From January 31, the Teatro Sannazaro in Naples hosts “2084 – The Year We Burned Chrome,” an opera directed by Marcello Cotugno. The performance offers a vision of a disturbing future, dominated by China, which exerts a profound influence on Western metropolises, including Naples.
Dystopian View and Current Events
Debuting in 2022 at the Campania Teatro Festival, the sci-fi play intertwines fiction and current tensions between China and the West. In this vision of the future, China controls the lives of its citizens through a system of social credits. Cash is replaced by cryptocurrencies like π (Pi), and traditional arts give way to NFTs, while the metaverse becomes the environment for authentic experiences.
Cast and Production
The show's protagonists include actors such as Francesco Maria Cordella, Nadia Carlomagno and Paolo De Vita, along with other young performers. The creative team includes Assunta La Corte for the scenography and Irma Ciaramella for the costumes. Marcello Cotugno also takes care of the video design and the soundtrack. The production is signed by Teatro Sannazaro with the collaboration of various institutions.
Innovation and Reflections
Unpublished in Italy, the performance is accompanied by a collection of NFTs that can be purchased online. On February 1st, the Theater will also host the presentation of the volume “Nel modo più assoluto, no”, which collects Cotugno’s trilogy on the family. “2084” depicts a society characterized by dehumanization and state control, centered on the alienating life of the Donati family. Through family dynamics and modern languages, the show addresses issues such as cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence and digital addiction.
