Fire: How a Poem Becomes an Opera

Abstract or Summary:

This extensive reflection delves into the transformation of a poem into a libretto and subsequently into an opera, focusing on the collaboration between composer Yorgos Sicilianos and the poet behind Fire. Initially, the poet shares concerns about adapting their abstract and symbolic work into a medium like opera, which demands dramatic action and clear characters. Through iterative discussions and adjustments, the work evolves, with Sicilianos himself crafting the libretto, retaining the original text in its entirety but reinterpreting it through a theatrical and musical lens.

The opera Fire integrates multiple art forms: music, theater, and dance. It employs symbolic characters and a minimal yet evocative narrative centered on humanity’s confrontation with destruction and renewal. The production brought together notable contributors, including director and choreographer Dora Tsatsou-Symeonidi, baritone Spyros Sakkas, and mezzo-soprano Yolanda di Tasso, among others, each adding their distinct perspective. Despite the poet’s initial concerns about the clarity of their text within the operatic form, they ultimately embrace the transformative process, acknowledging the independent life the work acquires as it engages with its audience as a multifaceted performance.