Ligeti’s "Le Grand Macabre"

Dive into the avant-garde world of György Ligeti with his monumental opera "Le Grand Macabre." This 2010 release by the New York Philharmonic is not just an album, but a full-scale operatic experience that showcases Ligeti's unique compositional voice. Spanning nearly two hours, this four-scene opera is Ligeti's longest and only major stage work, completed in 1977 and revised in 1996. The opera is a vivid and colorful spectacle, based on the play "La balade du Grand macabre" by Michel de Ghelderode, with a libretto co-written by Ligeti and Michael Meschke. The opera's premiere in New York in 2010 was a significant event, conducted by Alan Gilbert, and it has since been praised for its striking and theatrical presentation. "Le Grand Macabre" is a testament to Ligeti's innovative spirit and his enduring impact on 20th-century music. The album features a series of preludes and scenes that transport the audience to the whimsical and surreal world of Breughelland, a landscape inspired by the paintings of Pieter Bruegel. From the haunting car horn preludes to the dramatic scenes within the opera, this album is a captivating exploration of Ligeti's avant-garde style.