Translating Krasznahorkai

The Hungarian Association of British Alumni (HABA) and the Liszt Institute London are cordially inviting you to an evening of literary exploration with George Szirtes, the acclaimed poet and translator of Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai.

Born in Budapest and arriving in England as a child refugee after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, George Szirtes is one of the most respected voices in contemporary British poetry and translation. He was awarded His Majesty's Gold Medal for Poetry for 2024. He has published numerous volumes of poetry, winning the T.S. Eliot Prize for Reel (2004), and is celebrated for his masterful English translations of Krasznahorkai’s works, including Satantango and The Melancholy of Resistance. His translations have played a pivotal role in bringing Hungarian literature to a global audience, earning him the Best Translated Book Award and widespread critical acclaim.

In this conversation, George Szirtes will reflect on his remarkable life journey, becoming one of the most influential literary translators of his generation. Central to this journey is his decades-long collaboration with László Krasznahorkai, whose visionary and challenging prose Szirtes has rendered into English with extraordinary sensitivity and precision. The discussion will also explore the professional craft of translation, including the translator’s responsibility to both author and reader, and the art of conveying a unique literary rhythm from one language into another.

The conversation will be moderated by Ágnes Lehóczky, poet, scholar, translator, and Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing (University of Sheffield); followed by audience questions and a wine reception, courtesy of the event’s sponsor Royal Tokaji, where guests will have the opportunity to continue the conversation informally.

We look forward to welcoming you to an evening celebrating literature, translation, and Hungarian cultural heritage.