Argyris Kounadis, The gum coffin

Alternative Stage founding donor

Argyris Kounadis’ (1924-2011) chamber opera The gum coffin, based on Vasilis Ziogas' theatrical play, who also wrote the libretto, was first staged in Bonn in 1968. It is a surreal “black comedy” with grotesque elements, characterized by Kounadis’ demanding musical style. The work, widely counted among the composer’s top works, has never been performed in Greece and this specific version is in fact a worldwide premiere. Victor Ardittis, a director with a significant career in music theater, directs the work which is performed with the contemporary music ensemble Ergon Ensemble and the ERT Chorus. Nikos Vassiliou conducts the opera.

Pilot season ticket prices: € 12, 15 / Student, reduced: € 8

*As part of the festival "Music Theater Days" (June 4 - July 11, 2017).

Music theater remains one of the most misunderstood and often overlooked artistic fields in Greece. Nevertheless, for decades this art form –and especially more light-hearted versions of it– was a firm fixture of Greece’s cultural scene, attracting the attention of many composers. This year’s theme at the “Music Theater Days” is Greek avant-garde musical theater from the 1960s to the 1980s. The aim is to showcase this long-forgotten part of the country’s cultural heritage, which comes from a field that is one of the Alternative Stage’s main areas of focus.