Apollo Soundtrack: Brian Eno's lunar music lands in Matera

On July 18, 2019, Matera—European Capital of Culture 2019—will host Apollo Soundtrack, a multimedia performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The event highlights the role of Rocco Petrone, a mechanical engineer from Basilicata who served as NASA's director of launch operations and supervised the entire Apollo program. The musical centerpiece is Brian Eno's 1983 album Apollo Atmospheres and Soundtracks, co-created with his brother Roger Eno and Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Lanois. It will be performed live by the British band Icebreaker, featuring B.J. Cole on pedal steel guitar, Roger Eno, and Icelandic cellist Gyda Valtysdottir, at the Cava del Sole venue. The performance has been rearranged by South Korean musician Woojun Lee and marks the first time this version is performed outside the UK. Sponsor Leonardo, a high-tech company, will provide satellite imagery. The event also references the ASI Space Geodesy Center in Matera, which uses a laser to measure the distance to the Moon. Paolo Verri, director of the Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, emphasized Petrone's contribution as the son of Lucanian migrants.