THEATRE
Premiere in February 2022 at Onassis Stegi
The lives and deaths of Yanoulis Chalepas, in a dream-like experience.
A contemporary music tragedy about the sculptor who was artistically reborn in the twilight of his years.
From his birth in the village of Pyrgos on the island of Tinos – amid the marble slabs and plentiful dust of his family’s stone cutting workshop – through to his legendary sculpture of the “Sleeping Maiden” that stands inside the First Cemetery of Athens.
And from his breakdown, his committal to a psychiatric hospital, and his many years spent in isolation up in the mountains of his island, through to his spiritual awakening and the sweeping renaissance that characterized his old age. As he himself said: “The new (old man) Chalepas outdid the old (young man).”
Through dream-like illusions, Argyro Chioti walks to the difficult path that was the sculptor’s life, always between silence and absurdity, stillness and creativity, presenting the contemporary music tragedy Chalepas with a libretto by Alexander Voulgaris / The Boy, music by Jan Van Angelopoulos, set designs by Efi Birba and an exceptional ensemble cast.
Concept & Stage Direction: Argyro Chioti | Libretto: The Boy | Music Composition & Sound Design: Jan Van Angelopoulos | Scenic installation and costumes’ design: Efi Birba | Lighting design: Tasos Palaioroutas | Movement Design: Argyro Chioti and the company | Physical Training: Chara Kotsali | Dramaturgical consultant: Efthimis Theou | Artistic collaborator: Nefeli Gioti | Technical sound supervisor: Nikos Kollias | Costumes Creation: Sandi Couture Atelier | 1st Assistant to Director: Katerina Kotsou | Set Designer Assistant: Vassia Liri | Costumes Designer Assistan: Alexandros Garnavos | Lighting designer’s assistant: Sophia Adamopoulou | 2nd Assistant to Director: Konstantinos Kardakaris
Cast: Georgina Chriskioti, Simos Kakalas, Chara Kotsali, Antonis Miriagos, Giorgos Nikopoulos, Dimitris Sotiriou
Line Production: Maria Dourou / VASISTAS
Accessibility Services: Liminal Access
Production: Onassis Stegi
Coproduction: ERT Emilia Romagna Teatro (Italy)
Photos: Andreas Simopoulos, Konstantinos Kardakaris
Special thanks to:
Thanasis Chatzopoulos, poet, child psychiatrist, and psychoanalyst, for our fruitful discussion.
Leonidas Halepas, Director of the Preparatory and Vocational School of Fine Arts of Panormos, Tinos, for his confidence.
Giorgos Sylikos, Professor of the Preparatory and Vocational School of Fine Arts of Panormos, Tinos, for introducing us to the world of marble.
The School of Fine Arts (marble sculpture) of Panormos, Tinos, and all its students, for letting us listen to their work.
The Cultural Foundation of Tinos and Markos Vidalis, the Community of Panormos and Nicoletta Triantafyllou, and Fast Ferries (ferry company), for their valuable support during our research and stay period on Tinos.
Kyriaki Orianou (Yanoulis Halepas Museum), for her so personal tour to the house and the work of Yanoulis Halepas.
Stamata Koliou (Panormos Artists Museum) and the Museum of Marble Crafts in Pyrgos, Tinos.
Alexandra Goulaki-Voutyra, Director of Teloglion Foundation of Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), Professor Emerita at the School of Fine Arts, AUTh, for generously communicating her knowledge on Yanoulis Halepas.
Lazaros Arathymos, former marble craftsman and resident of Pyrgos, and Eleni Dinioti, resident of Pyrgos, for sharing their stories.
Zoi Mouschi, for the reception of our trees.
We would like to thank Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall for kindly providing us with the wind machine