Online festivals

THE BARITONE'S SHOES by Dimitris Baslam

6th Online festival «The Bear and the Baritone on Other Planets»

From 03/01/2022 20:00 to 31/07/2022

Description

The 6th Online Festival of the Greek National Opera, curated by Giorgos Koumendakis, premieres on GNO TV in the Christmas holiday season and takes children –and not only– on three unique journeys into the world of imagination. Tales of a Bear premieres on 23 December, Bridget Planet on 27 December and The Baritone’s Shoes on 3 January. GNO TV is part of a new strand of programming of the Greek National Opera made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) [www.SNF.org] to enhance the Greek National Opera’s artistic outreach.

The Baritone’s Shoes is a musical video-performance for children and grown-ups, based on Dimitris Baslam’s book of the same title.

Mr Charitone was a Baritone, not a cook or a tailor or a butler or a furniture-maker; he was a well-preserved, courteous and always well-dressed Baritone. “Charitone Fuchs, it’s a pleasure to meet you!” he used to say, with a hint of pomposity when he introduced himself, while also taking, of course, the appropriate bow. “Lyric Baritone”, he would add. “Not melodic, lyric!” he would insist, emphasising the difference between them, if anyone asked him: “Seriously, what’s the difference, Mr Charitone?”. Then he would answer: “It’s just a matter of repertoire!”. To Mr Charitone, of course, it was just a matter of precision… A narrator, a dancer and three performers-musicians are on stage portraying all of the work’s characters. They move, communicate, and dance to eventually become Mr Charitone Fuchs, the Baritone.

Creative team – Cast

Screenplay – Director – Music: Dimitris Baslam
Choreography: Ermis Malkotsis
Sets, costumes: Martha Foka
Sound recording, editing: Kostas Bokos – Studio 19
Sound design: Dimitris Baslam, Kostas Bokos
Editing: Thodoris Popeskou
Charitone Fuchs: Ermis Malkotsis
Narrator, Mr Lavrentis, Mr Select, Hebe, Mr Ambiguous, Mrs Rita: Michalis Valasoglou
Broadcaster: Dimitris Baslam
Musicians: Fotis Siotas (violin, viola)
Despina Spanou (cello)
Orestis Benekas (rhodes)
Tasos Mysirlis (cello)
Dimitris Baslam (guitar, synthesizer)
Directors of photography: Michalis Asthenidis, Fotis Zygouris, Grigoris Panopoulos
English subtitles: Angeliki Boura