in 1888 mahler got a job at the royal opera in budapest. although it was a good theatre they were in financial problems. the hungarians wanted mahler to make it a hungarian national opera using hungarian singers as much as possible. however, there were not many good hungarian singers. the opera company did not like german operas, preferring light opera and ballet. he did not have much time to compose because he was too busy with administrative jobs. so he left budapest. by this time both his parents had died.