Our world is crawling with creation. Music, art, fashion, human connection, human performance. It is when we combine these aspects of life and originality that we can create a truly sublime experience. A historic first staged performance, Partenope is a rare convergence of music, history, myth, femininity, and fashion.
The world premiere of Partenope, nestled in the iconic Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, is notable not only as the only opera ever composed by legendary film composer Ennio Morricone, but also for its remarkable directorial vision. Vanessa Beecroft, known for her striking contemporary art performances, brought her unique sensibility to the production, guiding a narrative that blends stillness and movement, myth and intimacy, fashion and theatricality. The opera premiered on December 12th and 14th, 30 years after its original 1995 commission in Campania, Italy, which never came to fruition.
This ethereal performance was also a milestone for fashion. For the first time, Chloé, under creative director Chemena Kamali, collaborated on a performance of this scale. Alongside Daniela Ciancio, the theater’s renowned costumer, they crafted a visual language that perfectly harmonized with Beecroft’s vision, resulting in costumes that were romantic, intimate, and raw. The collaboration marked a rare alignment of high fashion and opera, producing an immersive, multisensory experience.
Partenope, a one-act opera, interprets an Italian libretto that tells the story of a mythical Greek siren. After failing to ensnare Odysseus, she chooses to end her life, her body resting on the shore of what would become Naples. The performance pays homage to the city through the incorporation of folk music and traditional instruments, with the libretto rendered primarily in Italian, accented by Greek and Neapolitan dialects, giving it an unmistakably local heartbeat.
