Apparatus for starting and operating a high pressure discharge lamp includes a pair of input terms for connection to a high frequency inverter. A step-up transformer couples the input terminals to a pair of output terminals for connection of the discharge lamp. A switching arrangement including a voltage-multiplier circuit, is coupled to the primary winding of the transformer and includes a first branch comprising a first capacitor and a diode and a second branch comprising a diode. Between the first capacitor and the diode of the first branch is connected a third branch comprising a semiconductor switch such as a SIDAC. The first branch is connected through the transformer coil to a first supply source connection point. The second branch is connected to a tap point of the coil. The first and the second branch are connected via a common impedance including second capacitor and an inductor to a second supply source connection point. The third branch is connected directly to both the coil and the diode of the second branch. The SIDAC periodically switches over from a cut-off state to a conductive state in response to a voltage developed across one or more capacitors of the voltage-mulitplier circuit thereby to rapidly discharge the capacitor voltage across the winding of the step-up transformer. A high voltage ingnition pulse is generated in the secondary of the step-up transformer and is applied to the output terminals to ignite a connected discharge lamp.