The Soccer Opera / Όπερα Ποδοσφαίρου

How would you feel about a 3x3 soccer match, where the football players are opera singers and dancers? And where two rival choirs, in the place of the fans, sing challenging
polyphonic songs instead of chants? And what happens when the announcer of the match
goes beyond mere commentary and starts making political comments over global current
affairs? Set pieces, penalty kicks, yellow cards, protests, goals, missed opportunities, offside, extra time. These are the components of a new impressively original opera, composed by Eleftherios Veniadis, with an unexpected libretto by the Austrian author Gerhild Steinbuch, directed by Sofia Simitzis. The performers are accompanied on stage by the Ventus Ensemble and a mixed choir from Chios, which will also include child refugees.

Musical composition - Conception - Live commentator: Eleftherios Veniadis
Directed by Sofia Simitzis
Original text - Libretto - Dramaturgy: Gerhild Steinbuch
Translated by Maria Manti
Conductor: Faidra Giannelou
Set design: Thomas Goerge
Costume design: Thomas Goerge, Gina Iliopoulou
Lighting design: Eliza Alexandropoulou
Video: Dionisis Sidirokastritis
Movement: Mikes Glykas, Konstantinos Papanikolaou
Accompaniment - Vocal coaching: Beata Pincetić, Christos Sakellaridis
Sound engineer: Panagiotis Paraskevaidis - AUX studio
Assistant to the director: Giorgos Koutlis
Assistant to the set designer: Gina Iliopoulou
Performers: Angeliki Zoe Karagkouni soprano, Dionysis Melogiannidis tenor, Dionysis
Tsantinis baritone, Irini Tzanetoulakou contralto
Dancer, Konstantinos Papanikolaou
Actor, Mikes Glykas
Ventus Ensemble: Dimitris Gkogas, Fanis Vernikos, trumpets, Giannis Gounaris, French horn, Spyros Vergis, trombone, Menelaos Moraitis, tuba, George Boukaouris, percussion
Chios Music School Choir: Instruction - Conductor, Michalis Pilavas
Chios Choir: Instruction, Faidra Giannelou, Andrianna Neamoniti
With the participation of child refugees

A co-production of Athens Epidaurus Festival