The Special Projects of the Historical Archive

Following the Commentary of Meister Eckhart to the Gospel of John (held in March 2025), the Biennale of the Word returns with an encounter dedicated to the theme of the conflict in European thought. On Wednesday November 6th at 6 pm, in the Tempio Votivo della Pace on the Lido di Venezia, the philosopher Massimo Cacciari will hold a Lectio Magistralis titled The death of jus belli, inspired by two fundamental writings: Zum ewigen Frieden (Perpetual Peace) by Immanuel Kant and Der Friede (The Peace: A word to the youth of Europe: A word to the youth of the world) by Ernst Jünger. Monsignor Francesco Moraglia, Patriarch of Venice, and Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, President of La Biennale di Venezia, will take part in the event.

Thus continues the cycle of Special Projects of the Historical Archive of La Biennale di Venezia – International Centre for Research on Contemporary Arts, a space not only of memory, but of research and active reflection on the cultural roots of our time. The Archive is thus confirmed as a place that enhances the dialogue between the arts, cultures and languages, turning its gaze toward fostering a deeper understanding of the present and a conscious vision of the future.

In the wake of this impulse toward reflection and rediscovery, the cycle of Special Projects of the Historical Archive continues with Arcipelago Battiato, set to take place on November 17^th and 18^th at the Teatro alle Tese at the Arsenale: a journey through Franco Battiato’s most experimental production, in the year marking the eightieth anniversary of the artist’s birth. A tribute dedicated by La Biennale di Venezia in collaboration with SZ Sugar, which starts with the most avant-garde albums of the early 1970s – Pollution and Sulle corde di Aries – to the most recent works, highlighting his enduring commitment to research and innovation.

The director Antonello Pocetti, together with set designer Antonino Viola, has conceived the production as the islands of an archipelago, musical islands distributed across various stages. The performance presents Franco Battiato’s material in a new form, with transcriptions, arrangements and re-elaborations by Leonardo Marino and Michele Tadini, who is also responsible for the electronic texture, and with sound projection by Thierry Coduys. On the stage, the voice of Malika Ayane, accompanied by the pianist and keyboard artist Leonardo Marino, by guitarist Flavio Virzi, multi-instrumentalist Diego Ronzio, percussionist Simone Beneventi, violinist Silvia Mandolini and cellist Elide Sulsenti.

The programme of Special Projects of the Historical Archive will conclude in 2025 under the aegis of music and dance with Coro, the masterpiece composed by Luciano Berio between 1974 and 1976, premiered in Italy at the Biennale Teatro and Biennale Musica directed by Luca Ronconi in 1976. Coro will be presented on December 6^th and 7^th at the Teatro La Fenice in a new production featuring original choreography by Wayne McGregor. A tribute dedicated by La Biennale di Venezia to the great composer on the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, in collaboration with the Fondazione Teatro La Fenice and with the contribution of the Ministry of Culture.

In addition to the forty voices of the Coro della Cattedrale di Siena “Guido Chigi Saracini”, matched by vocal range to the forty elements of the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice, there will also be twenty dancers, ten from the Company Wayne McGregor and ten selected among the best dancers from the Biennale College over the past five years.