First premiered in 1978, “Le Grand Macabre” has received more than 30 stage productions, even though Ligeti himself was not convinced that it should be called an opera.  A revised version was premiered in 1997 by Peter Sellars, who will be responsible for this semi-staged production at the Barbican.

Peter Sellars and Simon Rattle are a formidable partnership in any venture, and in a work that displays as much theatrical vision and musical eclecticism as this, let us just say that we cannot wait!