Balkan Erotic Epic in Landschaftspark: Marina Abramović brings Duisburg to vibrate
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Marina Abramović ignites a ritual between myth and present in Duisburg
With Balkan Erotic Epic, the Ruhrtriennale 2026 brings one of Marina Abramović's most distinctive works to the Kraftzentrale in Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord. The German premiere combines performance, dance, singing, and installations into a four-hour stage experience that intertwines body, memory, and ritual with rare intensity.
An evening like a walkable mystery
The production unfolds in 13 parallel scenes, through which the audience moves freely. Instead of a classic seating arrangement, a dense theater atmosphere emerges, where sightlines shift, layers of sound overlap, and the audience's reactions become part of the dramaturgy. Abramović draws on Balkan myths, spirituality, and traditional rituals to shape an intense, immersive panorama of eroticism, death, and vitality.
Stage art between body, light, and archaic energy
The production emphasizes strong contrasts: projections, changes in lighting, choral movements, and traditional songs coalesce into a vibrant ritual theater. The Kraftzentrale as an industrial hall enhances this impression with its raw acoustics and the size of the space. Those sitting or standing here do not experience a distanced succession of images, but a physically close performance, where directing, stage design, and acting aim for immediate impact.
A work of international standing
Ruhrtriennale and Factory International mark this production as a highlight of the festival program. The work is described as Abramović's most monumental project to date and stands in the tradition of her performative research on presence, boundary experience, and collective experience. Especially for the Duisburg industrial site, this creates an unusual tension: a historic hall meets contemporary art of global radiance.
What visitors can expect
Balkan Erotic Epic promises a radical, sensual, and highly concentrated live experience. Those who immerse themselves in the free movement in the space, the strong imagery, and the physical intensity experience theater as an event, not just a performance. An appointment for all seeking great stage art, performative power, and extraordinary festival moments.
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