IZMIR - Phaethon, a recently discovered tragedy written by a prominent tragedian of the Ancient Greece, Euripides, will be staged for the first time within the framework of an international festival held in the Aegean province of Izmir.
The world premiere of "Phaethon" will take place at the Celsus Library of the ancient city of Ephesus on July 3rd within the framework of the 22nd International Izmir Festival.
Numerous Greek actors, musicians and directors, who are the best-known performers of Greek tragedy, will take part in the staging of the 2,400 year-old tragedy.
Greek tenor Mario Franguolis will represent Apollo, the ancient Greek god of light, healing and poetry during the performance.
Euripides (480 BC-406 BC) was the last of the three great tragedians of classical Athens (the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles). Ancient scholars thought that Euripides had written ninety-five plays. Eighteen of Euripides` plays have survived complete.
The original text of Euripides` Phaethon was discovered in Egypt in 1860. The tragedy was written on papyrus papers which were later wrapped around three mummies. The restoration process of the writings took quite a long time.
The story of the tragedy is as follows:
According to Greek mythology, Phaethon was a young son of Helios and Klymene, who begged his father to let him drive the chariot of the sun. The Sun-god reluctantly conceded to the boy`s wishes and handed him the reigns. However, the inexperienced Phaethon quickly lost control of the immortal steeds, and the sun-chariot veered out of control setting the earth aflame, scorching the plains of Africa to desert. Zeus was appalled by the destruction and struck the boy from the chariot with a thunderbolt, hurling his flaming body into the waters of the river Eridanos or the Po. His sisters, who had yoked the horses to the chariot, were metamorphosed into poplars, and their tears into amber.
(DO-MS)