Category: 2021
2021 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA
Press 2021
2021 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ANCIENT GREEK DRAMA
The 2021 Festival programme
5 productions compose this year’s programme co-organised by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth, the Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.
The International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama raises the curtain on the 2021’s edition after last year’s cancellation due to the covid pandemic and is ready to offer an exciting line-up of performances to the audience that has been attending faithfully in recent years; a July full of unique theatrical moments!
The pandemic may have forced the organisers to cancel last year’s edition, but it ignited their desire to create a high-quality programme for 2021. The goal and desire of the organisers is to maintain the rising and successful course recorded by the International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama, to ensure the artistic quality of the performance programme and the largest possible attendance of Cypriot and foreign visitors.
Emphasizing on the quality and cooperation with distinguished theatrical organisations, a diverse and extroverted programme is offered to the spectators, with performances of modern aesthetic and artistic approach to the ancient drama, highlighting the scope and prestige of the Festival locally and abroad.
In the 2021’s edition, five esteemed theatre companies from Greece, Israel, Italy and Cyprus present performances of ancient Greek drama at Curium Ancient Theatre in Limassol and at “Skali” Amphitheatre in Aglantzia, from July 2 to July 30, 2021.
The five productions of this year’s Festival
The opening of this year’s Festival will take place at Curium Ancient Theatre with the extremely edgy and highly topical comedy of Aristophanes, Ecclesiazusae, in an original version of a contemporary, folk operetta in translation, libretto and music by Stamatis Kraounakis, directed by Marianna Calbari. After winning over critics and spectators in their first presentation at the crowded Herodion in 2019 and in the performances that followed in Thessaloniki and Athens, Ecclesiazusae come to Curium Ancient Theatre for two performances on July 2 and 3.
Following, for a unique performance on July 5 at “Skali” Amphitheatre, Sophocles’ Antigone, one of the most complete texts of ancient Greek drama, presented by the Jerusalem Khan Theatre under the direction of Udi Ben Moshe, one of the most significant directors of Israel. Timeless criticism on the arrogance of power and autocracy and the conflict between unwritten moral laws and institutional state laws, emerge through a contemporary stage “reading” emphasizing resistance against the modern political context as well as the current conflicts between religion and state.
The National Theatre of Greece returns to the Festival, eleven years later, with Aristophanes’ comedy The Knights, directed by the distinguished choreographer and director Konstantinos Rigos, featuring an outstanding cast. Equestrian, combative, hilarious, in an “ancient – modern” mix, through the innovative perspective of the director, the Knights get ready to “rap” at Curium Ancient Theatre on the 16th and 17th of July.
Euripides’ masterpiece, Medea, which deals with the last act of the passionate relationship between Jason and Medea, is this year’s Cypriot production in the Festival, directed by Aliki Danezi Knutsen. Seven actresses, in a unique stage setting guided by speech and sound, retrieve and reconstruct the dark and fierce forms of Euripides’ tragedy. The creation of Roads and Oranges Film Productions, will be presented at “Skali” Amphitheatre on July 21 and 22 and at Curium Ancient Theatre on July 24.
Prometheus Bound, Aeschylus’ shocking tragedy, staged by the Associazione Culturale Dide Di Michele Dio and the Fahrenheit 451 Teatro of Italy, under the direction of the award-winning director, Daniele Salvo, concludes this year’s Festival with two performances at “Skali” Amphitheatre on July 28 and at Curium Ancient Theatre on July 30. A deeply archetypal text, Prometheus Bound is a structured poetic-philosophical treatise on human conscience, a source of concepts and meanings that transcend the boundaries of ancient Greek mythology, permeating Western thought and culture. The fire that Prometheus stole is a light that continues to burn.
The Selection Committee of the productions participating at this year’s Festival edition was consisted by two representatives of the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports: Nadia Stylianou, Senior Cultural Officer/Chair of the Committee and Aristodimos Anastasiades, Cultural Officer A’; two representatives of the Cyprus Centre of the International Theatre Institute (CCOITI): Varnavas Kyriazis, Actor/Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CCOITI and Maria Kyriakou, Director, Member of the Board of Directors of the CCOITI; one representative of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism: Skevi Constantinou, Tourism Officer and by two ex officio members: Antonis Tsakmakis, Associate Professor at the Department of Classics and Philosophy, University of Cyprus and Ellada Evangelou, Theatrologist, dramaturg.
Performances 2021
ECCLESIAZUSAE by Aristophanes – The Operetta
GREEK ART THEATRE KAROLOS KOUN & GREEK NATIONAL OPERA
Translation-Libretto-Music: Stamatis Kraounakis
Directed by Marianna Calbari
- Friday, July 2 │ Ancient Curium Theatre
- Saturday, July 3 │ Ancient Curium Theatre
With English surtitles
Performances start at 21:00
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:00
ANTIGONE by Sophocles
THE JERUSALEM KHAN THEATRE, Israel
Directed by Udi Ben Moshe
- Monday, July 5 │ “Skali” Amphitheatre
With Greek and English surtitles
Performance starts at 21:00
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:15
THE KNIGHTS by Aristophanes
NATIONAL THEATRE OF GREECE
Directed by Konstantinos Rigos
- Friday, July 16 │ Curium Ancient Theatre
- Saturday, July 17 │ Curium Ancient Theatre
With English surtitles
Performances start at 21:00
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:00
MEDEA by Euripides
ROADS AND ORANGES FILM PRODUCTIONS, Cyprus
Directed by Aliki Danezi Knutsen
- Wednesday, July 21 │ “Skali” Amphitheatre
- Thursday, July 22 │ “Skali” Amphitheatre
- Saturday, July 24 │ Curium Ancient Theatre
With English surtitles
Performances start at 21:00
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:15
PROMETHEUS BOUND by Aeschylus
ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE DIDE DI MICHELE DIO & FAHRENHEIT 451 TEATRO, Italy
Directed by Daniele Salvo
- Wednesday, July 28 │ “Skali” Amphitheatre
- Friday, July 30 │ Curium Ancient Theatre
With Greek and English surtitles
Performances start at 21:00
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:15
ANTIGONE by Sophocles
ANTIGONE by Sophocles
THE JERUSALEM KHAN THEATRE, Israel
Monday, July 5
“Skali” Amphitheatre
Performance starts at
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:15
21:00
Sophocles’ Antigone, one of the most complete texts of ancient Greek drama, is presented by the Jerusalem Khan Theatre under the direction of Udi Ben Moshe, one of the most significant directors of Israel.
The conflict between Oedipus’ two sons, Polynices and Eteocles over the throne of Thebes, has ended. The two brothers are lying dead on the battlefield. Creon decrees Polynices body to remain unburied and unmourned because he betrayed his homeland by bringing a foreign army against it. Antigone decides to honour her brother with the proper burial, defying the disastrous consequences, in a conflict between natural and human law.
Timeless criticism on the arrogance of power and autocracy and the conflict between unwritten moral laws and institutional state laws, emerge through a contemporary stage “reading” emphasizing resistance against the modern political context as well as the current conflicts between religion and state.
WITH GREEK AND ENGLISH SURTITLES
Hebrew Translation
Shimon Buzaglo
Direction
Udi Ben Moshe
Set design
Svetlana Breger
Costume design
Oren Dar
Lighting design
Roni Cohen
Musical editing
Josef Bardanashvili
Photography
Yael Ilan
Program and poster design/illustration
Elad Elharar
Cast:
Creon
Erez Shafrir
Antigone
Or Lumbrozo
Ismene
Suzanna Papian
Eurydice
Carmit Mesilati-Kaplan
Haemon
Shachar Netz
Messenger
Itai Szor
Tiresias
Yehoyachin Friedlander
Military consultant of Creon
Yossi Eini
Political consultant of Creon
Nir Ron
Chorus:
Meni Gross,
Ofer Greenberg,
Israel Pniel
Antigone (1)
Antigone (18)
Antigone (17)
Antigone (16)
Antigone (15)
Antigone (14)
Antigone (13)
Antigone (12)
Antigone (11)
Antigone (10)
Antigone (9)
Antigone (8)
Antigone (7)
Antigone (6)
Antigone (5)
Antigone (4)
Antigone (3)
Antigone (2)
Director’s note
Israel, my homeland and the place where I create, is a modern democracy that experiences a basic conflict between religion and state, a conflict which has been embedded in the roots of the Jewish nation and culture ever since the times of the Bible, between the kings of Israel and its profits.
This conflict is rooted in the definition of our nation here, which uses a single term to define both the nation and the religion: Jewish. This is a tragic, possibly insoluble conflict, threatening the basis of the self-definition of this people today and in the future.
The Khan Theatre is based in Jerusalem, where we have been creating theatre for 50 years, and where this conflict is manifested in the most extreme terms and expressed in political and existential aspects.
This is why I chose to place the events in modern-day Israel. Opposed to the extreme right-winged nationalist ruler is a strong-minded adolescent girl, who adamantly sticks to the rules of God. The Greek Chorus in our version, has been transformed into a group of councillors and military men opposite whom stand fast – in a contemporary-political context – a group of young extreme settlers. With current dresses and the translation of Shimon Buzaglo, who uses a contemporary fluent language while meticulously maintaining the poetic aspect of the text, our production sheds light on current conflicts between religion and state in today’s state of Israel.
In the universal sense, the futuristic world view portrayed on stage, describes a chilling existential threat, which is currently at our doorstep, according to which the inability to compromise leads to death. When extremists cannot see the bigger picture, it might all end in a tragedy.
Udi Ben Moshe
THE JERUSALEM KHAN THEATRE
The Jerusalem Khan Theatre is considered by arts critics to be the Israeli theatre that has generated the most ground-breaking work of the last few years, presenting productions that have garnered significant audience praise.
Regarded as a unique gem of the Jerusalem cultural landscape, the Khan has merited considerable recognition and appreciation, has won a number of prestigious prizes and has been invited to perform in festivals and events around the world.
The Khan is the main creative repertory theatre in Jerusalem. The theatre maintains a permanent company of actors and is committed to produce at least four new critically acclaimed plays each season, in addition to its repertoire of about ten ongoing productions. These include original Israeli plays, some written specifically for the ensemble, as well as classical and modern European and American plays.
Dedicated to the belief that everyone has the right to enjoy high-level theatre, the Khan places a special emphasis on community outreach. The Khan enriches the cultural scene of Jerusalem by ensuring that its events are accessible to all of the citizens.
The Khan’s ground-breaking productions engage audiences from across the spectrum of the Jerusalem community, strengthening the city’s vibrancy and enriching its cultural landscape. The Khan acts as a beacon in the Jerusalem landscape, offering a place where different sectors of the city can meet and experience culture without discord.
CEO of the Khan Theatre, Elisheva Mazya, and Artistic Director of the theatre, Udi Ben Moshe, together guide the Khan Theatre towards fulfilling its artistic-cultural vision.
PROMETHEUS BOUND by Aeschylus
PROMETHEUS BOUND by Aeschylus
ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE DIDE DI MICHELE DIO & FAHRENHEIT 451 TEATRO, Italy
Wednesday, July 28
“Skali” Amphitheatre
Friday, July 30
Curium Ancient Theatre
Performances start at
Please arrive at the theatre before 20:15
21:00
Prometheus Bound, Aeschylus’ shocking tragedy, is staged by the Associazione Culturale Dide Di Michele Dio and the Fahrenheit 451 Teatro of Italy, under the direction of the award-winning director, Daniele Salvo.
Prometheus, he who stole the fire, an enemy of the Gods and a friend of mortals, both a victim and a perpetrator, found somewhere between the past and the future, is a timeless symbol of resistance against authority. Aeschylus deals with the refusal of Prometheus, who while chained on the rocks of Caucasus still refuses to submit to the will of “ruthless” Zeus.
A deeply archetypal text, Prometheus Bound is a structured poetic-philosophical treatise on human conscience, a source of concepts and meanings that transcend the boundaries of ancient Greek mythology, permeating Western thought and culture. The fire that Prometheus stole is a light that continues to burn.
WITH GREEK AND ENGLISH SURTITLES
Direction
Daniele Salvo
Set design
Fabiana Di Marco
Costume design
Daniele Gelsi
Lighting design
Giuseppe Filipponio
Sound design
Francesco Arizzi
Director’s assistant
Alessandro Guerra
Production Manager
Michele Di Dio
Cast:
Prometheus
Alessandro Albertin
Io/Bia
Melania Giglio
Oceanus/Cratus
Massimiliano Giovanetti
Hephaestus/Hermes
Simone Ciampi
Ananke
Salvo Lupo
Chorus of Oceanids
Marcella Favilla,
Giulia Galiani,
Francesca Maria,
Marta Nuti,
Giulia Diomede,
Giuditta Pasquinelli,
Ester Pantano
Antonio Parrinello (2)
Maurizio Cannata (7)
Maurizio Cannata (5)
Maurizio Cannata (4)
Maurizio Cannata (2)
Maurizio Cannata (1)
Maurizio Cannata (14)
Maurizio Cannata (11)
Foto Paul N (92)
Foto Paul N (89)
Foto Paul N (72)
Foto Paul N (71)
Foto Paul N (65)
Foto Paul N (45)
Foto Paul N (34)
Foto Paul N (32)
Foto Paul N (28)
Foto Paul N (26)
Foto Paul N (23)
Foto Paul N (22)
Foto Paul N (13)
Director’s note
Prometheus the fire thief, the Gods’ enemy, Prometheus the friend of mortals, the light bearer, Prometheus victim and culprit, creature of both the past and the future, Prometheus the arrogant.
In a wasteland, in a mythical era, where Titans reign supreme and Gods control the destiny of both time and space, Prometheus dares to go against Zeus, the new absolute God. The clash between Prometheus and Zeus is frightening, unimaginable. It’s a real sacrificial crisis. Just like Jesus Christ, Prometheus suffers because of men, just like Him he’s subjected to an exemplary and unjust punishment.
The myth of Prometheus is the central theme of the entire western philosophy and culture and marks a crucial moment in human prehistory, where mankind lets go of darkness, fear and uncertainty to embrace the light, the future and a new era.
Fire, together with air and water, is one of the sacred elements, exclusive prerogative of the Gods. Only with fire can mortals really become men. Until then, they lived in darkness, ignorance and fear. Fire didn’t defeat death, but removed the fear of death. Knowledge, though, comes at a price and suffering is a precondition to attain it: that’s the only way to achieve progress. Zeus wants to annihilate mankind, the race of the ephemeral beings, insignificant parasites, whereas Prometheus, thanks to the gift of fire, wants to give them an opportunity.
Fire is the divine spark that makes everything possible, while lighting the way. The myth of Prometheus talks about us, the human condition and its frailty, its duplicity, its ambivalence and reminds us that precisely our ephemeral being is the ultimate sense of our condition. The misconception of identity, the illusion of the Ego, our desire for uniqueness, the will of shaping destiny and controlling the elements, they all fall apart confronted with the Gods’ world. Human greatness is risible and certainly not achieved through arrogance, but through a realistic understanding of the boundaries of human knowledge and power.
With great artistry, Aeschylus goes into depth and enlightens us; past and future, like arches of a sturdy bridge, support what unfolds on stage. Mankind, as depicted in Prometheus, is degraded, compromised and the Gods represent a world in decline, inevitably destined to come to an end. The tyrant will fall, eventually. Today’s man asks himself fundamental questions: will there be a future for humans or are we just faced with a catastrophic prospect? Which role do science and technology, today exclusively regarded as a beacon for the future, play in this catastrophe? What’s the price of progress? The loss of memory and identity? The degradation of our values and our inevitable transformation into consumers/consumables? What’s the relationship between man and God today, in such a difficult time of intolerance, racism and fundamentalism?
Prometheus is a borderline hero, the mediator between these two worlds, so different from each other. Man is a terrible creature. But even more terrible is the world of the Gods. A great master used to say that ancient writings are like the light emitted by bright stars that no longer exist. To update these literary works and try to find a direct correspondence at all costs would be like turning away from our modernity.
In this era of lost values and ideals, characterized by degradation and absolute superficiality, devoid of Gods and Titans and saturated with human arrogance, it is absolutely necessary to deal with ancient texts and try to interpret the light emitted by those stars that no longer exist, stop on the brink of the abyss and wait, gaze at the light and think about our future. For a moment. Just for a moment.
Daniele Salvo
ASSOCIAZIONE CULTURALE DIDE DI MICHELE DIO
Michele Di Dio is the producer of the “Amenanos Festival” at Ancient Theatre of Catania and Morgantina, Italy. He is the legal representative of DiDe Cultural Association and Michele Di Dio Management. He has Bachelor Degree in Communication Sciences in Cultural Heritage, specialist degree in Performing arts and multimedia communication and another degree in Modern Literature.
Since 2016, he has created a cycle of classical performances in Sicily, involving ancient theatres that for a long time did not have classical repertory of Greek tragedies. In 2019 this experience was made in Catania, with “Amenanos Festival”, the first Classic Festival at the Ancient Theatre of Catania.
The production of the Festival was made through the Association DiDe, with the presentation of the Greek tragedy Prometheus, directed by Daniele Salvo. With an ambitious and challenging set, Michele Di Dio had to create and finance a special solution for the stage, realising it in transparent polycarbonate so that the underground traversed by the river Amenano, remains possible to be seen by the public. This solution has received a prestigious national Award.
A short list of theatres and archaeological sites where Michele Di Dio has worked organizing classical representations: Ancient Theatres of Morgantina, Taormina, Catania, The Wall of Timoleonte in Gela, Theatre Samonà of Sciacca (indoor theatre). Important to underline, is also the successful cooperation and partnership with University Departments, Research Centres and many Italian schools.
FAHRENHEIT 451 TEATRO
Fahrenheit 451 Teatro comes to life from the experience and the artistic vision of Daniele Salvo, Alfonso Veneroso and Melania Giglio. In 21 years of activity, Fahrenheit has produced countless works for theatre, television and video.
Recalling among the main collaborations are the following: Ferdinandea: the thinking island directed by Daniele Salvo and Claudio Pappalardo (International Film Festival Doc-fest of Palazzo Venezia, Rome), Evgenij Onegin, The Dreamers, Abelardo and Eloisa – story of the year 1000, Lost paradises – the Apocryphal Gospels (Turin Winter Olympics), We are all in danger, the last interview of Pier Paolo Pasolini, The Constitution of the Italian Republic , The Farewell, an evening dedicated to W.A. Mozart, Julius Caesar by W. Shakespeare, (collaboration with Gigi Proietti – Globe Theatre Rome). Also, Prague Spring (High Patronage of the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano), Gramsci a Turi, Borderland – Journey to the Land of Israel, all directed by Daniele Salvo and Spoonface Steinberg by Lee Hall, directed by Marco Carniti.
In 2019 and 2021 Fahrenheit collaborates with the Dide Association and the Michele Di Dio Management Association for the “Amenanos Festival” of Catania, a prestigious Greek and Latin Theatre Festival and with the Ancient Theatre Festival of Morgantina.