Lina Nikolakopoulou’s long career as a lyricist encompasses not only the world of music but the theatre also, where she has collaborated with a number of important directors and composers on a wide range of great works from ancient dramaturgy to the modern day.

In Horika Ydata, the major Greek poet and lyricist directs excerpts from theatrical works and their songs, for which she has also written linking texts. The production weaves a colourful tapestry of comedy and drama, focussing on timeless themes that shape human nature, fate and deeds.

Many of the songs written for theatre have taken on a life of their own, becoming popular without audiences knowing that they originated in the theatre.  In Horika Ydata, they return to their original home: the stage. Starting with Lysistrata (1986) and then The Trojan Women, Plutus, The Knights, Oedipus, The Sixth Floor, Wild Honey, and The Little Slave, Lina Nikolakopoulou accentuates how the Choric art – a combination of poetry, music and dance – plays a crucial role in shaping performance. Songs, both familiar and less well-known, each with a theatrical story to tell, come together in a captivating production that engages the audience on a deeply emotional level.

Joining Lina Nikolakopoulou in her creative endeavours is a superb team of artists whose talent is an integral part in the final result: Angelos Mentis and Angelos Angeli, designers of the set and costumes respectively; Socrates Leptos, arranger, conductor and music coach of the production; and Fotis Nikolaou, responsible for movement and choreography.

Eight performers – four men and four women from three generations – bring a wide range of dramatic skills to the stage, with their acting, dancing and singing: the grande dame of the theatre, Annita Santorineou, who embodies the spirit of the legendary era of Karolos Koun, Stela Fyrogeni Alexandros Bourdoumis, Haris Pisias and Niovi Charalambous, who have had a long and successful career in theatre, and the younger cast members, Christos Grozos, Loukas Prokopiou and Maria Tsiakka

Six accomplished instrumentalists bring the music to life with a wonderful blend of virtuosity and flair.

Performances

June & July, in open-air theatres in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Free Famagusta, and Paphos.
July & August, tour of open-air theatres in Greece