National Theatre of Greece to perform Oresteia by Aeschylus in Cyprus this August

Internationally acclaimed Greek director and teacher, Theodoros Terzopoulos, is collaborating with the National Theatre of Greece for the first time to direct Aeschylus' Oresteia.

The work is the only surviving ancient drama trilogy and also the tragic poet's last surviving piece, and is performed in a single performance and with an excellent cast of 32 actors on stage.

Described as an iconic production of intellectual and philosophical depth that pushes the boundaries of art, the play will be presented for two performances at the Curium Ancient Theatre, on 2 and 3 August, as part of this year's International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama.

In 458 BC, at a time of violent social and political upheaval, Aeschylus presented at the Great Dionysia (En Astei Dionysia) the Oresteia (Agamemnon, Choephori, Eumenides), the only surviving trilogy of ancient drama and his last extant work, written just two years before his death, which reflects many of the rapid changes of his era., a press release on the performances points out.

Aeschylus drew his material from the myth of the House of Atreus and the terrible curse on the family. The trilogy revolves around the tragic short-circuiting of Orestes, which spreads to all the characters and the Chorus through successive stages: from destabilisation to impasse, to madness.

After ten years of war, the Palace of Mycenae is preparing to welcome its king, Agamemnon, the triumphant general of the Greeks. But his return from Troy also means his death by the hand of his wife, Clytemnestra, with the support of Aegisthus. In Choephori (The Libation Bearers), Orestes’ return will bring the revenge longed for by Electra. The Chorus rejoices at the redemption of the royal house and Orestes prepares to flee as a supplicant to Delphi to seek Apollo's protection, pursued by the Furies. The Eumenides is based on the creative telling of Attic cult myths about Orestes' flight to Athens and his trial by the gods of Olympus. Aeschylus’ plot is further enriched by the establishment of the Areios Pagos (Supreme Court) on Athena’s initiative and the court’s involvement in breaking the curse. Balance and reconciliation put an end to the cycle of blood and revenge.

Through his famous Method, the great theatre master, Theodoros Terzopoulos, presents another directorial proposal, aiming to “dig deep into the myth of Oresteia and search for the unpredictable, the unusual and the paradox”.

ORESTEIA by Aeschylus

NATIONAL THEATRE OF GREECE

● Friday, 2 August │ Curium Ancient Theatre

● Saturday, 3 August │ Curium Ancient Theatre

▫ With English and Greek surtitles

▫ Suitable for ages 12+

▫ Duration: 200 minutes

Performances start at 9pm │ Please arrive at the Curium Ancient Theatre before 20:00

Ticket sales:

▫ Online at SOLDOUT TICKETS

▫ Box offices: STEPHANIS stores

Ticket prices:

▫ €12 regular

▫ €8 concessions (for students, senior citizens, National Guard, large families, unemployed)

Info: 7000 2414 │ www.greekdramafest.com

To facilitate the public from Nicosia, bus transportation will be offered to the Curium Ancient Theatre for the performances of Oresteia by Aeschylus (produced by the National Theatre of Greece) on August 2 and 3.

▪ Bus ticket: €3 (round-trip)

It is necessary to purchase the bus ticket with the performance ticket, 10 days in advance, due to the limited number of buses.

▪ Departure: 18:30 (From the parking lot opposite the Handicraft Centre on Athalassa Avenue)

Theatre experts will accompany audiences on the buses to explain and analyse the plays.

ORESTEIA by Aeschylus | NATIONAL THEATRE OF GREECE

Creative team

Translation: Helene Varopoulou

Adaptation/Director/Set and Costume designer/Lighting designer: Theodoros Terzopoulos

Associate Director: Savvas Stroumpos

Original score: Panayiotis Velianitis

Dramaturg: Irini Moudraki

Dramaturgy advisor: Maria Sikitano

Assistant to the director: Theodora Patiti

Associate Set designer: Sokratis Papadopoulos

Associate Costume designer: Panagiota Kokkorou

Associate Lighting designer: Konstantinos Bethanis

Artistic associate: Maria Vogiatzi

Cast (in alphabetical order):

Cassandra: Evelyn Assouad

Electra: Niovi Charalambous

Apollo: Nikos Dasis

Watchman/Athenian Citizen: Tasos Dimas

Clytemnestra/The Ghost of Clytemnestra: Sophia Hill

Nurse: Elli Ingliz

Orestes: Kostas Kontogeorgopoulos

Aegisthus: David Maltese

Prophetess: Anna Marka Bonisel

Herald: Dinos Papageorgiou

Athena: Aglaia Pappa

Agamemnon: Savvas Stroumpos

Servant: Alexandros Tountas

Pylades: Konstantinos Zografos

Chorus: Babis Alefantis, Aspasia Batatoli, Nikos Dasis, Katerina Dimati, Natalia Georgosopoulou, Katerina Hill, Elli Ingliz, Vasilina Katerini, Thanos Maglaras, Elpiniki Marapidi, Anna Marka Bonisel, Lygeri Mitropoulou, Rosy Monaki, Stavros Papadopoulos, Vangelis Papagiannopoulos, Michalis Psalidas, Myrto Rozaki, Yannis Sanidas, Pyrros Theofanopoulos, Alexandros Tountas, Konstantinos Zografos

(Photos by Johanna Weber)