Satyricon (opera)

Satyricon is an opera in one act (or occasionally performed in two parts), composed by Bruno Maderna to his own libretto, based on the novel Satyricon by Petronius.

The opera premiered on March 16, 1973, at the Stadttheater in Scheveningen, Netherlands, during the Holland Festival.

Satyricon is a complex and often fragmented work, reflecting the episodic and satirical nature of Petronius's original text. It incorporates elements of serialism, aleatoric music, and spoken word. The plot, such as it is, follows the adventures of Encolpius and Ascyltus, focusing on themes of debauchery, social satire, and the search for pleasure in a decadent society. The opera eschews a traditional narrative structure, instead presenting a series of vignettes and tableaux drawn from the novel.

The vocal demands of the opera are considerable, requiring singers with strong acting abilities and a willingness to engage with the challenging and unconventional score. Staging can vary considerably depending on the director's interpretation, but often embraces the grotesque and the absurd to capture the spirit of Petronius's work.