THE TALISMAAAAAAAAAAAAN

Description

THE TALISMAAAAAAAAAAAAN –inspired by known Greek folk fairy tales– is set on the island of Paxi and tells the story of a fisherman who becomes rich thanks to a magic little fish that gets caught on his hook. Yet Fate has different plans for him…

The performance was the result of a nine-month-long educational programme of interdisciplinary artistic and pedagogical action of the same title that aspires to bring educators and primary school students of the Region of Attica in contact with the magical world of music theatre through contemporary and innovative tools. This year, the programme was realised for a second consecutive year in collaboration with thirteen primary schools, including the Special Primary School of Penteli.

The interactive musical fairy tale was presented with the participation of fourteen teachers, five acclaimed musicians and more than two hundred students, offering an unforgettable viewing and listening experience, during which audience members had the unique chance to work together with the young and older performers and to become an active part of the performance itself.

A few words about the educational programme

The nine-month-long educational programme of interdisciplinary artistic and pedagogical action for Primary Schools was run for a second consecutive year by the GNO Learning & Participation Department – this time titled THE TALISMAAAAAAAAAAAAN. The programme, making use of Dimitra Trypani’s acoustic “restart” method “From Ear to Body”, aims at spreading knowledge and tools that can be used by teachers and students in school events, cultivating new artistic and creative skills, and familiarising students with the performing arts through their active involvement in the preparation process of a music theatre performance. The sound art performance THE TALISMAAAAAAAAAAAAN was the fruit of this year’s workshop cycle that was held with the participation of thirteen schools, fourteen teachers, five acclaimed musicians and about two hundred students.

At a glance – Synopsis

A few words about the interactive musical fairy tale

THE TALISMAAAAAAAAAAAAN is a “new-old” musical fairy tale set on the island of Paxi and based on characters, scenes and symbols taken out of known traditional Greek fairy tales. It tells the story of a fisherman who becomes rich thanks to a magic little fish that gets caught on his hook. Yet the fisherman’s Fate, envious of the riches he so suddenly acquired, turns his only daughter into a Lamia (female vampire), casting an evil spell on her. The spell is hidden in a talisman Fate puts around her neck the minute she is born. The only one who manages to get off the Lamia’s hook –and the only one who can ultimately help his sister, parents and siblings, breaking the spell– is the fisherman’s third and youngest son, who returns to his village for the final confrontation with the Lamia, having old and new friends on his side as allies. – Dimitra Trypani

Creative team – Cast

Original composition, coordinator, conductor Dimitra Trypani

Vocal and body percussion training, percussion Antonis Vasileiadis
Stage performance seminars Nikos Ziaziaris
Vocal and chorus training Sophia Ketentzian
Ensemble director, music coaching Aliki Siousti
Stage props design School students, Christina Spanou
Lighting design Kostas Bethanis
Filming Grigoris Panopoulos
Camera operators Rafael Samaras, Antonis Pontikis, Yorgos Nikopoulos
English translation Angeliki Boura
Production manager Kallirroi Papadopoulou

With the participation of a music ensemble – Panagiotis Tziotis (violin), Sophia Alifieraki (flute), Ivi Papathanassiou (cello), Gogo Xagara (harp), Antonis Vassiliadis (percussion)

With the participation of the following Schools:
Special Primary School of Penteli, 1st Primary School of Athens, 4th Primary School of Athens, 9th Primary School of Athens, 21st Primary School of Athens “Lela Karayanni”, 38th Primary School of Piraeus, 3rd Primary School of Agia Paraskevi, 19th Primary School of Egaleo, 13th Primary School of Ilion, 13th Primary School of Korydallos, 15th Primary School of Peristeri, 10th Primary School of Haidari, 3rd Primary School of Aspropyrgos