Photo: Grazia Lissi


Luigi Nono: Intolleranza

Opera Wuppertal, Germany

Luigi Nono's first opera is a flaming protest against intolerance, oppression and the violation of human dignity. Which work in the history of music would be better suited to take an undisguised look at the impact of Friedrich Engels' work - beyond appropriation, blanket rejection and simplistic classification as historically refuted? The plot: a refugee working in a mine longs to return to his homeland. Even the woman with whom he has started a relationship cannot persuade him to stay and gets into an argument with him about it. On the return journey he gets into a peace demonstration and is arrested by mistake. Despite torture by the police, the man does not confess because he has nothing to confess. In the camp he befriends an Algerian with whom he manages to escape; his goal is no longer his home country but the attainment of freedom in general. But this striving is opposed by a world full of regulations and constraints. The man finds a companion who supports him in his fight for a better world. What follows is a nightmare vision of intolerance, formed from the shadows of the past. In the end, an enormous flood devours all utopias.

According to the content of the opera, the large choir is the central protagonist. In addition, there is an extremely large percussion section (12 players) and impressive live electronics, which would later become a characteristic feature of Luigi Nono's compositions. For the new production, the Wuppertal Opera is collaborating with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Through this cooperation, the work is to be read in a new direction and Intolleranza is to be presented to as wide an audience as possible in the context of Friedrich Engels' 200th birthday celebrations.

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