Taranto hosts national premiere of industrial myth play

The Taras Teatro Festival will host the national premiere of “Prometeo a Taranto. La fabbrica illuminata” on September 24 and 25 at the TaTÀ auditorium in Taranto, Italy. Directed by German director Joscha Zmarzlik for the company Opera To Go, the production explores the intersection of ancient myth and modern industrialization.

The performance utilizes the music of avant-garde pioneer Luigi Nono, based on a 1964 composition that addressed the alienating conditions of factory workers. By weaving together the myth of Prometheus with texts by Giuliano Scabia and Cesare Pavese, the play examines the dual nature of progress—as both a source of enlightenment and a potential threat to life and the environment.

A central element of the production is the involvement of the local community, featuring a chorus of fifteen citizens from Taranto. Their voices integrate with the musical score and classical myths to reflect on the city's specific social, economic, and environmental challenges stemming from its heavy industrial history.