[3] The librettist Peter Sloterdijk[4] describes life in a multi-religious and multi-cultural metropolis,[5] the rise and fall of an empire.

[6] His essay God's Zeal, that deals with the three major monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, possibly influenced the libretto.

[7] The Bavarian State Opera presented the world premiere of Widmann's Babylon,[b] conducted by Kent Nagano on 27 October 2012 in National Theatre Munich.

[6][18][19][20] The New York Times noted that Widmann's hard work received a major forum, that Sloterdijk's libretto is overstuffed and often inscrutable, and the production is extravagant.

[4] Die Zeit wrote about an indifferent libretto, a monstrous score and old men's lust (Altherrenerotik),[21] Süddeutsche Zeitung about howling wind players, opulent pictures and strange music.

[22] Die Welt wrote: "alphabet soup of sound salad: orgiastic, bombastic" ("Buchstabensuppe an Klangsalat, orgiastisch bombastisch.").

[33] A special musical style is Widmann's version of the Bayerischer Defiliermarsch and Tiroler Holzhackerbuab'n from his composition Dubairische Tänze in Scene III "The New Year Festival".

[7] The seven scenes of the opera:[d][41][2] The Scorpion Man dwells upon the ruins of Babylon, declaring whoever rebuilds this city shall be cursed.

[40] After the flood, The Priest King promises that peace and order will be achieved between heaven and earth through a human sacrifice.

An orgiastic, carnival-like New Year festival held by the Babylonians and Inanna with Bavarian-Babylonian marches, processions, cabaret numbers, and excesses has begun.

(2012 Munich premiere only, not included in the revised version) The soul addresses to the audience that stars are not just light in the night sky, rather they are twinkling messengers.

Once Tammu and Inanna arrive back to Babylon, a new covenant with humankind, based on number seven, replaces the old sacrifice.