Biennale Musica 2022: Out of Stage Explores Experimental Music Theatre in Venice

The 66th International Festival of Contemporary Music, directed by Lucia Ronchetti, will take place in Venice from September 14 to 25, 2022, under the title "Out of Stage. New Experimental Music Theatre." The festival focuses on works conceived for non-traditional stages, integrating new technologies, virtual and augmented reality. It aims to connect contemporary experimentalism with Venetian Baroque opera, involving the city's historic venues and institutions. Highlights include Simon Steen-Andersen's "The Return," based on Monteverdi's "Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria"; Annelies Van Parys's "Notwehr," reworking Banchieri's madrigals, performed at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco; Michel van der Aa's "The Book of Water" on erosion, staged at Teatro Goldoni; and Alexander Schubert's "Sleep Laboratory," a 60-minute immersive VR performance. The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement is awarded to Giorgio Battistelli, with a new production of "Jules Verne" by Ars Ludi at Teatro La Fenice on the opening night.