Aspasia Papathanasiou – Readings

Sophocles’ Oedipus the King


Aspasia Papathanasiou, the tragic actress and winner of the Grand Prix of the Théâtre des Nations award, reads Sophocles’ Oedipus the King in K.X. Myris’ translation. Having studied under Dimitris Rontiris at the Drama School of the National Theatre of Greece, she went on to make her name in her teacher’s Peiraiko theatre company, where she devoted herself to tragic roles.


In Rontiris’ productions of ancient drama, using a musical method, the Chorus gradually has arrived at “reciting rhythmically, singing, moving rhythmically, and performing what is, in actual fact, dance pure and simple”. At moments of extreme lyricism, however, the lead actors, as Rontiris himself explains, “draw near the point

where singing begins”.


Aspasia Papathanasiou founded the Desmoi company in 1975, and the Centre for Research and Practical Application of Ancient Greek Drama in 1991. [A.K.]