Frosyni, Lady of Sorrows

Start of reservations: 24.06

Dates

15.07 — 16.07.2026

Start Time

21.00

Description

An Epirote oratorio based on Aristotle Valaoritis’s poem “Kyra Frosyni”

Heroine, rebel, or sinner and adulteress? Inspired by the love affair between Kyra Frosyni and Muhtar, the son of Ali Pasha, and by her tragic drowning in the Lake of Ioannina together with sixteen other women on Ali Pasha’s orders, this work explores a woman’s right to her own body, to love, and to freedom. It recounts a collective femicide carried out by one of the most powerful men of his time because—according to Valaoritis—she rejected his advances. But who is truly powerful in the end? The one who kills, or the woman who chooses her own fate alongside the person she loves, even when that choice leads to death? Like an ancient tragedy, the audience witnesses the protagonists singing and being shaken by their passions. Inspired by the musical traditions of Epirus and the wider Pindus region, FROSYNI takes the form of an oratorio. The leading characters perform highly expressive solo vocal lines rich in ornamentation, while the chorus narrates the story through elements of Epirot polyphony. The orchestra, led by Nikos Filippidis, virtuously performs newly composed works infused with the distinctive musical idioms of Epirus.

Contributors

Concept, artistic direction, music
Xanthoula Dakovanou
Adaptation and original text
Marios Chatziprokopiou
Dramaturgy consultant
Vasilis Kyritsis
Orchestra conductor
Nikos Filippidis
Musical transcription and coaching
Taxiarchis Vasilakos
Performers (voices)
Lefkothea Filippidi (Narrator – Lady Vasiliki, Virgin Mary), Kostas Filippidis (Ali Pasha), Alexandros Rizopoulos (Tahir), Xanthoula Dakovanou (Lady Frosyni, Hamko), Spyros Chalaris (Muhtar)
Chorus
Lefkothea Filippidi, Xanthoula Dakovanou, Alexandros Rizopoulos, Spyros Chalaris, Taxiarchis Vasilakos
Orchestra
Nikos Filippidis (clarinet, flute), Kostas Filippidis (lute), Maria Skandali (cello), Spyros Chalaris (qanun), Alexandros Rizopoulos (percussion, hurdy-gurdy), Taxiarchis Vasilakos (accordion)
Production assistant
Maro Panagi
NPO

Non-Profit Cultural Organization: MOUSA

Information

The Ministry of Culture offers free admission to the events of “All of Greece, One Culture 2026”.
Advanced booking is necessary.

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