Photos from Martin Achrainer's "Le Grand Macabre"

Martin Achrainer in "Le Grand Macabre" in Vienna

Back in August we mentioned that Austrian barihunk Martin Achrainer was going to appear in Györgi Ligeti's masterpiece "Le Grand Macabre" at the Neue Oper Wien.  The opera has opened to rave reviews and, lo and behold, we once again find Achrainer showing off his amazing physique.

Le Grand Macabre is György Ligeti’s only opera and is based on the theater piece La Balade du Grand Macabre by Belgian author Michel de Ghelderode. Ligeti wrote the libretto with Michael Meschke setting the work in the near-apocalyptic Breughelland (a reference to Dutch painter Pieter Breughel). Although the opera has become popular in Europe, it took 26 years before it had its successful premiere in the United States at the San Francisco Opera.  That 2004 performance starred Willard White as Nekrozar and barihunk Joshua Bloom as the Black Politician. The New York Philharmonic performed the piece with Eric Owens as Nekrozarin 2010.

More shirtless shots of Martin Achrainer from "Le Grand Macabre"

There are performances remaining on October 6 and 7. Visit the Neue Oper Wien website for additional information or tickets. After he wraps up in Vienna, Achrainer will perform a concert entitled "Mir bleiben alle treu" ("I remain faithful to all") at the Casino Kitzbühel in Austria on October 14.