Exhibitions
Cathy Berberian at the Virreina: Vocal avant-garde in images
Berberian, Stripsody and recognized voice of the 20th century.
Until September 28, 2025, the Palau de la Virreina in Barcelona hosts the exhibition Stripsody , dedicated to the composer and performer Cathy Berberian (1925–1983), coinciding with the centenary of her birth. This exhibition offers an in-depth look at one of her most emblematic works, Stripsody (1966), a piece that continues to amaze with its originality and audacity.
Stripsody is a vocal composition that transforms onomatopoeic sounds from comics—such as “BANG!”, “CRASH!” or “ZZZ!”—into music. Berberian, in collaboration with Italian artist Roberto Zamarin and semiologist Umberto Eco, created a work in which the voice ceases to be just a melodic instrument to become an expressive tool that imitates, interprets and reinvents the visual language of comics. Zamarin’s graphic score, inspired by comic strips, is one of the central points of the exhibition and shows how image and sound can merge in an innovative way.
The exhibition's curator, Arnau Horta, has selected original materials that allow visitors to better understand the genesis and artistic impact of Stripsody . Performance photographs, historical and audiovisual documents complement the score, offering an immersive experience that illustrates Berberian's boundless creativity and his ability to expand the boundaries of contemporary music.
A key figure in the European musical avant-garde, Berberian not only gave voice to some of the most outstanding works by Luciano Berio, John Cage and Sylvano Bussotti, among other composers, but was also a source of inspiration for these pieces and contributed decisively to their creation. Her powerful and extraordinarily versatile voice was, in this sense, much more than a simple instrument at the service of interpretation. Berberian's career experienced a turning point when she met the Italian composer Luciano Berio, whom she married in 1950. Berio dedicated several works to her, such as Circles (1960), Visage (1961) and Sequenza III (1965), pieces that significantly expanded the expressive possibilities of the human voice in contemporary music. This close collaboration consolidated Berberian as a key figure within the European and North American musical avant-garde.
The exhibition also includes parallel activities that invite public participation. Highlights include a guided tour for families scheduled for September 27, 2025, as well as a visit with the curator, which will allow for a deeper understanding of the creative process and the details of the piece. This is a unique opportunity to discover how the human voice can become an instrument capable of translating the visual language of comics into sounds.
