The last of Erkel's nine completed operas, Istvan kiraly is a tale of passionate emotions, love, jealousy, power struggles and murder in which King Stephen, the founder of the Hungarian state and its first Christian ruler, is portrayed as a saint amidst the clash of pagan and Christian worlds. This is the first recording to restore the opera to its original, uncut form. The 19th century Hungarian composer Ferenc Erkel is considered the father of grand opera in Hungary.