- Title: ITALY: COLOSSEUM STAGES FIRST MAJOR SPECTACLE IN 1,500 YEARS, A PLAY
- Date: 18th July 2000
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (JULY 18 2000) (REUTERS) 1. INT INTERIOR OF COLOSSEUM (2 SHOTS) 0.09 2. BV SECURITY INSIDE COLOSSEUM WATCHING FINAL REHEARSAL 0.14 3. SLV ACTORS STAGING FINAL REHEARSAL 0.20 4. LV THEATRE ENTRANCE TO COLOSSEUM 0.25 5. SLV THEATRE/COLOSSEUM GOERS ARRIVING FOR PERFORMANCE 0.35 6. SLV GREEK CULTURE MINISTER THEODOROS PANGALOS ARRIVING 0.42 7. MV ITALIAN PRESIDENT CARLO AZEGLIO CIAMPI ARRIVING WITH WIFE FRANCA AND ITALIAN CULTURE MINISTER GIOVANNA MELANDRI 0.54 8. BV SECURITY/ WIDE VIEW OF STAGE OVER LABYRINTH AS PERFORMANCE STARTS (2 SHOTS) 1.04 9. LV ACTORS DRESSED IN WHITE COSTUMES CARRYING POLES 1.09 10. SLV ACTORS DRESSED IN WHITE MASK AND COSTUMES 1.16 11. MV ACTOR BEING WHIPPED 1.23 12. SLV ACTOR WHIPPING FELLOW ACTOR 1.26 13. SLV ACTORS DRESSED IN WHITE BANGING POLES 1.33 14. LV ACTORS DRESSED IN WHITE WITH POLES 1.38 15. SLV ACTOR PLAYING OEDIPUS REX WITH ROPE AROUND HIM 1.51 ROME, ITALY (JULY 18 2000) (REUTERS) 16. PAN FROM COLOSSEUM TO ACTORS IN WHITE MASKS AND ROBES WALKING WITH WALKING STICKS AROUND STATUES 2.02 17. SLV CLOSER VIEWS OF ACTORS IN WHITE ROBES AND MASKS 2.10 18. CU ACTOR PERFORMING 2.19 ROME, ITALY (JULY 19 2000) (REUTERS) 19. SLV OEDIPUS REX IN WHEEL-CHAIR WITH CHILD 2.27 20. LV OEDIPUS REX IN WHEELCHAIR 2.32 21. WS AUDIENCE APPLAUDS 2.37 22. SLV AUDIENCE APPLAUDS AS ACTOR TAKES BOW 2.41 23. WS WIDE OF STAGE AND AUDIENCE APPLAUDING 2.47 24. SLV GREEK NATIONAL THEATRE DIRECTOR VASSILIS PAPAVASSILIOU ARRIVES ON STAGE WITH ACTORS 2.55 25. SV (SOUNDBITE) (English) PAPAVASSILIOU: "They (the actors) agree that they behaved like fighters. It was a battle, It was a fight - and I am very proud of them." 3.07 26. LV PEOPLE LEAVING COLOSSEUM 3.16 27. SV (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PAPAVASSILIOU GIVING IN GRREK HIS IMPRESSIONS OF THE PERFORMANCE - FOR GREEK CLIENTS 3.50 28. MV THEATRE GOERS WALKING AROUND (2 SHOTS) 4.01 29. SV (SOUNDBITE) (English) ITALIAN CULTURE MINISTER GIOVANNA MELANDRI "After 1,500 years the Colosseum is given back to its theatrical function, but this time with no blood and fierceful spectacles, but with culture - with our origin, and I think I also want to underline that this monument - which has been a theatre of very cruel shows in the past - is now becoming the symbol, and we want it to become a symbol, of a civil battle against the death penalty." 4.43 30. WS MELANDRI WITH CIAMPI/MELANDRI KISSES GOODBYE TO MRS FRANCA CIAMPI 4.52 31. SLV CIAMPI WALKS TO CAR 4.56 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 2nd August 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ROME ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Reuters ID: LVAEIMKRC83GI2BY0G1O2EVDQ36I
- Story Text: The Colosseum, Rome's ancient arena of death and
slaughter, has staged its first major spectacle in 1,500 years
in what has been viewed - in theatrical and cultural circles -
as a momentous occasion.
Hundreds of theatre fans - including Italian
President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and Greek Culture Minister
Theodoros Pagalos (CHECK) - turned out on Wednesday (July 19)
to watch the first play to be staged in Rome's ancient Colosseum
in fifteen centuries.
About 700 people paid from 40,000 lire (20 US Dollars) to
100,000 Lira (50 US Dollars) for the privilege of being the
first to watch a live performance in the celebrated Roman
monument.
Theatre aficionados rubbed shoulders with Italian
politicians and dignitaries to watch a performance of Oedipus
Rex by the Greek National Theatre. Greek Culture Minister
Giovanna Melandra was present alongside Ciampi and Pangalos.
The audience - sitting and standing - was located at the
eastern end of the Colosseum around the podium where the
emperor, his court and senators used to give the thumbs-up, or
down, to decide the fate of a floored gladiator.
Spectators watched in silence as the Greek National
Theatre performed Oedipus Rex in Modern Greek. Players in
dramatic white robes picked their way through eerie statues
dotted around the theatre, as the main players delivered their
lines from the stage.
Following the performance, the audience applauded
enthusiastically as Greek actors took their bows with Greek
National Theatre Director Vassilis Papavassiliou.
Papavassiliou, who staged the production, described the
evening as a success. Comparing the performance to the age of
the gladiators he said, "They (the actors) agree that they
behaved like fighters. It was a battle, it was a fight - and
I am very proud of them."
Italian Cultural Minister Giovanna Melandri, who was
responsible for choosing the Greek tragedy as the Colosseum's
first performance, sounded a political note as she said:
"After 1,500 years, the Colosseum is given back to its
theatrical function, but this time with no blood and fierceful
spectacles, but with culture - with our origin, and I think I
also want to
underline that this monument - which has been a theatre of
very cruel shows in the past - is now becoming the symbol, and
we want it to become a symbol, of a civil battle against the
death penalty."
The amphitheatre, completed under the Roman Emperor Titus
in 80 A.D., became a sea of light earlier on Wednesday (July
19), as stage lighting was switched on and the stage-set
prepared. Police mounted a security operation in preparation
for the arrival of Italy's President Ciampi.
The festival, which began on Wednesday with Oedipus Rex,
will include two other tragedies also by ancient Greek
playwright Sophocles from July 19 to August 6. There will be
further performances of Oedipus Rex over the coming days.
Oedipus Rex will be followed by Antigone by the Dramatic
Arts Centre of Tehran, and Rome's prestigious Santa Cecilia
Academy will end the festival with the opera Oedipus by 19th
century German composer Felix Mendelssohn, adapted from
Sophocles' Oedipus in Colonus.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
