The project «Be careful not to get caught in Paleochora at night: a Kythirian experience»Following its successful presentation in Athens in May, it will be presented in its birthplace, Kythira, in August 2025.
This unique immersive sound performance, starring actress Sofia Seirli, Kostis Kontoleon, and little Elessa Karamela, which mysteriously revives the myths, legends, and glories of Kythira, will be presented in Kastrisianika.
The director Eliza Soroga inspired this unconventional approach to Kythirian legends and beliefs, utilizing the capabilities of three-dimensional recording (binaural recording). The recordings are accompanied by original soundscapes recorded in the legendary location of Kythira (especially for this project) and compositions by internationally renowned sound artist and electronic music composer Jeph Vanger.
The performance is held with closed-back headphones and sleep masks, so that in darkness the viewer to focus on the auditory nature of the work, without the distractions of the visual environment, and to experience the legends that unfold around him/her.
As the eyes remain silent, the narrative unfolds like a ritual, dressed in three-dimensional soundscapes that represent the eerie passage of ghosts, the enchanted song of the nymphs, the galloping and otherworldly cries in the ravines, the crying of unbaptized babies in the ravines, and the deafening noise of the «xenolaos,» the order of elves and demons that parades at night, a legend created by the echo left in the collective unconscious by the raid of the pirate Barbarossa.
The project «Beware of nightfall in Paleochora: a Kythirian experience» is an audio journey into the world of Tsirigo legends, bringing the past into the future while preserving the elements of its cultural identity unchanged.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Kastrisianika, square, Kythira: August 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23 & 24, 2025
Performances: 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m.
Tickets: 12 euros.
Reservations:
Telephone reservations: +30 697 5775515
Limited number of tickets (30 per performance).
INFORMATION
The performance is audio-only—it does not contain images—and will take place at darkness focusing on the acoustic nature of the work without the distractions of the visual environment. At the entrance, you will be given individual headphones closed type and sleep masks. The project contains three-dimensional soundscapes i.e., sounds derived from three-dimensional recordings that reproduce the conditions of human three-dimensional hearing.
The performance is suitable for ages over 16 years old.
The action is implemented with the support and financial contribution of the Ministry of Culture – Directorate of Modern Cultural and Intangible Cultural Heritage.
In collaboration with the Kythira Foundation for Culture & Development.
With the support of the Kythira Association of Athens
ARTISTIC TEAM
Eliza Soroga: Concept / Screenplay / Direction
Jeph Vanger: Sound design / Music
LEADING ROLES
Sofia Seirli, Elessa Karabela, Konstantinos Kontoleon
RESEARCH TEAM
Despoina Damianou, Assistant Professor at Democritus University of Thrace.
Eleni Charou-Koronaiou, Philologist, former director of Kythira High School, former curator of the Venetian Archives, historian – researcher – former head of the Kythira Local Archives
The script was created based on the original narratives of: Eleni Charou, Konstantinos Kontoleon, Penelope Vlanti, Manolis Dapontes, Kosmas Megalokonomou, Giorgos Kominos, Manolis Kasimatis, and Panagiotis Protopsaltis.
PRODUCTION: Unclassified Actions AMKE
PROJECT CONSULTANT / COMMUNICATIONSA: Stamatina Stratigou
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Maria Siorba
ΗCHOLESTEROL: Panagiotis Kyriakopoulos, Dimitris Koukouvani
DESIGN / MANUFACTURE OF SLEEP MASKS (ARGALEOS): Alexandra Bissa
PRODUCTION: Unclassified Actions AMKE
Digital Marketing: Vicky Katsavoulias
The performing arts artist and director Eliza Soroga is a graduate of the Cultural Studies (University of Athens) and Performance Making (Goldsmiths University of London) master's programs. Her work deals with representations of the «unfamiliar» and the transformation of everyday life into performing arts.
She won first prize for contemporary art at the 11th Arte Laguna Prize International Competition in Venice in the Performance & Video Art category (March 2017) with her work ‘Women in Agony’. For her entire body of work, she was awarded by ARTWORKS in the 3rd Artist Support Program of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (2020–2021).
In 2018, she presented the performance «Roots» at the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. Her works and performances have been supported by ERT, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design, ZAO EXPO’22, Zao Miyagi in Japan, Arts Council England, the Municipality of Athens, and others.
She has presented her work at the V&A Museum (London), Royal Scottish Academy of Art and Architecture (Edinburgh), 3331 Arts Chiyoda (Tokyo), Battersea Arts Centre (London), National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), EYE Film Institute (Netherlands), Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (France), and many others.
Her video art and documentaries have received awards at international festivals. She is a visiting professor at universities in London, Porto, and Ankara, and has published numerous essays.
Ο Jeph Vanger (Jeff Vanger) (born in 1989 in Athens) is a sound artist and composer.
electronic music, with his work straddling the boundary between the performing arts and sound installations.
Jeph's work has been supported by ARTWORKS (Stavros Niarchos Foundation), Arts Council England, and Help Musicians UK. He was also Composer in Residence at EMS Elektronmusikstudion in Stockholm in May 2021. He studied Sound Arts at the University of Brighton from 2015 to 2018.
As a composer, he has collaborated with choreographers, dance groups, theater directors, and musicians such as Chara Kotsali, Kandy Karra, Christos Papadopoulos, Netherlands DansTheater, Mario Banousi, Savina Yannatou, Martha Passakopoulou & Aris Papadopoulos, Giorgos Koutlis, Aris Biniaris, Anastasia Valsamaki, and others. Some of his own works and collaborations have been presented at institutions, theaters, and organizations in China, the United Kingdom, France, and Greece, such as Tate Modern, Beijing Today Art Museum, Greek National Opera, Sadler’s Wells, Athens Concert Hall, Onassis Cultural Center, Athens and Epidaurus Festival, etc.
