To the apocalypse and beyond: Le Grand Macabre in Prague

Marcus Jupither (Nekrozar)

Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir and Magdaléna Hebousse (Armando and Armanda)

Marcus Jupither (Nekrozar), Thor Inge Falch (Piet the Pot)

David DQ Lee (Prince Go-Go)

Le Grand Macabre

David DQ Lee (Prince Go-Go), Vít Šantora (White Minister), Michal Marhold (Black Minister)

By David Karlin, 15 June 2024

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“the apocalypse was upon us and the intensity ratcheted up, both musically and in the staging”

Reviewed at State Opera (Státní opera), Prague on 14 June 2024

Ligeti, Le Grand Macabre

Prague State Opera

Jiří Rožeň, Conductor

Richard Hein, Conductor

Nigel Lowery, Director, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Prague State Opera Orchestra

Prague State Opera Chorus

Ondřej Hučín, Dramaturgy

Thor Inge Falch, Piet the Pot

Arnheiður Eiríksdóttir, Amando

Magdaléna Hebousse, Amanda

Marcus Jupither, Nekrozar

Ivo Hrachovec, Astradamors

Victoria Khoroshunova, Mescalina

David DQ Lee, Prince Go-Go

Eir Inderhaug, Chief of the Gepopo, Venus

Benjamín Hájek, White-Party Minister

Michal Marhold, Black-Party Minister

Prague National Theatre Opera Ballet

Parsifal reconsidered: A provocative improvisation in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 26th March

Timo Riihonen and Ester Pavlů stand out in a strong cast which carries Andreas Homoki's revised version of Wagner's final opera.

****1

Calixto Bieito’s Idomeneo runs out of time in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 28th September

At the Prague State Opera, Calixto Brieito relocates Mozart's opera seria to modern times, with disastrous results.

***11

Reimann's Lear makes for a dark season finale at Prague State Opera

Frank Kuznik, 7th June

Aribert Reimann's Lear takes no prisoners in a disturbing portrayal of a world gone awry, but Barbora Horáková's scattergun direction adds to the confusion.

***11

A politically charged new Manon in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 27th March

Puccini's classic takes on a harsh contemporary edge in a dark treatment by director Sláva Daubnerová at Prague's National Theatre.

****1

A rambunctious Platée revival in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 23rd November

SKUTR's daring direction and Václav Luks's early music expertise combine to bring new vitality to a Baroque classic.

*****

Nabucco in Prague: handsome but over-ambitious

Frank Kuznik, 21st March

Andriy Yurkevych leads a rousing musical performance, but this visually impressive Nabucco tries to hard to be relevant and misses the mark.

***11

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.