Baritone Georgios Iatrou Joins Hamburg Opera For John Neumeier's THE ODYSSEY Revival

Celebrated Greek baritone George Iatrou will join the stage of the Hamburg State Opera for the much-anticipated revival of John Neumeier's ballet "The Odyssey". The ballet, inspired by the Homeric epic and featuring music composed by George Couroupos, marks a significant milestone as it returns to the Hamburg State Opera to coincide with the celebrated American choreographer's 85th birthday.

Following his recent success as "Tiresias" in the European tour of Elli Papakonstantinou's "Bacchae", Georgios Iatrou makes a European comeback with a riveting portrayal of Demodocus, the mythical hero in Neumeier's rendition of "The Odyssey". The character, a blind Phaeacian shepherd and poet struggling with the aftermath of war, showcases Iatrou's vocal prowess as he navigates the intricacies of the unique aria composed for baritone.

In preparation for his role, Iatrou worked closely with composer George Couroupos, delving into the complexities of the aria. Describing the piece as vocally demanding, with extremes of range and emotional intensity, Iatrou emphasised the special connection with the instruments created specifically for the performance.

Iatrou's performances are scheduled for February 28 and March 1 & 2 at the Hamburg State Opera, with an encore performance in July as part of the German Opera Dance Festival.

"The Odyssey" had its world premiere in 1995 at the Athens Concert Hall, with music by Giorgos Kouroupos, choreography and direction by John Neumeier, and sets and costumes by Yannis Kokkos. George Kouroupos, the composer, received awards such as the N. Kazantzakis Prize and the International Benois de la Danse Prize (1996) for his symphonic ballet, a joint production of the Athens Concert Hall and the Hamburg State Opera.

Georgios Iatrou is one of the most versatile Greek singers. His repertoire varies from baroque to modern music and from opera to Lied, chanson and oratorio. He has performed in many theaters a.o. Cologne Opera, Aalto Theater Essen, Grand Theater Avignon, Greek National Opera, Toronto Opera, Theater Bonn, Olympia Music Theater and Theater Dortmund and halls a.o. Muziekgebow Amsterdam, National Concert Hall Ireland, Philharmonie Essen, Tonhalle in Düsseldorf, Megaron of Thessaloniki.

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