Inferno

Premiered in 1857, Franz Liszt’s Dante Symphony was originally conceived as an immersive spectacle, with a projected slideshow of Bonaventura Genelli’s drawings and the rumble of wind machines. That vision never materialised – until now, reimagined through a contemporary lens.

Drawing from historical depictions of Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ and imagery of man-made climate change, artist Mat Collishaw’s film reinterprets the 14th-century warning through the lens of environmental destruction, depicting the circles of Hell in visions of open-pit rare earth mining, deforestation, melting ice and the displacement of people.

Taking place in the Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer and auditorium, the performance uses projections, sound systems and orchestral music to draw us into a multi-dimensional underworld, asking: ‘Is it too late to change the course of our own Divine Comedy?’

Mat Collishaw is one of the most influential and consistently provocative figures in contemporary British art. A pioneer in blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, his work often explores how technological progress intersects with the natural and moral world.

Fiona Brice is a classically trained composer and arranger who works across a wide range of genres. She brings her distinctive ability to combine different musical worlds and realise the creative vision of people from outside the orchestral world to Inferno.

TaliaBle is a Tottenham-raised rapper and multidisciplinary artist. Since emerging in 2019, she has sculpted a distinctive blend of poetic lyricism with experimental electronic and leftfield hip-hop beats.

The mission of the BBC Concert Orchestra is to bring inspiring musical experiences to everyone, everywhere, with the ensemble’s versatility as the key.

Credits
Mat Collishaw director, originator and film-maker
Fiona Brice arrangement and new compositions
BBC Concert Orchestra additional music direction and concept
TaliaBle lyricist and performer

Commissioned and produced by the Southbank Centre and BBC Concert Orchestra in the UK and Insula Orchestra, Paris and Pont Neuf, performing fine arts.