• ODYSSEUS

    The Odyssey Re-imagined

  • ODYSSEUS TRAILER

  • Will Odysseus Ever Make It Home?

     

    Since the inception of the ODYSSEUS project in 2015, the artistic and production teams have worked tirelessly to create what we believe to be an incredible re-imaging of Homer's Odyssey. Just like Odysseus himself however, our own journey have been intense, with its epic ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns. No matter what has befallen us, we have managed to pick ourselves up and continue towards our north star, our Ithaki, our show premiere.

     

    Last year we were lucky enough to hold a secret Industry Preview for members of our arts community in Australia. Here we were able to show what we have been working on since our first showing in 2016 in Sydney, and begin the process of receiving feedback from artists and community members we know & trust. Since then we have been plotting and planning our next moves, taking advice from producers and potential partners, building up our resources and collateral, researching funding opportunities and inching our way closer to our destination.

     

    So the answer is yes. Yes, Odysseus will make it home. When exactly is up to our tenacity, our skills and a bit of luck. Our plan though, is to have him premiere in Australia in late 2019 or early 2020, to then spread our wings to have him perform in Europe in 2021, and further into the U.S. and Asia in 2022 and beyond.

     

    The true measure of our hard work and ability will be found when we take ODYSSEUS to Greece, to connect with the people and places of his lineage. This is the ultimate dream of our artistic and production teams, to take Odysseus home, where he belongs.

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    The first work in progress showing of 'ODYSSEUS'

    was held on June 26th at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

  • A multi-arts project utilising classical and electronic composition, film and the oratory tradition of human culture, ODYSSEUS takes the Ancient Greek text of Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ and breaths fresh new meaning into words that were first composed and recited almost 3,000 years ago. The world today has arrived at an era of disparity and displacement on a scale never before seen. The journey of Odysseus, with his tumultuous ocean voyage, is geographically identical that of Syrian refugees arriving today on Greek islands to escape war. The battles faced on a daily basis by humans are equal to the Cyclopes and Sirens of the original story; one we’ve always thought of as a fairy-tale, but now dwarfed under the realities of current human stories of struggle and survival.

     

    These parallels are highlighted and examined throughout ODYSSEUS, as film, physical movement and spoken word narrate the story of The Odyssey and the intertextuality examined through HipHop. The historical growth of HipHop from the United States to every corner of the Earth, has meant that a resurgence in rhyming and telling one’s own story to large crowds has found a new home in the culture of rap and spoken word as a direct need for story-telling in order to survive oppression. We at ODYSSEUS respect and gain much inspiration from this lineage of story-tellers, street artists and music makers as much as we do from The Odyssey itself. We recognise that The Odyssey is now a global story of displacement full of localised experiences and are committed to using the mediums of film, dance, word and music to reignite passion, understanding and awareness around these issues.

  • ODYSSEUS IN THE MEDIA

    ODYSSEUS LIVE ON BBC

    ODYSSEUS on SBS

    ODYSSEUS on ABC TV

    ODYSSEUS EXHIBITION HELLENIC MUSEUM

  • ODYSSEUS Team

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    Luka Lesson - ARTIST & WRITER

    Luka Lesson (born Luke Haralampou) is a spoken word and music artist of Greek heritage from Australia. Luka’s debut book, “The Future Ancients” is now a best-seller for poetry in Australia twice-over and a part of educational programs from Hong Kong to Melbourne.

     

    Luka has written commissions and performed for the likes of The National Gallery of Victoria, Greece’s pioneer HipHop group Active Member, South Africa’s OneBlood Festival and China’s most celebrated living poet Xi Chuan in Beijing. He is also the Australian Poetry Slam Champion of 2011 and Melbourne Poetry Slam Champion of 2010.

     

    www.lukalesson.com.au

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    James Humberstone - COMPOSER

    James Humberstone’s output is influenced by his research background in experimental music, and his interest in composing for children and community ensembles. Born in London, Humberstone migrated to Australia in 1997 after completing a degree in composition at the University of Exeter.

     

    After many residencies and a prolific decade of creative works, in 2013 Humberstone completed his PhD and was appointed Lecturer in Music Education at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Today he works in the fields of composition, music education and technology research, as well as experimental music.

     

    www.composerhome.com

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    Sam FOster - DIRECTOR

    Sam Foster is an actor, director, stunt-man and yoga practitioner with a wealth of experience touring and performing both in Australia and abroad.

     

    As a partner in Shock Therapy Productions his works have won Matilda awards and seen successful seasons at the Powerhouse Theatre, Brisbane. His stunt work took him Namibia in 2015 where he worked on the set of Mad Max: Fury Road.

     

    www.shocktherapyproductions.com.au

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    VYVIENNE ABLA - PRODUCER

    Vyvienne Abla is a Producer and Artist & Tour Manager that has been working in the music and creative industries for 15 years locally and around the globe.

     

    In 2007 she founded Vyva Entertainment and the 4ESydney HipHop Festival in 2015, using HipHop and music culture to empower others, with a focus on integrating industry, education and community to create unique pathways for youth, artists and professionals.

     

    Over the years her work has gained attention internationally, being invited to New Zealand, USA, UK, Europe and Middle East to speak about her initiatives and work in Western Sydney and Australia more broadly.

     

    www.vyvaentertainment.com

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    Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore - VIDEO ARTIST

    Claudia is a visual and performing artist working primarily within the mediums of video and dance. With over ten years experience in the visual arts industry, Claudia is widely recognized as one of Australia’s most dynamic multidimensional artists.

     

    Claudia’s work as a creative videographer has led her to producing, writing, shooting, directing and editing music videos for a wide range of Australian musicians, including numerous collaborative works with well known artists such as Diafrix, Sietta, 360, Mantra, Gossling and Blue King Brown.

     

    Claudia has been commissioned to create video pieces for a number of not-for-profit organizations including World Vision Vanuatu and Multicultural Arts Victoria.

     

    www.vimeo.com/claudiasangiorgidalimore

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    Jordan Thomas Mitchell - MUSIC PRODUCTION

    Jordan Thomas Mitchell is an interdisciplinary artist based somewhere between Los Angeles & Beijing. His compositions meld music, story, live performance and film into a focus which reorders default-narrative conventions, demonstrating alternative ways to construct meaning that are at once present and communicative.

     

     

    www.jordanthomasmitchell.com

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