Prometeo

Hidden within Milan, the Prometeo gallery echoes with a different kind of art. Not paintings or sculptures, but the haunting melodies of Luigi Nono’s opera, also named Prometeo. This isn’t a traditional opera, mind you. Nono himself called it a “tragedia dell’ascolto,” a tragedy of listening. The Prometeo gallery has likely hosted performances of this unique piece. Imagine experiencing this complex and challenging work within these walls. Prometeo, composed between 1981 and 1984, is structured as a sequence of nine cantatas, drawing on texts from Aeschylus, Walter Benjamin, and Rainer Maria Rilke. The libretto, crafted by Massimo Cacciari, explores the multifaceted myth of Prometheus without adhering to a single narrative. The sheer scale of the composition is breathtaking. The final version calls for five vocal soloists, two speakers, a twelve-person choir, and four orchestral groups. Each group includes a flute, piccolo, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, four violins, a viola, cello, and double bass. Add to that seven glasses, six instrumental soloists, two conductors, and electronic manipulation of the sounds, and you begin to grasp the immensity of Nono’s vision. The Prometeo opera premiered in Venice in 1984, conducted by Claudio Abbado. A revised version debuted at Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 1985, led by Peter Hirsch. Nono, fiercely protective of his work, forbade any photography of the production, a stand against what he termed “artistic consumerism.” Perhaps, the Prometeo gallery, dedicated to showcasing unique and experimental art forms, followed a similar philosophy. Prometeo continues to be performed and reinterpreted, ensuring Nono’s complex and powerful work resonates with audiences worldwide. If you have the opportunity to experience Prometeo, particularly within a space like the Prometeo gallery, I encourage you to embrace the challenge and immerse yourself in Nono’s extraordinary soundscape.