From March 14th to November 30th, 2026, the atmospheric chambers of Cisternerne Copenhagen will host Seven Deaths, a powerful new iteration of Marina Abramović’s celebrated project dedicated to the tragic heroines of opera. Reimagined as an environmental installation, the work transforms the underground cistern into a stage where sound, darkness, and architecture merge with the artist’s exploration of mortality and emotion.
Cisternerne Copenhagen: an underground stage for contemporary art
Cisternerne Copenhagen is located beneath Frederiksberg Hill in Søndermarken Park. The vast nineteenth-century water reservoirs, which were built in 1856 to supply the city, now house the exhibition space. Once capable of holding 16 million litres of water, the monumental structure was drained in 1981 and later converted into an exhibition space for Copenhagen’s 1996 European Capital of Culture year. Since 2013, the cavernous chambers — known for their near-total darkness and 17-second echo — have been dedicated exclusively to site-specific contemporary art projects.
In this unique setting, Abramović’s work takes on a new physical and emotional dimension. The damp, echoing architecture intensifies the immersive experience, allowing the installation to unfold as a haunting journey through love, loss and the theatrical symbolism of death.
‘Seven Deaths’ as an environmental installation
In Seven Deaths, Abramović stages the final moments of seven iconic female characters from opera history. The scenes are set to arias performed by legendary soprano Maria Callas, whose dramatic life has long fascinated the artist. Within the installation, Abramović dies seven times—an act that becomes both homage and meditation on artistic devotion, vulnerability, and transformation.
The project brings together seven video works presented as a continuous sequence. In each film, Abramović performs alongside actor Willem Dafoe, recreating climactic operatic deaths through cinematic imagery and performance. Art and biography intertwine as the figure of Callas emerges as a symbolic double of the artist—both women defined by an uncompromising dedication to their craft.
Discover how Michèle Lamy and Marina Abramović challenge the limits of creativity and embrace artistic freedom in our interview. They reflect on failure, self-expression, and the human body as a canvas for art.
MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ
7 Deaths of Maria Callas, 2019
Photography by MARCO ANELLI, courtesy of the MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ ARCHIVES
