Liebestod

In the last aria of Wagner's opera Tristan and Isolde, Isolde passes into another dimension 'dying from love'. Liddell associates this 'Liebestod' or love to death with the tragic life of Juan Belmonte. This mythical matador from Seville turned bullfighting into a spiritual exercise and the ultimate form of surrender.

Liddell presents bullfighting as an essential form of violence, which, in her opinion, is in line with the three fundamentals of life: sex, birth and death. As in classical tragedy and art, she says, it is through terror and compassion that we achieve purification or catharsis and find a connection with the sacred.

• Performance artist Angélica Liddell is notorious for her radical and visually stunning work on personal, social and political violence. She has received many awards, including the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale, and presents her performances in theatres and at festivals around the world. She has already been at Kaaitheater with Tandy (2016). Liebestod premiered at the Festival d'Avignon to a standing ovation.

Angélica Liddell made Liebestod for Histoire(s) du Théâtre, a series by NTGent in which theatre is held up to the light as an art form. Milo Rau, with Reprise, and Faustin Linyekula signed up for the first two parts.

“Angélica Liddell makes Avignon shake and tremble like a bull before a bullfighter with her dazzling ‘Liebestod'”. - La Libre

‘Angélica Liddell no longer makes theatre, she is theatre. ‘Liebestod’ is a fiercely loving artistic manifesto with her portraying the torera and bull, Tristan and Isolde, God and devil.’ – Les Echos