March 9: The Gran Teatre del Liceu “7 Deaths of Maria Callas“

The Gran Teatre del Liceu is a historic opera house located on La Rambla in the heart of Barcelona, Spain. It is one of the most prestigious opera houses in Europe, and it has played an important role in the cultural and artistic life of Barcelona since its founding in 1847.

The Liceu is home to a wide range of operatic and cultural performances, including classical music concerts, dance performances, and theater productions. It has a seating capacity of around 2,300, and its interior features a mix of traditional and modern design elements, with ornate ceilings, plush seating, and state-of-the-art technical equipment.

“7 Deaths of Maria Callas” is an experimental opera created by the director and artist Marina Abramović. The performances are available for 9, 10, 11 March,2023 at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, Spain , and it was a collaboration between Abramović, composer Marko Nikodijević, and conductor Josep Pons.

The opera’s concept revolves around the legendary Greek-American opera singer, Maria Callas, who died in 1977. The show features seven different death scenes, each representing a different point in Callas’s career and personal life. The performance is designed to explore Callas’s innermost thoughts and emotions during these moments.

Throughout the performance, Abramović uses various elements, such as video projections and live performers, to create a surreal and immersive experience. The opera is designed to explore the psychological and emotional depths of Callas’s life and work, and it has been praised for its innovative approach to storytelling and performance.

The entire show is divided into 7 stories and a final act starring Marina, totaling 1 hour and 30 minutes. Each scene is about Maria’s experience. On the big screen was a short film about the death process performed by Marina, and in front of the stage was an opera performance artist singing, the two together were very powerful. In the middle, there will be 3D light and shadow of various weather scenes, with Marina’s narration is very spectacular, bringing the audience more experience. The last scene is different from the previous ones, there is a real scene set up at the back of the stage, Marina herself interpreted the last day of Maria’s death in Paris, Maria’s cause of death is still unknown, Marina used his own artistic way to express his psychological activities on that day, also paid tribute to Maria. Marina opening the window in the last scene made me very shocked. The light is very much like the morning sun, and with the shadows of the cars on the street and the sounds of the roadside, it gives us a sense of immersion. It is definitely an extradentary experiential opera and everyone enjoyed the time there.

Author: Mutong Li