Queen backstage: Never-before-seen photos of Freddie Mercury’s days in Budapest on exhibition!
A new photo exhibition at the Hungarian National Museum offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at Queen’s legendary 1986 performance in Budapest.
Queen Backstage Budapest 1986 – Photos by Egon Endrényi and Miklós Gáspár showcases never-before-seen images taken during the band’s weeklong stay in Hungary by the late photographer Egon Endrényi and his colleague. A co-produced film directed by János Zsombolyai was also made from the massive Népstadion show. The exhibit features original photo negatives from 1986, enlargement prints made from those, and Endrényi’s actual photography equipment used at the time.
“When Queen performed on 27 July 1986, it marked their first show in the Eastern Bloc—a groundbreaking event not only for Hungary but for the entire region. Seventy thousand fans packed the stadium to see the legendary British band. The subsequent concert film, Magic – Queen in Budapest, premiered in 1987 and was digitally remastered in 2012, earning international praise. The backstage shots taken ahead of the concert were added to the museum’s Historical Photo Archive two years ago, and this is the first time the original negatives are being shown,” said Gábor Zsigmond, Director General of the Hungarian National Museum, during the opening.
The legacy of photographer Egon Endrényi, who passed away in 2014, was donated to the museum by his family. Among the materials is a photo report consisting of 455 black-and-white and colour negatives that offer an intimate glimpse into Queen’s stay in Budapest. The exhibition also anticipates the upcoming 40th anniversary of the landmark 1986 concert.
The images capture some memorable offstage moments—Freddie Mercury sampling Hungarian pálinka, drummer Roger Taylor go-karting at the newly opened Hungaroring, and guitarist Brian May floating in a hot-air balloon and riding a four-wheeled pedal car. Irisz Feitl, the exhibition’s curator, noted that Endrényi, a recipient of the Balázs Béla Prize, became a set photographer for Mafilm in 1967. His first project was Sándor Pál’s film Bohóc a falon.
From 1973, Endrényi worked at the international studio of the Hungarian Film Factory, capturing press and promotional stills for foreign productions shot in Hungary. He contributed to high-profile projects like the Matthias Sandorf series, Escape to Victory, and Jakob the Liar, starring Robin Williams.
“In addition to Endrényi, Miklós Gáspár and Gábor Hegyi also worked as photographers at the Queen concert. Zsombolyai had the idea to forgo traditional interviews and instead organise activities tailored to the band’s personal interests. The exhibit includes a curated selection of photos from these special outings. With this chamber exhibition, we also want to highlight the historical significance and role of negatives, one of the foundations of analogue photography,” Feitl emphasised.
She added that they hope the exhibit serves as a preview for a larger publication planned to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Budapest concert. Márton Horn, director of the House of Hungarian Music, spoke at the opening about Queen’s pivotal role in rock history.
He recalled the band’s meteoric rise after releasing Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975, followed by the anthem We Are the Champions two years later. Although Freddie Mercury passed away in 1991, Queen has remained active in the decades since, continuing to tour and produce new music.
“The 1986 Magic Tour was the band’s last, and the Budapest concert was one of their final live appearances. The event was made possible in large part thanks to promoter László Hegedüs, who negotiated a reduced performance fee in exchange for producing a concert film. The shoot, led by cinematographer Elemér Ragályi, utilised 17 cameras and a massive 53-meter stage,” Horn noted.
Horn also revealed that the House of Hungarian Music is working on a future Freddie Mercury exhibit, which may incorporate material from the current display. Family members of Endrényi Egon and stand photographer Miklós Gáspár attended Tuesday’s opening, with Bence Csatári, senior research fellow at the Committee of National Remembrance, leading a guided tour of the exhibition.
Queen Backstage Budapest 1986 – Photos by Egon Endrényi and Miklós Gáspár is on view through 3 September in the Széchényi Room of the Hungarian National Museum.
Read more museum-related news on Daily News Hungary.
Read also:
- Sensational: Michael Jackson’s original handprint now on display in Budapest!
- Queen performed in Budapest 37 years ago on this day
To read or share this article in Hungarian, click here: Helló Magyar