The Siracusa classic theater season is underway! Elena, or Helen, by Euripides opened this past weekend. When we were at the theater in April, they were building the set, which features a pool of water that the actors stand in during the action. How cool!
Tag: inda
In May, Take Your Breath Away
One of the most magnificent experiences you could have in Sicily is attending the festival of ancient Greek theater in Siracusa in the 5th century B.C.E. ancient Greek theater. Last May, our tour groups were each fortunate to have seen one of the productions in rotation–like this one pictured, Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus, which was…
Euripides and Dionysus in Sicily
The ancient Greek god Dionysus is the central character in The Bacchae by Euripides, pictured here from when I saw the play in 2012 in the amphitheater at Siracusa, produced by the National Institute of Ancient Drama (INDA) as part of their annual Greek theater festival. Last week, I saw The Bacchae again at Brooklyn…
Spellbound By Hercules
During our May Myths & Mysteries of Sicily tour we were captivated by a performance of Hercules by Euripides playing at the Teatro Greco at the Neapolis archaeological park in Siracusa. Directed by Emma Dante, the world-class production of the classic Greek drama was mesmerizing! Naike Anna Silipo, who played Megara, the wife of Hercules…
Oedipus at Siracusa
The 54th Festival of Greek Theater in Siracusa is underway. I just love when I am able to attend a performance like this one of Sophocles’ Oedipus at Colonus that I saw earlier this week in Siracusa in the ancient Greek theater. As one of my clients pointed out–the entire experience is magnificent: Walking through…
It’s Your Cue
It’s the 5th century B.C.E. Imagine you are an actor, ready to walk on to the stage. This is what you might see (minus the photographer) in Siracusa. Note: Theater was performed during the daylight hours so the audience could see the action on stage. The Greeks designed amphiteaters so that the actors’ voices would…
Here is Where You Heard
After saying, “Arrivederci!” to our wonderful guests from the last week, I drove to Siracusa to meet my cousin and business partner Evelina and her close friends. This evening, we attended “Le Rane,” or “The Frogs,” a comedy by Aristophanes, written in 405 BCE. The ancient theater was full. Joyful theater goers, seemingly all Italian,…
The Phoenician Women in Siracusa
This weekend Experience Sicily’s Evelina Buttitta has made her annual pilgrimage to Siracusa to see classic theater in the Teatro Antico of the city’s archaeological park. Evelina took this photo featuring the production of Euripides’ “The Phoenician Women.” For just a few short weeks annually in May and June, you can experience ancient Greek theater…
Your Literature Teacher Would Be Jealous
Experience Sicily’s Evelina Buttitta, along with some of my other cousins, made their annual pilgrimage to Siracusa this week to see theater in the Teatro Antico of the city’s archaeological park. Here’s a photo taken by Evelina of Sophocles’ “Electra.” For a few weeks in May and June each year, you can experience ancient Greek…
It’s Show Time in Siracusa
Next week, the 52nd season of L’Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico (INDA) will raise the curtain (so to speak) in Siracusa. INDA has existed since 1914, and it presents ancient masterpieces of theater at Siracusa’s Teatro Antico — in the midst of the ancient Greek and Roman city’s archaeological park. This year’s series includes Sophocles’…