A visual and interdisciplinary way of approaching, exploring and reading the legend of Maria Callas is presented by the National Opera through the program "Unboxing Callas: From Callas to Medea, an installation in three acts". It runs from May 4 to June 9 in the foyer of ELLS at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.
This is part of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the leading diva of world opera.
It is a polymorphic installation, conceptually conceived and executed by Panos Prophetis.
"Through this polymorphic visual approach, which combines contemporary creation with historical evidence, I am sure that new aspects and narratives of the work, but also of the great personality of Maria Callas, will emerge, which all of us, especially the younger generations, I hope we will keep as a bright example," explained the Artistic Director of ELLS, George Koumentakis.
Maria Callas, the greatest lyrical artist of our time, reintroduced forgotten works to the public and with her unique vocal and stage performance which gave new life to the lyrical theater. At the same time, however, she created a myth, which was fueled by true biographical and fictional elements, as well as characteristics of the roles she played, such as Medea.
The installation in the foyer presents evidence from the ELLS archive, the collection of Dimitris Pyromallis and the archive of the great photographer Cleisthenis Daskalakos, part of which was recently acquired by the theatre, as well as from the collections of the Performing Arts Department of ELIA-MIET, and the Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation.
The selection of archival material related to the performances of Medea with Maria Callas is edited by Vassilis Zidianakis.
The specific evidence carries historical weight due to the three main contributors – Alexis Minotis, Yiannis Tsarouchis and Maria Callas – but also nostalgia for the analog process of recording and planning the production.
The composition of the different archives seeks to tell lost stories that will further highlight the reading of the Medea myth.
The connections / compositions of the documents narrate processes of the artistic production of Medea and highlight Maria Callas as an artist as a whole: after all, she had an opinion on both the direction and the costumes of the production.
In addition, as part of a careful curatorial practice, all the exhibits have been preserved and are presented in special sustainable display cases, which were created in the ELLS manufacturing laboratories.
The installation is visually mapped by Chrysanthi Koumianaki, who is inspired by kinesiology designs of Medea's production.
This mapping challenges visitors to discover the complex routes, key stations and future courses of the myth, as they are shaped through the dialogue of archival material with contemporary visual works.
Projection times Act III daily at: 11:15-11:45, 13:15-13:45, 15:15-15:45, and 18:15-18:45
Entry will be free for the public.
READ MORE: Dua Lipa and Romain Gavras made their relationship public with a photo.
