08.03.2026

GEORG NIGL in the revival of Monster’s Paradise in Zurich

After the world premiere and run of Monster’s Paradise in February 2026 at the Staatsoper Hamburg, Georg Nigl will also take on the role of the King-President for the Swiss premiere on 8 March 2026 at the Opernhaus Zürich. As a caricatured tyrant, this character serves as the central antagonist in the new satirical political opera by Olga Neuwirth and Elfriede Jelinek.

Georg Nigl is one of the most versatile and expressive baritones of his generation. With his strong stage presence, fidelity to the text and psychological depth, he embodies characters caught between power, madness and humanity – qualities that make him the ideal choice for the role of the King-President, who plays the central antagonist in Neuwirth's opera as a caricatured tyrant.

Monster's Paradise is not a classical opera, but rather a hybrid form, as impressively described in an interview with Olga Neuwirth: beginning like a singspiel and ending almost like an oratorio, it focuses on human dignity and ideals despite, or perhaps because of, their decline. Neuwirth and Jelinek depict an apocalyptic world in which two avatars of themselves observe the decline of humanity while giant monsters and political tyrants reign in chaos. Only the monster Gorgonzilla offers hope. Tobias Kratzer stages the opera as a satirical horror opera in the style of Grand Guignol, in which grotesque exaggeration, black humour and political satire intertwine. Electronic effects and multimedia elements reinforce the dystopian effect.

The King-President is a prime example of abuse of power and megalomania. Nigl succeeds in portraying the tyrant's arrogance without losing sight of the comic and satirical aspects of the role. His experience with contemporary works and his acting skills make the character multi-layered and convincing.