“Hippolytus" by Euripides / The whole tragedy in a music for words

It's not a play and it's not a concert. What it is is a different way of experiencing the sights and sounds of ancient drama. A site-specific performance outside the Onassis Stegi at the "Parnassus" in Karytsi Square. Dimitris Kamarotos, the distinguished composer and theatrical performer of sound and music, and Amalia Moutousi, uncontested star of the stage, have been working together closely for decades... but never quite like this.

Their new encounter will be in a staging of Euripides' "Hippolytus". And just as Amalia Moutousi won't be playing just Phaedra but all the roles, so Dimitris Kamarotos will be doing more than simply performing the music. As actor and musician collaborate on equal terms, every character in "Hippolytus", including the Chorus, will speak through them, recounting the deluge that carries them away as though it were the plot of a bedtime story. Yet this is a tale of intense emotions, beauty and moments of gruesome horror.

The music, which builds upon the internal rhythm of Euripides' verse, exists in parallel to it, coexisting with and sometimes questioning the spoken word. The staging allows characters and Chorus to alternate seamlessly and employs cutting-edge means to achieve a near-naturalistic result which mirrors the tragedy's original form as closely as it can with just one actor. Sonic masks of interwoven sound, new versifications and unexpected polyphonies emerge as actor and musician immerse us in a tragedy awash with carnal passion, madness, hatred and revenge.

Our sincere thanks both to Dafni Stathi for her unstinting assistance and to Loukas Hatzis of Metron Stages