Apocalypse: Nekrotzar, the title-giving grand macabre, has climbed out of his tomb and come to Breughelland to proclaim the end of the world. He claims he is death (we speculate: could it be pure bull?). But the Breughellanders frustrate his apocalyptic plans and hellish omnipotence fantasies. Heavily intoxicated, Nekrotzar’s apocalypse is averted, hemmed in by all manner of social chicanery, which indulges pure hedonism in all its facets. Nothing is inconceivable or taboo here. Also intoxicated, Breughelland believes itself to be in heaven, where everything entirely earthly of course then takes place. Ashamed and embarrassed, Nekrotzar creeps back into his tomb. Death is therefore dead. Time for eternal life. In heaven as on earth. The Last Judgement has come. All will die, just not today for sure. The piece described by György Ligeti himself as anti-anti-opera is criss-crossed with historical music quotes, extreme coloratura arias, thorny rhythm, peculiar use of instruments and all kinds of heightened elements. It will now be performed at the Bayerische Staatsoper for the first time.

The team surrounding director Krzysztof Warlikowski share a long-standing successful collaboration, which has taken them to all of Europe’s grandest opera houses, including the Bayerische Staatsoper in several stagings. Dido and Aneas most recently brought the team here in the same configuration ... Anticipation on the stage. Le Grand Macabre is the eighth staging at the Nationaltheater after Tristan and Isolde, Salome, DieFrau ohne Schatten, Die Gezeichneten, Eugen Onegin and Kabaret Warszawski.For Le Grand Macabre Małgorzata Szczęśniak once again designs the stage and costumes, as she has for all Warlikowski productions since 1992. Felice Ross has been responsible for the lighting design for the team’s opera productions for 20 years now. Kamil Polak, 2008 Oscar winner in the “Best Short Animation” category, designs the videos. Dancer and actor Claude Bardouil takes on the choreography. Christian Longchamp is responsible for dramaturgy. Kent Nagano, former General Music Director of the Bayerische Staatsoper, conducts.