At the MUSIC WAGON Orient Express of the Railway Carriage Theater To Treno sto Rouf, which in recent years has developed into a nursery of young talented artists, Tatiana Ligari this year presents a modern and very original music/theater play, the epic comic opera - cabaret entitled "Η ΑΡΠΑΓΗ ΤΗΣ ΗΝΩΜΕΝΗΣ ΕΥΡΩΠΗΣ" ("THE ABDUCTION OF UNITED EUROPE").
The script, in satiric metrical form, and the music as well is by Minas E. Alexiades, professor of Music Theater and Opera at the University of Athens Theatre Studies School, and is based on the popular ancient greek myth of the abduction of Europa by Zeus.
According to the myth, the father of the gods, as a modern superpower, known for his erotic adventures, transforms into a bull, abducts Europa from the coasts of Phoenicia, where she played with her friends in shallow waters, and flying over the sea he transports her to Crete, where the two join at Ιδαίον Άνδρον.
The union of Zeus and Europe in the play- just like in the myth- is complete with the girl's consent, commonly the, then a virgin, and now old Europe gives in voluntarily to the intentions of the, over the Atlantic, superpower. At the same time, in the lyrics and songs of comedic character, there are references to contemporary sociopolitical issues such as the further consensual european prospects, the new countries of the modern european enlargement, the intentions for mutual European energy policies, common ecological concerns, the timeless issue of the relations between Europe and America but also the position of Greece in today's European kaleidoscope. The songs ranging from tangos and latin to greek ethnic and greek pop are performed by 5 talented performers while the show borrows elements from comedy opera, comedy plays, musicals and cabarets.
There is always the possibility for the viewers to dine during the show's intermission, since the impressively ambient wagon of the Orient Express, which stages the Music Stage of the Treno sto Rouf, is a well- produced WAGON-RESTAURANT. Direction by Tatiana Ligari, costumes by Natassa Zouka and lighting by Panagiotis Plaskasovitis. The parts of Narrator, Zeus, Europe and Apollo as well as the musicians of the show are performed by Thanasis Vlavianos, Tina Yotopoulou, Andreas Stamatopoulos, Andreas Stergiou and Euaggelia Tsiara.
