Opera "Trachiniae"
by Sophocles directed by Irini Konsta
Music by Panagiotis Karousos
Starring:
Deianeira: Irini Konsta,
soprano
Heracles & Hyllus:
Vasilis Asimakopoulos, bass
Macaria: Rea Voudouri,
soprano
Eurystheus: Theodoros
Birakos, tenor
Alkmene: Katerina Botoni,
mazzo-soprano
Pantelis Legakis, piano with
orchestral ensemble
Cultural & Sports
Organization of the Municipality of Galatsi
Festival of Galatsi
Municipality 2018
ALSOS VEIKOY OPEN AIR
THEATRE
Friday July 20, 2018
Time 21:00 pm. Free entrance
Opera "Trachiniae"
by Sophocles
Directed by Irini Konsta
Music: Panayiotis Karousos
Lyric Tragedy
Trachiniae by Sophocles untitled "Olympic Flame"
The modern masterpiece opera Trachiniae by Panagiotis
Karousos, after Sophocles’tragedy, made her triumphant debut at the Lincoln
Center in New York on March 26, 2016, with the name "Olympic Flame".
On July 5, 2016, she re-appeared in the United States at the Astoria Festival
for the occasion of the 2016 Olympic Games.
The Olympic Flame – Trachiniae of Panagiotis Karousos is an
opera in two acts related to the myth of Hercules and the foundation of the
Olympic games, and will be performed with ancient Greek costumes and direction.
The opera as a whole is based on the Olympic flame and, as it unfolds, gives us
the fundamental meaning behind the ancient Greek religious ritual, in order to
bring people closer to the gods.
The first act of the opera includes poems from Homer
(Homeric hymns), Pindar (Olympic hymns "Olympians"), and Hesiod
(Works and Days).
The second act of the opera is based solely on Sophocles'
tragedy "Trachiniae".
In the Trachiniae, we describe the suffering of Hercules and
the atonement of the Deianeira, with its tragic death. The operatic tragedy
"Olympic Flame" presents Greek mythology and philosophy with Doric
lyricism, and contributing to the world's civilization. The composition and
orchestration of the opera is influenced by the post-romantic era in music and
other classical elements of Greek antiquity, thus making an avant-garde opera.
The opera has a dominant position style in this work, as in Panagiotis
Karousos' other works, the exaltation of lyricism, which is also related to the
ancient Greek tragedy. The opera made a world premiere at the Montreal
Cathedral (Basilica Notre-Dame) with soloist, choir and a large Symphony
Orchestra under the direction of conductor Andre Gauthier. In Greece, the opera
was presented in the Old House og Greek Parliament, with costumes directed by
Basilis Asimakopoulos, who starred in the play as Herakles, and the soprano
Irini Konsta as Deianeira. The belcanto style of the arias and the melancholic
romantic atmosphere make this work a major opera masterpiece of the new era,
"a prototype of lyricism in the opera".
 |
| Irini Konsta, soprano (Trachiniae by Sophocles) |
CULTURAL AND
SPORTS ORGANIZATION OF GALATSI MUNICIPALITY
OPERA TRACHINIAE
BY SOPHOCLES
DIRECTED BY IRINI KONSTA
MUSIC BY
PANAGIOTIS KAROUSOS
Alsos Veikou Open Air Theatre
Friday July 20, 2018.
Time 21:00 pm. Free entrance
Sophocles' tragedy
"Trachiniae" untitled "Olympic Flame"
Featuring
DEIANEIRA IRINI KONSTA
HERACLES & HYLLUS
VASILIS ASIMAKOPOULOS
MACARIA REA VOUDOURI
EURYSTHEUS THEODOROS BIRAKOS
ALCMENE KATERINA BOTONI
Pantelis Legakis, piano with orchestral ensemble
 |
| Vasilis Asimakopoulos, bass (Trachiniae by Sophocles) |
