ergon ensemble
contemporary music, athens

“I am not a man, I am not a woman, I am Kassandra” 

Uruguayan playwright Sergio Blanco, one of the most fascinating and intriguing voices in the contemporary global theatre scene, wrote Kassandra in Athens in 2008. Inspired by the legend of Kassandra, he wrote a heart-wrenching monologue. In this modern adaptation, the famous heroine from Troy is transformed into a transgender immigrant. Feeling like a foreigner in her own body, she tells her story in broken English, expressing her feelings of solitude, isolation, and the desire to be understood. The play had an amazing run, showcased over thirty times across five continents. It was held in various venues, from alternative theaters to prestigious stages like Le Palais des Papes in Avignon, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, and the Greek National Opera.

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The chamber opera Kassandra carries the signature of the award-winning Argentinian composer Pablo Ortiz, who is a professor of composition and music theory at the University of California, Davis, and has made a significant contribution to modern music. The opera, which will be presented on the GNO Alternative Stage conducted by Nicolas Vassiliou and featuring musicians from Ergon Ensemble, is tailored to the unique voice of transgender soprano Maria Castillo de Lima, famous for her groundbreaking career in the sphere of opera.