Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex, based on the tragedy by Sophocles, is the new work designed and directed by Robert Wilson, produced by Change Performing Arts, commissioned by “Conversazioni” — the festival of Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza — and coproduced by “Pompeii Theatrum Mundi” — the festival of ancient dramaturgy taking place in the ancient theatre of the archeological site. This same tragedy by Sophocles was staged in 1585 at Teatro Olimpico to inaugurate the most famous masterpiece by Andrea Palladio.

While the backbone of the performance is the famous text by Sophocles (430 B.C.E.) with the classical Italian translation in verses by Ettore Romagnoli (1926), inserts of the ancient translation by Orsatto Giustiniano (1585), and various different contemporary languages will be intertwined to allude to a myth that travels freely across time, geographical and cultural borders.

Wilson crosses boundaries between theatre, dance, music and visual art, and also creates scenes that are not in the original tragedy by Sophocles such as Pitia announcing the oracle of Delphi and the marriage of Oedipus to Jocasta.

Music plays a central role in the project, originally composed and performed by Dickie Landry, a saxophonist from New Orleans, who exchanges musical dialogues with Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh.