Kurt Cobain’s final days to be adapted by Royal Opera House

The Nirvana frontman battled addiction and depression before taking his own life in 1994

The final days of Kurt Cobain ‘s life are to be dramatised by London’s Royal Opera House for the 2022 – 2023 season.

The Nirvana frontman is the subject of Last Days, the new opera adapted from Gus Van Sant’s 2005 film, which was based on the moments before Cobain took his own life in 1994, aged 27.

The protagonist, Blake (Michael Pitt), “plunges into the torment that created a modern myth” and is “haunted by objects, visitors and memories distracting him from his true purpose – self-destruction”, the Royal Opera House said in a statement.

The opera is composed by Oliver Leith, an electronic and classical composer currently in residence at the Royal Opera House.

Leith has said he is a “massive” Nirvana fan and that “the music soundtracked my teens ... I owe a lot of how I now make music to the sound of grunge from that time.”

Leith added that Cobain’s tragedy is “an archetypal story – operas deal well in those.”

The libretto will be by Matt Copson, with Anna Morrissey as co-director.

The Royal Opera House’s 2022 – 2023 season will also be comprised from 20 new opera and ballet productions, nine world premieres and three UK premieres.

The show is due to be staged this October at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or are struggling to cope, the Samaritans offers support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.