebelasztin tells Örzse that he has in his pocket the declaration of war from Napoleon which he intends to use; moments later military sounds emerge from inside the palace.
Háry János, by now promoted to the rank of colonel, single-handedly wins the battle with the wind from drawing his sword, and has Napoleon kneeling for mercy.
Örzse arrives to take leave of Háry but, now an infantryman, he swears allegiance to the Emperor, whether as a soldier or farmer.
Epilogue Back at the inn in Nagyabony, János concludes by telling his sleeping audience that the condition of freeing Napoleon was that a gold watch should be sent to the headman of the village, who replies that he never got it.
From the music of the opera, Kodály extracted the orchestral Háry János Suite, a popular piece in the classical repertoire.
The world première of the suite was at the Gran Teatro del Liceo Barcelona, on 24 March 1927, by the Pau Casals Orchester conducted by Antal Fleischer.