THE OLYMPIC FLAME by Panos Karousos

Panos Karousos at the podium of the Old Parliament of Greece

The Olympic Flame is an opera in three acts related to the legend of  Hercules and the founding of the Olympic Games.

It is the second operatic work by Panagiotis Karousos, which along with “Prometheus” (first performed in Greek at the Place des Arts, in June of 1994 and subsequently in its French version in June of 1996) and “Alexander the Great” is part of a trilogy depicting the greatness of the human spirit and the humanism of the “Hellenes” as is stated in the philosophical works of Greek antiquity and clearly indicates that we are all descendants of the culture and civilization of that era.

The opera in its entirety is based on the Olympic flame and as it unfolds gives us the fundamental meaning behind this ancient Greek religious ritual, for that is what it is. 

The flame as we know it furring the Olympics is basically a simple commemoration/re-enactment of the flame as was stolen from the Gods by Prometheus and brought to the people.  The flame of knowledge, from which civilizations were born. In Greek antiquity it was a religious ritual, with the purpose of bringing of the people closer to the Gods.

The opera is of two-hour duration and will be presented in a concert version.  Its third act is based on the tragedy “Trachiniæ” by Sophocles. In the Trachiniæ, are described the sufferings of Hercules and the levity of Dëianeira, atoned for by her death;   “The Olympic Flame” is a presentation of a major work of Greek mythology and philosophy, and in turn its contribution to world civilization.

The composition and orchestration of the opera is influenced by the post-romantic era in music and by other classical elements in Greek antiquity thus making it an avant-garde opera of the new millennium.  Dominant in this work as in others by Karousos is the exaltation of lyricism, which relates well to ancient Greek tragedy due to the fact that they are both lyrical works and Greek tragic poetry is lyrical.

Olympic Flame cast: Vasilis Asimakopoulos, Nansy Papakonstantinou, Irene Konsta, Vanessa Kalkanis