In the land of lillies

GNO Learning & Participation Lead Donor

Walking music theatre event

In the Land of Lilies showcases the artistic result of the second cycle of Melisma, an annual educational programme by the GNO Learning & Participation Department. The performance will take place on Saturday, 12 July 2025 at 19.45, starting from Krya Vrysi Square in Northern Evia. This approximately 130-minute-long work is a walking music theatre event featuring 70 performers, who were also participants in the programme, accompanied by the Children’s Choir and the Musical Ensemble of Krya Vrysi. Admission will be free upon priority vouchers.

The performance is the outcome of a months-long cycle of artistic workshops in Northern Evia, initiated by the GNO Learning & Participation Department in 2022 after the devastating wildfires of 2021. The artistic direction of Melisma for the 2024/25 season was assumed by Anna Tzakou, with support from an interartistic team of workshop leaders that included herself, Maria Olga Athineou, Anna Housiada, and Stamatis Pasopoulos. The performance was conceived and directed by Anna Tzakou, featuring a score by Stamatis Pasopoulos. The dramaturgy was managed by Maria Olga Athineou, Stamatis Pasopoulos, Anna Tzakou, Anna Housiada, and Marios Hatziprokopiou, who also wrote the texts. The lyrics of the songs were written by Stamatis Pasopoulos and Maria Olga Athineou. The sets and costumes were designed by Anna Housiada, the movement was supervised by Anna Tzakou, and the lighting design was created by Eleni Houmou. Maria Olga Athineou also managed the theatrical training in collaboration with Anna Tzakou and was responsible for guiding individual and group processwork during rehearsals, as well as for creating drama education activities for children and teenagers.

In the Land of Lilies is a walking music theatre event inspired by the landscape of Krya Vrysi and the living memory of communities in Northern Evia. Its purpose is to highlight the connection between tradition, history, experiences, and the cultural identity of this region. The performance, based on elements of folk tradition, local myths, and ritualistic practices, unfolds as a six-stop journey. Each stop represents a distinct music theatre event, serving both as a choral commentary and a point of reflection on the inhabitants’ bond with their land, ancestral roots, daily practices, and historical continuity. The audience is invited to actively experience the event, where music, speech, and stage action blend into the natural environment. Sound, light, the landscape’s morphology, and the elements of nature – such as air and water – converse with the artistic activity, intertwining with personal and collective narratives of Northern Evia. The performance adopts the core principles and goals of Iannis Xenakis, as reflected in his piece Polytopa, which was inextricably linked to the landmarks of Mycenae and Persepolis. The composer himself described these as a contribution from various Fields – including Geography, Art, Light, History, and Poetry, emphasizing a community’s active engagement as an act of awakening, as well as the role a place can play in shaping a community’s consciousness today.

The key questions that run through the performance are:

What knowledge does the past carry? How does this knowledge shape our perception of the present? Under what conditions does it fuel our imagination for the future? Anna Tzakou notes: “We witnessed how the communities in Northern Evia are so different yet inextricably linked with the landscape’s geophysical elements. It is a connection, like an invisible thread, that runs through every part of its history, becoming a shared, intergenerational experience. To us, Krya Vrysi embodies this connection through the senses, tangibly and rhythmically across time. The ancient city of Kirinthos at the delta of River Voudouros, the Aegean beach and dunes, communal life on the square, and agricultural production in the plain: through its multiple aspects, Krya Vrysi serves as an enduring monument of human presence in Northern Evia, as it once was, as it continues to be, and as it dreams to be in the future.  Work and rest, faith and perseverance: a story that is both collective and personal, geological and historical. Concentric cycles that co-exist simultaneously. We become witnesses to this land. We become parts of it. We become the land of lilies.”

The title of the performance, In the Land of Lilies, draws its symbolism from the sea lily of Krya Vrysi, a protected and rare species in the local ecosystem, which, here, is transformed into an emblematic carrier of collective memory and cultural resilience. Lillies become a symbol of sensitivity and timeless beauty, which persist and survive through time, like the communities of Northern Evia.

A few words about the research and educational process

The artistic team conducted three months of extensive research and seven months of educational activities in Northern Evia, divided into three geographical zones: Istiaia/Edipsos, Limni/Mantoudi, and Agia Anna/Vasilika. The research focused on local cultures, practices, and traditions, drawing upon historical and cultural archival materials, along with participatory ethnographic methods to identify and highlight connections with the communities and the landscape. The research resulted in the development of theme-based interartistic workshops, which were held in all three zones. The methodology combined contemporary practices in music, visual arts, site-specific performance, theatre, and individual and group processwork. Special emphasis was placed on the experiential exploration of identity in relation to the land, the landscape, and memory, fostering conditions for an open dialogue between the traditional and the modern. Using processwork tools and an experiential approach focused on deep inner connection, characters emerged, not as roles but as figures embodying personal and collective elements. Participants tapped into the inner source that motivates them to express themselves, connect, and represent something greater than themselves. In this way, they don’t “role” play, but they are present, representing something that transcends the individual and concerns us all. The question regarding the relationship between the traditional and the modern was the core dramaturgical focus of this walking music theatre event, which served as the culmination of months-long collaboration with local communities.

Melisma is funded by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture.  

Melisma ΙΙ was carried out by:

Artistic director: Anna Tzakou

Interartistic team: Maria Olga Athineou (theatre practitioner, processworker), Stamatis Pasopoulos (musician, composer), Anna Tzakou (director, Dr of Performing Arts), Anna Housiada (visual artist)

Practical information:

• It is a walking performance. Performers and audience members follow a shared path through the natural landscape, with stops along the way where distinct events will take place. During the performance, brief instructions will be provided to facilitate participation. It is recommended to wear comfortable clothes and shoes, as well as to bring along a hat and water.
• The performance will take place in an outdoor natural setting. The use of insect repellent is recommended for protection against mosquitoes.
• For visitors with mobility restrictions or accessibility needs, please contact the GNO Box Office in advance at 213 088 5700 (daily, 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM) so we can adjust the route and ensure suitable conditions for participation.

Warm thanks are extended to the local clubs and everyone who volunteered to support the realization of this performance.

With the support from the Municipalities of Limni – Mantoudi – Agia Anna & Istiaia - Edipsos