The starting point of this year’s interactive children’s show series, Pocket Opera & Ballet of the National Opera’s Educational and Social Actions, will be Gluck’s two famous operas based on the ancient Greek myth of Iphigenia, Iphigenia in Avlidis and Iphigenia in Taurus.
The action is aimed at children aged 8 to 12, who aspire, through applied theatrical games, to put them in contact in a creative and at the same time fresh and understandable way with the opera genre and the musical universe of the radical composer Christoph Willibald Gluck. Additionally, focusing on the Mycenaean king Agamemnon, participants will learn about an ancient myth, delve into its timeless meanings, and activate their imagination by answering questions such as: Why does the myth choose to sacrifice the daughter and not the son; What would change in history if the decision to sacrifice had to be made by the mother, Clytemnestra? What could Iphigenia have said and done differently? How different would the fable be if it were written today?
More specifically, in the first part of the action, group members will have the opportunity to hear a condensed narration of the stories of Gluck’s two works through arias, characters and selected musical themes, which will be performed by baritone Giorgos Iatrou and actress Ioanna Dishes with Katerina Konstantourou at the piano. The narration will be accompanied and visualized through children’s figures through a special video projection.
In the second part of the activity, the group members, with the aim of savoring the joy of expression, collaboration and creation that art offers, will make their own story without words, bringing together feelings and characters with musical themes they heard and children’s figures seen during the first part.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————— ———————————————————————————
ELS Educational and Social Actions
Pocket opera and ballet
Interactive shows for children
Iphigenia in Avlidis and Iphigenia in Taurois
Design, implementation: Giorgos Iatrou (concept, dramaturgy), Ioanna Piata (concept, dramaturgy), Katerina Konstantourou (musician)
Ages: 8-12 years
Interactive presentation dates: November 2, 3, 9, 10, 2024
Start time: Saturday at 5pm, Sunday at 11am
National Opera VIP Room – SNFCC
The workshops are independent.
Duration: around 75 minutes
Ticket price: €5 / unaccompanied child
Participants remain outside the workshop area.
Pre-sale: ELS Funds (every day 9am-9pm | 2130885700) and www.ticketservices.gr
Main Donor of ELS Educational and Social Actions
Stavros Niarchos Foundation