Caterina Barbieri Unveils 2025 Venice Biennale Music Program Focused on Cosmic Music
Caterina Barbieri, the new director of the Biennale Musica di Venezia, has announced the program for the 69th International Festival of Contemporary Music, scheduled from October 11 to 25, 2025. The festival, themed "cosmic music," will explore music's capacity to create new worlds beyond genre or historical affiliation. The program is heavily electronic, featuring pioneers like Suzanne Ciani, William Basinski, and Carl Craig, alongside contemporary minimalists such as Maxime Denuc and Fujiiiiiiiiiiita, and experimental acts like Sunn O)) and Ecco2k. Performances will take place across Venice's historic venues, including the Arsenale, Teatro alle Tese, Marghera, Mestre, and canals. The opening event will be a musical procession of boats culminating in a live concert by Bolivian duo Los Thuthanaka. William Basinski will premiere a new work reimagining his tape loops for multiple grand pianos, percussion, and vaporetto engines. The Biennale College Musica will mentor five selected projects with tutors including Ellen Arkbro, DeForrest Brown Jr., and Lorenzo Senni.
Key facts
- Caterina Barbieri is the new director of the Biennale Musica di Venezia.
- The 69th International Festival of Contemporary Music runs from October 11 to 25, 2025.
- The festival theme is 'cosmic music'.
- Performances will be held at the Arsenale, Teatro alle Tese, Marghera, Mestre, and canals.
- The opening event is a boat procession with a live concert by Los Thuthanaka.
- William Basinski will premiere a new work for multiple grand pianos, percussion, and vaporetto engines.
- Suzanne Ciani, Carl Craig, and Sunn O)) are among the featured artists.
- Biennale College Musica mentors include Ellen Arkbro, DeForrest Brown Jr., and Lorenzo Senni.
Entities
Artists
- Caterina Barbieri
- Suzanne Ciani
- Maxime Denuc
- Enrico Malatesta
- Agnese Menguzzato
- Fujiiiiiiiiiiita
- Giacinto Scelsi
- Iannis Xenakis
- György Ligeti
- György Kurtág
- William Basinski
- Christian Fennesz
- Aleksi Perälä
- Sunn O)))
- Carl Craig
- Actress
- Nkisi
- DeForrest Brown Jr.
- Ecco2k
- Rafael Toral
- Mabe Fratti
- Los Thuthanaka
- Chuquimamani-Condori
- Joshua Chuquimia Crampton
- Yosuke Fujita
- Ellen Arkbro
- Thierry Coduys
- Lorenzo Senni
- Marcel Weber (MFO)
- Claudia Giraud
Institutions
- Biennale Musica di Venezia
- Biennale College Musica
- Arsenale
- Teatro alle Tese
- Artribune
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Arsenale
- Teatro alle Tese
- Marghera
- Mestre
- Gaggiandre basin
- Bolivia
- Detroit
- Guatemala
- Japan