The Talismaaaaaaaaaaaaan

The Greek National Opera Learning & Participation Department continues for a second year its pilot programme of artistic and pedagogical activities with a new workshop titled The Talisman.

The Talisman comes as a continuation of last year’s successful programme How Did A Raven End Up In The Belly Of The Whale?, which was conducted and curated by Dimitra Trypani and came complete with the filming of the musical tale’s presentation in the Stavros Niarchos Hall of the GNO at the SNFCC (May 2021), featuring 130 students, teachers, musicians and soloists. The musical tale How Did A Raven End Up In The Belly Of The Whale? is available to watch for free at nationalopera.gr/GNOTV with Greek and English subtitles until 31/12.

The programme is targeted at schools of primary education in the Region of Attica and aspires to bring primary school educators and students in contact with the fascinating world of music theatre through the use of modern and innovative tools. Its goal is to help participants acquire basic technical skills and introduce them into the creative process of preparing a music theatre performance. Upon the completion of the workshops, the final result will be presented before a wide audience in the Stavros Niarchos Hall in June 2022.  

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

Coordination manager: 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

Starts: 9 October 2021

Implementation schedule: Saturdays, 10.00 – 12.00

The programme is sponsored by