Lena Platonos – The emperor’s nightingale

Production of Greek National Opera-Alternative stage.

In cooperation with the National Theatre of North Greece

An Opera for youth and children

Friday, October 4 at 19.00 and Sunday, October 6 at 12.00

In her own words: “The idea of adapting Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s Nightingale as an opera was a suggestion from my close friend, the countertenor Aris Christofellis, who wanted to sing the role of the Nightingale. The proposal was made in 1986. Now, my friend, the biologist-poet Giorgos Voloudakis, and I based the adaptation on the essential avoidance of technology’s dominance over humanity, emphasizing the importance of human connection with nature.” A unique work by Lena Platonos, based on Andersen’s famous fairy tale, is presented in the form of an animated opera. The Emperor’s Nightingale was first performed in 2018 with great success at the Alternative Stage, and the production was realized with the support of Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). Lena Platonos, whose work is closely associated with the world of children through the legendary Lilipoupoli, composed The Emperor’s Nightingale as a melodic parable about the unequal relationship between technology and humanity. It is a work of rare beauty and sensitivity, presented in an impressive production where opera becomes accessible to children through animation, creating a new, exciting magical world. The contemporary message of the work, the coexistence of analog and electronic music, natural and artificial sound, the imaginative use of animation and live performance, Lena Platonos’ melody lines, and the masterful vocal composition make The Emperor’s Nightingale an ideal introduction for children to the magical world of lyrical art. Her previous involvement with Lilipoupoli played a decisive role in the composition of this work, with synthesizers once again taking the lead. In fact, the libretto written by the poet-biologist Giorgos Voloudakis began with the voice of a child asking if a small synthesizer could compete with the nightingale! The animation for the performance was designed by the rising animator Eirini Vianelli. Using various animation techniques that combine high technology with a handmade aesthetic, Eirini Vianelli brings The Emperor’s Nightingale to life frame by frame with strong references to Chinese art. According to her, “the final result, a colorful universe of forests, palaces, gardens, and factories, narrates the relationship between humanity and creation.” The direction is by Katerina Petsatodi, with significant experience in opera and musical theater. The director saw the work as “a musical fairy tale that ideally combines two seemingly unrelated yet ultimately harmoniously intertwined arts, opera and animation, with inspiration, imagination, and ingenuity.