Festival of the greek theatre of Syracuse

On May 10th the season of “Rappresentazioni classiche” will begin at the Greek Theater of Syracuse and it will run until July 8th.

Three different plays will be staged, the tragedies ‘Eracle’ by Euripides and ‘Oedipus at Colonus’ by Sophocles, and a comedy ‘The Knights’ by Aristophanes. The common thread of these representations is authority and tyranny, a metaphor of life and a moral apologue that leads us to reflect on the precariousness of human destiny and the mutability of things. Hero and antihero become faces of the same coin and the same person, and this is how the prestige and power of a tyrant turns against himself. Let’s find out more about the plot of the plays that will be staged from 10 to 31 May at 6:45 pm, from 1 to 24 June at 7:00 pm and from 29 June to 8 July at 8:30 pm.

Edipo a Colono (Sofocle)

May: 11-13-15-17-19-23-25-27-29-31
June: 2-6-8-10-12-14-16-20-22-24

Oedipus, blind and begging, reaches the sacred wood of Colonus, supported by his daughter Antigone. This, accord- ing to the Oracle , is where his life will end. Initially, the chorus of old Athenians try to make him leave, but nally, moved to pity, they allow him to stay. Ismene, Oedipus’s other daughter, comes to tell of the struggle between Eteocles and Polynices who are ghting for dominion of Thebes. Ismene reveals a new Oracle claiming that Oedipus, dead or alive, will bring salvation to his allies; for this reason, his city will try to gain his favour or to have power over him. A sudden roll of thunder is the sign sent by the gods to announce the imminent death of Oedipus.

Eracle (Euripide)

May: 10-12-16-18-20-22-24-26-30
June: 1-3-5-7-9-13-15-17-19-21-23

Megara, the wife of Heracles, the three children of the hero and his father Amphitryon, await the return of Heracles from Hades after his last labour; their lives are endangered after Lycus seizes power in Thebes, killing Creon, Megara’s father and King of the city. Just when it appears they are to be sacri ced, Heracles returns and enters the palace to kill Lycus. Justice is done – or so it seems…

I cavalieri (Aristofane)

June: 29-30
July: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

In this play, Aristophanes aims to warn the people of Athens about the dangers lurking in Cleon’s demagogu- ery. Aristophanes presents Demos as a personi cation of the people; old, grumpy and half-deaf, completely under the thumb of Pa agone (representing Cleon), who tricks and ruins him without Demos even noticing. Two faithful servants try in vain to make their master aware of what is happening, supported by the Knights, the only social class that still has any moral integrity…

Tickets

The tickets can also be purchased online and the price depends on the day and place chosen. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the cost for the A-B-C-D sectors is € 55, for the other sectors € 47 and € 32 for the unnumbered seat.

On Friday and Saturday the cost is € 68 for the sectors A-B-C-D, € 53 for other sectors and € 32 for the unnumbered sector.

Some special days are planned in order to allow as many people as possible to attend classical plays. In particular 15th, 16th, 22nd and 23rd May, 5th and 6th June, the cost of the ticket will be 26 €.

GIORNATE SIRACUSANE

There are five “Days for People of Syracuse”, specifically 20 May and 17 June for Heracles, 29 May and 10 June for Edipo a Colono and 1 July for I Cavalieri. On these dates, people living in Syracuse can buy a ticket for € 15. The same benefits are provided for the employees of the Police, the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, the Prefecture and the Municipality of Syracuse.

Even children from 8 to 14 years old can buy tickets at a reduced price of € 30 for numbered seats and € 15 for the unnumbered sector, at any date.