In an attempt to address to international audiences and the Greek Diaspora, through a world tour, the National Theater of Northern Greece presents a two-hour music and theatre show entitled “Alexander the Great. Rock Opera” that aims at bringing us closer to the energy, the dream and the human nature of Alexander the Great, through modern sound and music.
The play is presented in the English language with supertitles. Its duration is approximately two hours and 15 minutes and it is realized with the contribution of a 10-member orchestra and a group of 30 actors, dancers and singers.
The story begins in Samothrace, one year before Alexander’s birth, where his mother Olympias and his father Philippos, King of Macedonia, met for the first time, during the Bacchic mysteries, and it is concluded in the death of Alexander the Great in Babylon, 33 years later. The show will attempt to shed light on the mysterious personality of the man that changed history and affected the culture of millions of people.
The big premiere will take place at the Royal (Vassiliko) Theatre, on October 23, 2014. After the premiere, three more performances (October 23–26) will be given (plus two more for vulnerable population groups with free admission), while more shows will be programmed for the Athens Concert Hall in February 2015.
“Last summer I watched a rock opera about the life of Alexander the Great. I was deeply impressed by the concept and the amazing music. Maybe it’s the first time that a Greek author deals with such an ambitious idea, in a performance with exceptional perspectives. The critical reception and the comments by the press were highly appraising. That was the beginning of my idea to try to set the venture of new performance through the National Theatre of Northern Greece. There is no doubt! With the support of such a great institution, like the NTNG, with the new libretto and this well-rounded production –in terms of aesthetics and technical support–, we will have a very promising suggestion in our hands, with all the elements that contribute in its elevation to a world success.” Those were the remarks by Giannis Vouros, the NTNG artistic director, who is also the stage director of the performance, along with Konstantinos Athyridis.
CONTRIBUTORS
MUSIC: CONSTANTINE ATHIRIDES
LYRICS: ALEXANDRA CHARANIS
DIRECTION: GIANNIS VOUROS, CONSTANTINE ATHIRIDES
The performance “Alexander the Great” is made possible under the auspices of:
Ministry of Culture and Sport, Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace, Helexpo-Thessaloniki, International Fair, Greek National Tourism Office, Hellenic-Australian Business Council, Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO (and the Commissions of the countries where more shows will be programmed)
With the support of:
Alexander the Great International Institution
When you buy one ticket for the performance “Alexander the Great. Rock opera,” you give the opportunity to one fellow citizen needing assistance to attend, as two more shows will be performed with FREE ADMISSION for the disabled, the unemployed, and for students also* on October 29 & 30.
