As a little girl, she sat in the audience watching Jesus Christ Superstar, and in that moment, she knew exactly what she wanted: one day, she would stand on that stage herself. Years later, a single courageous phone call opened the door to the opportunity she had only dreamed about. Today, she is a beloved performer at the Pécs National Theatre, while also inspiring audiences and students alike as the lead singer of several bands and a vocal coach. In this candid interview, Sárközi Edina reflects on the defining moments of her career, shares behind-the-scenes stories from theatre life, talks about the roles that left a lasting mark on her, and explains why she cannot imagine her life anywhere but Pécs. It is a story about faith, perseverance, and the power of a childhood dream coming true.
Was there a specific moment or experience when you knew the stage would be your path?
– Performing has felt natural to me for as long as I can remember. Even in kindergarten, I was always the center of attention. If there was dancing, I danced; if there was singing, I sang. I eagerly took part in every community event, and it quickly became clear that I was especially drawn to the world of theatre.
The first truly defining moment came when I was in the second or third grade. I attended the music program at Tinódi Lantos Sebestyén Elementary School in Szigetvár, and our class regularly went to the theatre. The very first production I saw was Jesus Christ Superstar at the Pécs National Theatre.
The experience had such a profound impact on me that I made up my mind right then and there: I wanted to be part of that world. From that moment on, my dream was to sing on the stage of the Pécs National Theatre. It was the turning point that ultimately defined my future.
At the beginning of your career, was there ever a piece of feedback or a challenge that almost made you give up?
– I can honestly say that I’ve been fortunate. In my life, one opportunity naturally led to another, and each step seemed to open the door to the next. After finishing art school, I decided to try my luck in theatre. My father played a huge role in that decision—he believed in me even when I doubted myself.
I still remember how much I resisted when he told me, “Call the theatre and ask for an audition.” I thought that wasn’t how things worked. I told him, “Dad, you can’t just walk into a theatre and ask the receptionist for an audition.”
But he kept searching until he found the phone number of the choir secretary at the Pécs National Theatre. Then he said, “Just try. Trust me—you belong there.”
So I called. They invited me to an audition. I went in, sang scales, performed a few songs, and at the end of the audition the secretary smiled at me and said:
‘We warmly welcome you to the Pécs National Theatre.’
At first, I worked as a guest performer for a year, but even that felt like a miracle. I could hardly believe it was actually happening: I called the theatre, came in, sang what I could—and they accepted me.
After a year as a guest artist, I officially became a member of the company. Even today, that journey feels almost unbelievable to me, and I remain deeply grateful for every step of it.
Have you ever had a moment on stage when something completely threw you off, yet the audience never noticed?
– There are plenty of moments like that. It’s part of everyday theatre life that colleagues occasionally play pranks on each other, try to break each other’s concentration, or simply make one another laugh. Whenever a scene starts to feel a little too familiar, someone is bound to add a small twist just to keep things interesting. Fortunately, we’re resilient and know how to handle it.
There are knowing glances, unexpected bursts of laughter, and little playful surprises that the audience never notices. And we do everything we can to keep it that way. Outwardly, nothing should show; inwardly, we quickly find our way back to focus and continue the performance. At this point, it’s second nature.
During our operetta and chanson performances with my colleague Bregovecz Dávid, it often happens that we go on stage after laughing so hard we have tears in our eyes. Our stomachs still hurt from laughing, and three seconds later we have to perform an operetta or musical number with complete sincerity and emotion—but somehow, we always make it work.
Is there a role or genre that the audience in Pécs has never seen you perform in, but that you would secretly love to try?
– I will probably never appear in a ballet production. Although I love dancing, classical ballet is definitely not my genre. I feel most at home in musical theatre.
I regularly perform in both straight plays and musical productions, including operettas, musicals, and children’s theatre, but ballet is something I happily leave to the extraordinary artists of the Pécs Ballet. They do it brilliantly, and I have enormous respect for what they do.
There is an incredible amount of unseen work behind every theatre production. What is something audiences rarely realize?
– There is an enormous amount of work behind every performance. The technical crew, set builders, dressers, and hairstylists all play a vital role. Without them, no production could come to life, and the rehearsal process would never run as smoothly as it does.
We often have extremely fast costume changes that audiences never see. From their perspective, only a few minutes pass, and suddenly we return to the stage as a completely different character in a completely different costume.
Next season, we will premiere Prince Árgyélus, and there will be one particularly demanding quick change. I’m very excited—and a little nervous—to see how we’ll pull it off. We will have just one minute to transform completely: from a raven costume into a fairy costume, including a full wardrobe change and a wig change.
The musical score has already been extended slightly to give us more time, but even so, it will be incredibly tight. It’s going to be a real challenge.
That’s exactly why I always say we could do nothing without our dressers. They deserve enormous credit for being there every single time, preparing costumes, shoes, tights, and props so everything runs perfectly. The same is true for our hairstylists. Without them, we simply wouldn’t become the people who eventually step onto the stage.
They are just as responsible for creating the magical world that the audience experiences as the performers themselves.
Was there a performance that stayed with you for days—one that you simply couldn’t leave behind when you stepped off the stage?
– Early in my career, there was one production that left a particularly deep impression on me: The Ghetto. It was an incredibly moving and powerful story that explored the fate of the Jewish people and the cruelty of that historical period.
I had the privilege of working alongside Artúr Szőcs, Tamás Balikó, and an outstanding cast, while I was still a member of the theatre choir. I was at the very beginning of my career, and the experience was so profound that I still remember every moment of it.
Musical productions are especially close to my heart as well. Whenever I have to learn extensive choreography, I find myself thinking about it for days—replaying steps in my mind, figuring out how movements connect with the character, and how to fully become the person I am portraying on stage.
But every production is wonderful in its own way. Each one finds a different place in your heart, and each one leaves behind something unique. Every role and every story adds another layer to who I am as a performer today.
How inspiring is Pécs for an artist? Does it feel like a place that keeps you grounded, or do you sometimes find it too small?
– I never feel that Pécs is too small.
I come from Szigetvár, which is a much smaller town, and when I moved to Pécs to attend the Kodály Zoltán Secondary School, I was amazed by the city every single day. I thought it was beautiful, and even then I knew that this was where I wanted to live.
It is very important to me that I can stay in Pécs. I have no desire to sign with another theatre or move elsewhere. Of course, I’m always happy to perform as a guest artist in other cities, but Pécs is my city, and I feel deeply connected to it.
I love this community, this environment, and the unique atmosphere that only this city can offer.
Do you think it is easier or harder to connect with audiences today than it was ten or twenty years ago?
– I think it is definitely easier to reach young people today.
We have platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook that allow content to spread almost instantly. These platforms have become part of everyday life, and in such a fast-moving world, it’s impossible to ignore them.
I actually think it’s wonderful that theatre and music now have so many ways to reach younger generations. Even if someone cannot attend a performance, they can still encounter it online. If they can’t make it to a concert, a short clip on Instagram might introduce them to the music and spark their interest in theatre.
Very often, it’s these short videos and social media posts that eventually bring people into the audience.
I see that as a very positive development because it builds a bridge between young people and the world of theatre.
What role does music play in your life outside of the theatre?
– Music is a huge part of my life, and I sing in several bands that have become permanent fixtures in it.
One of my greatest passions is SwingLadies, our three-member female vocal group, which also features Enikő Horváth and Anita Krommer-Wéber. It holds a very special place in my heart—I adore both my fellow performers and the band itself.
We perform three-part swing arrangements, ranging from classic Hungarian hits to contemporary songs. We love what we do, and we are fortunate to be invited to perform all over the country.
Summer is just around the corner, and we hope it will bring us plenty of concerts and unforgettable experiences.
I also perform in a Latin acoustic duo with my friend, guitarist Péter Szűcs. It’s an intimate guitar-and-vocals project that fits perfectly in pubs, relaxed wine tastings, cocktail evenings, and summer terrace events.
At the moment, we’ve slowed down a little because Péter and his family are expecting their first child—a wonderful milestone that we are all eagerly looking forward to. We wish them nothing but health and happiness during this special time.
As a result, we have fewer performances scheduled right now, but we’ll be back on stage and making music together again from July onward.
In addition, I also sing in the Cry Baby band, where I can work with such fantastic musicians as Tamás Pozsgai “Pozsi”, Attila Gyenes “Süni”, Áron Fejér, András Komlódi, and on drums Gergő Rózsafi “Csipi”, who also plays with the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra. Cry Baby is a bluesy, blues–rock–funk fusion band, with a truly relaxed, pub-style vibe. The audience really loves it, and we always have a great time playing together.
And there is my other big passion: my own band, Edina & Friends. I get to work with musicians such as Géza Bánki, Zoltán Keresztes, Ákos Hasznos, and László Plecskó. With them, we created my Cserháti tribute show, which I have taken to several venues, including the Escargo Szobaszínház, where we performed two concerts. This is especially important to me because Cserháti Zsuzsa’s music accompanied my childhood. I loved her voice, her songs, her world — she truly taught me what music really means. It was my dream to one day sing her songs with a professional band, and with Edina & Friends, that dream came true.
With them, we also performed in Harkány, where we came up with a new idea: we reworked the biggest pop hits from the 1960s through the 2000s into a jazz-style sound. We brought this concert to the poolside — and it created a fantastic atmosphere.
Is there a genre you especially prefer?
– I don’t think there are any genre boundaries. For me, there is simply good music and bad music — the genre is secondary. I can find myself just as much in jazz, funk, musicals, operetta, or even opera, which I particularly love. In our profession, versatility is part of the job anyway: we sing opera, operetta, musicals, and pop music, and each of them has its own special beauty. I truly find something in every style that touches me and inspires me. As I like to say: there are no genre boundaries — only good music and bad music.
Is there an important project you are currently working on that we might not know about?
– It has been almost a year since I officially became a teacher, which is a huge milestone in my life. The Rocksuli school was established in Pécs — a branch of the one that has been successfully running in Debrecen for a long time — and I am very happy to represent the light music vocal department there.
I currently have ten students, all of whom are talented, hardworking, and enthusiastic. I really enjoy teaching: they rely on me, and I rely on them just as much. I am proud of each and every one of them because I can see how they develop week by week and how joyfully they step on stage.
We are getting more and more performance opportunities where we can present ourselves. We already had a mid-year exam concert, and now we are preparing for the end-of-year show. At Rocksuli, the instrumental students are organized into small bands, and they will accompany the singers — creating a truly complex and exciting production.
The end-of-year concert will take place on June 6 at Ti-Ti-Ta, and we warmly welcome everyone to attend.
