As a highlight of the Queen Festival, Hungary’s first public bust of Freddie Mercury will be unveiled on Saturday evening at the Music Pavilion in Balatonszemes, the organizers announced.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Queen Friends’ Circle Cultural Association and the municipality of Balatonszemes, and the installation of the bust has been officially approved by Sony Music’s management.
One of the event’s guests of honor will be Peter Freestone, the singer’s former personal assistant.
The press release quotes Arnold Gyarmati, president of the Queen Friends’ Circle Cultural Association, who said that the project was preceded by several years of preparatory work and numerous consultations. “We set out on this journey in 2019. We considered other locations, but ultimately the idea found a home in Balatonszemes.” The president emphasized that a major factor in the decision was the fact that the Queen community has been active in Balatonszemes for over thirty years, and that the Balatonszemes municipal government also played an important role in the memorial’s creation.
Arnold Gyarmati added that since Mayor Zsolt Iváncsics took office, progress on the statue has accelerated, and as a result of joint consultations, the unveiling is scheduled to take place at the end of July. The bust was created by sculptor András Sándor Kocsis. The organizers oversaw the entire creative process to ensure that the most authentic portrait of the singer possible was produced. According to the announcement, this will be the third public statue of Freddie Mercury in the world.
He added that the Freddie Mercury bust could also boost Balatonszemes’s international profile. “I am certain that the statue’s location will become a place of pilgrimage, and visitors from many countries around the world will come to us to visit this memorial site,” said the mayor.
The press release notes that the Queen camp in Balatonszemes began in the early 1990s and has grown into a festival over the years. This year’s event coincides with several anniversaries, as it marks both the 80th anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s birth and the 40th anniversary of the band’s concert in Budapest. The 33rd Queen Festival will be held in Balatonszemes from July 22 to 26. The program includes concerts by several tribute bands, community events, and cultural activities.
The press release also quotes Zsolt Iváncsics, mayor of Balatonszemes, who said
the Freddie Mercury bust will find a fitting home in the town, which already commemorates the legacies of actors Zoltán Latinovits and István Bujtor, illustrator Károly Reich, and writer Géza Gárdonyi.
The unveiling of the Freddie Mercury bust will take place on Saturday, July 25, at 7:00 p.m. at the Music Pavilion, followed by a laser show and concerts for attendees. All festival events are free to attend.
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Via MTI, Featured image: Pixabay (illustration)
