On Friday, June 23, as part of the “Le Forme di Telesis,” or The Shapes of Telesis, arts festival, “The Trojan Women” by Euripedes will be presented in the Parco Archeologico di Selinunte e Cave di Cusa in Castelvetrano. The interpretation, which will emphasize the plight of women immigrants, will be performed on the beach at the Area del Modione, or where the ancient Modione River met the Mediterranean Sea, at the foot of the ancient Greek city. 

The festival is named for Telesis, who was a renowned dithyrambic poet from Selinunte during the 4th and 5th centuries BC. A dithyrambic poet was a poet/performer who combined rhythmic storytelling with music and dance (I’m thinking ancient hip hop!), usually celebrating the god of ecstasy and wine, Dionysus (Are things that different today?!). 

“The Trojan Women” is one of four different productions that are taking place at the archaeological site this month, each presented in a different location of the park–making use of Selinunte’s breathtaking natural scenery and magnificent vistas, like this one pictured.