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Dissonanze at 25

June 11, 2025

Dissonanze at 25

Rome’s Groundbreaking Festival is Back in Honour of its Founder

When Dissonanze first debuted in Rome in 2000, Italy had never seen anything like it. A pioneering festival of electronic music, digital art, and experimentation, it introduced audiences to a world that until then had mostly been talked about abroad.

For Marie Louise Sciò, who was the partner of founder Giorgio Mortari and shared those early years of the festival with him, Dissonanze was more than just an event, however. “It began 25 years ago, when Giorgio and I were together,” she recalls. “It was incredible, innovative – truly a pioneer in bringing to Italy something that was already resonating internationally. The very first edition was almost a mini-festival of German electronic music, and then it grew into something much bigger, with international recognition. It brought electronic music and digital art to Italy at a time when nothing like it existed here.”

The festival quickly became a cultural touchstone, both in Rome and beyond. “For the city, it was an unmissable event,” Sciò says. “Other festivals abroad looked at Dissonanze as a reference point. Giorgio had an extraordinary eye for talent – so many artists who are huge today, he had already invited 25 years ago. It was a niche, yes, but one that had an enormous impact.”

After Giorgio’s untimely passing, the festival came to a halt. But this year, thanks to Andrea Pelino – a close friend of Giorgio’s and someone who deeply respected his work – Dissonanze is returning to Rome on September 20 and 21 at Auditorium Parco della Musica. For Sciò, seeing the name again is powerful: “It moves me just to read it. For me, and for our son, it’s a way of honouring Giorgio and his vision. Andrea explained his intention clearly, and I was so happy. He is someone capable of carrying this forward.”

Dissonanze, then, is not simply being revived. It is being celebrated – for the vision it represented, for the space it opened in Italy, and for the way it shaped a generation of cultural life in Rome. “It was a festival that marked an era,” Sciò reflects. “If it had continued, it could have become one of the world’s most important. Even today, it reminds us of the power of excellence, of going beyond the mainstream. Because not everything should be mainstream.”

We sat down with Pelino to talk about Giorgio’s legacy, how the festival has evolved, and why We sat down with Pelino to talk about Giorgio’s legacy, how the festival has evolved, and why Rome needs Dissonanze now more than ever..

What does it mean to you to bring Dissonanze back after 25 years?

Dissonanze will always belong to Giorgio. He created it, and nobody can replicate his work. For me, this relaunch is first and foremost a celebration of Giorgio – his vision, his music choices, his ability to bring people together.

I was very close to him personally – we were friends long before collaborators. When I worked with him at the Auditorium, we even brought Björk back to Rome after many years away. So for me, picking up Dissonanze now is both an honor and a personal responsibility. I feel it every day.

How has the festival changed since its early years?

Back then, Dissonanze was a one-night experience: dark rooms, strobe lights, music until dawn. Festivals today are different. They’re spread over days, often outdoors, and audiences expect more than just music. So we had to adapt the format – Dissonanze 25 will run as a daytime event, with different spaces, installations, and a broader experience.

Musically, we’re looking both backward and forward. We’ve brought back some artists who shaped the festival in the past, but also younger names Giorgio would have chosen if he were here. It’s about keeping the DNA intact while opening it to new generations.

What role do digital art and visuals play in this edition?

Always an essential one. Giorgio pushed Dissonanze beyond music, into the realm of digital culture and multimedia art. We’re continuing that: working with visual artists, lighting designers, even creating installations at the MACRO museum after the festival, to expand that side of the story.

At the Auditorium, we’re focusing on light – subtle, intelligent ways to enhance the architecture of the domes without overwhelming the music. For me, the dialogue between sound, visuals, and space is what gives Dissonanze its identity.

What’s your biggest challenge in reviving Dissonanze?

Honestly, living up to Giorgio’s legacy. The music world has changed enormously in ten years. DJs have become superstars with enormous fees; production costs have skyrocketed. At the same time, audiences are more fragmented. Some of the people who loved Dissonanze twenty years ago don’t go out anymore.

So the challenge is to strike a balance: remain experimental and uncompromising, but still bring in a younger crowd, make it feel relevant. We can’t just be nostalgic, but we can’t sell out either.

And looking to the future – where do you see Dissonanze going?

This edition is a starting point, a way to reunite the community that built Dissonanze and to bring new audiences into the fold. From here, we want to evolve: more collaborations, more multimedia projects, new artists at the right moment.

Working with Umberto, Giorgio’s son, gives me a lot of energy. He’s determined to carry forward his father’s vision, and that motivates me too. If this edition works – and I believe it will – we’ll keep going, building step by step.

Finally, why should someone come to Dissonanze?

Because it’s what Rome has been missing. In Italy today, there isn’t another festival like this: one willing to take risks on experimental electronic music and digital art, without compromises.

At Dissonanze, you don’t just choose entertainment – you choose music as art, sound as exploration, and community as culture. That’s what made it special then, and that’s what we want to bring back now.

Dissonanze takes place at Auditorium Parco della Musica on September 20 and 21. Get your tickets here. 

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