Peiraios 260, stage D
25-27 June 2008
“Pushkin wrote The Queen of Spades; it is the story of a gambler. Gogol wrote The Gamblers; it is the story of a gambler. Lermontov wrote Masquerade; it is the story of a gambler. Dostoevsky wrote The Gambler; it is the story of a gambler. Here is the whole history of Russian literature.” (Anatoly Vasilyev)
The Athens Festival presents, for the first time ever in Greece, the poetic play Masquerade (1835), a drama banned by the Tsarist censorship for its ruthless portrayal of Russian aristocracy, with the solitary hero losing himself in an envious world of dances, gambling, and futility.
Stathis Livathinos, an artist with a proven connection to the canon of Russian dramaturgy, directs the production with a remarkable ensemble consisting of both old and new collaborators [D.K.].
Source: Athens & Epidaurus Festival
Concept – Direction: Stathis Livathinos
Adaptation: Stratis Paschalis
Set & Costume Design: Eleni Manolopoulou
Musical Composition: Thodoris Abazis
Choreography: Cecil Mikroutsikou
Lighting Design: Alekos Anastasiou
Assistant Directors: Lilly Meleme | Yolanda Markopoulou
Assistant Set & Costume Designer: Dimitra Chiou
Literary Advisor: Evgenia Kritsevskaya
Cast:
Evgeny Aleksandrovich Arbenin: Dimitris Papanikolaou
Nina, his wife: Maria Nafpliotou
Prince Zvezdich: Nikos Kardonis
Baroness Shtral: Maria Kitsou
Afanasy Pavlovich Kazarin: Maria Savvidou
Adam Petrovich Shprikh: Stelios Iakovidis
Arbenin’s Servant: Vassilis Andreou
The Baroness’ Maids: Sofia Tsinari | Iris Mara
Clerk: Elias Kounelas
Prince’s Servant: Dimitris Passas
Host X: Stratis Panourios
Hostess: Sofia Tsinari
Nina’s Maid: Kalliopi Simou
A Masked Stranger
Gamblers – Guests: Vassilis Andreou, Elias Kounelas, Iris Mara, Stratis Panourios, Dimitris Passas, Kalliopi Simou, Sofia Tsinari
Performing musicians:
Dionysis Vervitsiotis, violin
Yiannis Moumouris, violin
Misha Smirnov, viola
Tasos Misirlis, cello
Spyros Kakos, horn
Sam Marlieri, clarinet, saxophone