Composer Dimitris Papadimitriou has composed a singular large-scale work for narrator, soloists, choir and orchestra, based on Petronius’ text, which will be presented to the audience on October 23 and 24 at the Onassis Cultural Centre.

Petronius’ work continues to be widely translated and has influenced and attracted the interest of many artists in different fields, leading to the creation of works in every art-form, including Fellini’s Satyricon.

The text has been described as the first Roman novel, though this description is not meant to imply parallels with the contemporary literary form to which we apply the same name. What “Satyricon” did—and what ‘novel’ means in this ancient context—was bring prose, dialogues and poetry together in the same work.

The story’s protagonist and narrator is Encolpius, a former gladiator in the early Roman Empire, whose larger-than-life adventures in the company of Askiltos make for a colourful and comic narrative of dissolute goings-on. However, crucially, the work also sheds light on aspects of the everyday life of every social class during this period, along with their views on life, and on the history of the Roman Empire too.

A charming piece of writing, “Satyricon” is also politically, socially and historically trenchant, consummately documenting and critiquing the corruption, decline and inevitable fall of every decadent, imperialist society.
Composer Dimitris Papadimitriou has extracted excerpts from Petronius’ work which are true to the overall spirit of the novel, presenting in concertante form a work which will ultimately develop into a full-scale opera.

Composer: Dimitris Papadimitriou

With: Athens Camerata Orchestra
Orchestra Conductor: Loukas Karytinos

Solist: Giannis Christopoulos, Anna Stylianaki
Artistic oversight – Executive Production: THE GREEK PLAN