Source: CNA
The International Festival of Ancient Greek Drama returns with eleven performances between June 28 to July 27. Performances are scheduled to take place at the Paphos Ancient Odeon, Curium Ancient Theatre and Skali Amphitheatre in Aglantzia.
The official opening of this year`s edition will take place in Paphos on the 28th of June 2019 with the Slovenian production of Euripides’ tragedy Trojan Women, produced by the Slovene National Theatre Nova Gorica and directed by Jaša Koceli, while a performance of the production will follow on June 30th at “Skali” Amphitheatre.
The Festival’s programme continues with the Spanish production Hippolytus by Euripides directed by Emilio del Valle, a co-production of Maltravieso Teatro, La Almena Producciones and the Mérida International Classical Theatre Festival, which will be presented at Paphos Ancient Odeon on July 8th and at “Skali” Amphitheatre on July 10th. Hippolytus, which was presented last summer at the 64th Mérida Festival and received great praise, attempts to recompose the first tragedy written by Euripides, Hippolytus Veiled based on the surviving Hippolytus Garland- Bearer.
The National Institute of Ancient Drama (Fondazione INDA) of the Syracuse Greek Theatre Festival in Italy, returns after 5 years to the Festival presenting Aristophanes’ comedy Lysistrata directed by Tullio Solenghi, for two performances at Curium Ancient Theatre on July 12th and 13th. The distinguished and renowned actor Tullio Solenghi directs Lysistrata, with Elisabetta Pozzi in the leading role in a production of superb cast and collaborators.
The internationally award-winning Izumi Ashizawa collaborates with Cypriot theatre company Belacqua Theatre and directs Euripides’ Bacchae, the Cypriot production of this year’s Festival will be presented at “Skali” Amphitheatre on July 18th, at Curium Ancient Theatre on July 20th and at Paphos Ancient Odeon on July 22nd. The intercultural production combining the techniques of Japanese Noh theatre and ancient Greek drama, aims to create a new performance language.
The production of the National Theatre of Northern Greece (NTNG), Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides, directed by Yannis Kalavrianos marks the closing of this year’s Festival programme, with performances at Curium Ancient Theatre on July 26th and 27th. In a new translation by Pantelis Boukalas and with Anthi Efstratiadou, the 2016 recipient of the “Melina Mercouri Theatre Award” in the role of Iphigenia, Iphigenia in Aulis is this year’s NTNG production, participating also at the Athens & Epidaurus Festival.
