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    PHOTO: STEFANOS
  • This work was commissioned by Eleni Varopoulou for the Megaron (Athens Concert Hall) when the institution first opened its doors to Greek choreographers. A short solo piece was requested, with an allowance for up to two supporting characters and up to two musicians. Exhausting these possibilities, the piece I created did not look like a solo at all. Pushing the bounds of the silent film genre's storytelling language, Yorgos Koumendakis' music, and my performers' movements to the extreme, the work playfully comments upon this combination of two myths, one ancient and one folk, both of which deal with sacrifice. This was not a successful piece, but it did feature one of my favourite moments: after being chased, cartoon-style, for a long time by her sacrificers, Iphigenia suddenly stops - and with her stops all music and movement. Exhausted, and in total silence, she quietly offers her pursuers the bricks with which she is to be entombed. This was quite unexpected, and emotionally effective.

1995 / IPHIGENIA AT THE BRIDGE OF ARTA / A PIECE FOR THREE DANCERS, A SOPRANO AND A TRUMPER PLAYER / EDAFOS DANCE THEATER
 

Original music by Yorgos Koumendakis
Commissioned by the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron)
22.5 minutes
Première: 14 april 1995, at the Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall of the Megaron, Athens Concert Hall (Athens - Greece)

Concept, Direction, Choreography, Set - Costume Design: Dimitris Papaioannou
Music: Yorgos Koumendakis
Lighting Design: Marina Moussikou
Assistant Director: Tina Papanikolaou
Performers: Tzeni Drivala (soprano), Costas Gravos (trumpet), Fotis Nikolaou, Angeliki Stellatou, Yiannis Yiaples