The creators behind the scenes Pafos2017 Opening Ceremony
A very important part of every successful European Capital of Culture is its Opening Ceremony, which is always awaited with special interest, since it is also the beginning of what will follow in the town that carries this prestigious title.
The Pafos Opening Ceremony is inspired by the town’s myths, beginning with the founding myth of Pygmalion and Galatea, and reveals the history and multiculturalism of Pafos, as an integral part of the broader European Culture. Who is, though, the creative team which, together with the artistic team of the Pafos2017 Organisation, designed this important moment of the European Capital of Culture – Pafos2017?
The premiere of Pafos2017, on the 28th of January, at the restored main square of Pafos, at 19.00, was designed and implemented by a Creative Team of Cypriot artists, in collaboration with the team of the Walk the Plank company from the United Kingdom. This team has been working for almost two years for the creation of the ceremony.
The well-known British director, Liz Pugh, is the Head of the team and one of the founders of Walk the Plank, a team specialising in large scale events. With a presence in many festivals and international open space events, Liz Pugh, together with John Wassell, have created the company Walk the Plank, which has associates in many countries. It is a team that has left its mark through its original ideas and activities, which involve tens of hundreds of people in countries where they set up their shows/events.
Works by the team, enhanced in production by John Wassel, have received distinctions in many festivals in the United Kingdom, events organised by the Commonwealth and European Capitals of Culture, such as London, Manchester and Turku in Finland. They are always distinguished for their high level in shows, the integration of artists from the local community and the use of numerous factors, such as pyrotechnics, light and music.
The Walk the Plank team have integrated in the design of the Opening Ceremony performance Cypriot and foreign artists, who have enriched and creatively strengthened, with their own features, the multifaceted Opening show. Extremely important contributions are those of Efi Kyprianidou for the composition of texts and their dramatisation, the musician Christina Athinodorou, who, in her own unique way, ‘signs’ the composition, orchestration, editing and coordinating of the Opening Ceremony. In the artistic direction of the event, in the role of the co-director, is Neoklis Neokleous, one of the most important Cypriot actors and directors, who faithfully serves the theatre for 23 years and has over ten performances at Epidaurus and as many television hits. George Papadopoulos is responsible for the very particular stage sets, which cover a vast area in the Town Hall Square, and Miranda Throdoridou for the costumes; both artists have excelled in theatre. Apart from music, the ceremony includes dance, parades, as well as many projections and a wider visual environment. The design and 3D Mapping were undertaken by Vera Papastavrou and Kyriakos Kasoulides, who guarantee a unique spectacle. Both the design and the implementation of lighting and sound are made by experienced artists from the United Kingdom.
An extremely important part of the production is that of the dance, since the dancers perform on the large stage. Fifteen dancers from Cyprus and Israel will perform the roles of Pygmalion and Galatea, choreographed and taught by the famous Israeli choreographer and dancer Ido Tadmor. Together with his assistant, Jhonathan Hay Soutchy, this great artist choreographs 40 teenager dancers from Pafos’ schools, which are coordinated by the Organisation Dance Culture Pafos. The Embassy of Israel greatly enhances the cooperation of the Pafos dancers with dancers from Israel, in an attempt to create tighter bonds between the two artistic teams, which will extend beyond 2017.
Apart from the above associates, there are tens more contributing to the creation of this great event, which will mark the beginning of the year.
Pafos2017 Official Platinum Sponsor: Bank of Cyprus
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