MYTHOLOGIA
Commissioned for the Sydney Olympic Arts Festival, Mythologia takes its inspiration from the heroes of Greek mythology. Inspired in particular by the Greek poet Pindar who named Heracles as the founder of the Olympic Games, Graeme Murphy fittingly created a later-day Olympic Ode.
Mythologia is an epic dance-drama on an operatic scale, taking the audience on a wonderful journey through a collection of dynamic, bold and breathtaking dance sequences in the telling of the many Trials of Heracles.
Choreographer’s note: ”With the advent of the Sydney Olympics, Sydney was under global scrutiny as thorough as any archaeological dig. Mythologia, by exploring a noble and ancient civilisation, also attempts to illuminate the grand chaos of our own. Within the fabulous physical beauty of our city, acts of kindness, tolerance, nobility and harmony are played out alongside selfishness, flippancy, cruelty and hedonism. Deeds as extreme as any Bacchic fantasy occur in this city daily. Yet Sydney remains a Mecca for the persecuted, the thoughtful and the creative – a place where against a backdrop, sometimes exquisite sometimes tawdry, individuals still aspire to ascend an Olympus of their own making.
In the dark labyrinth of mythology I have found a parallel between myth and dance – both depending so much on interactive interpretation. Here the role of the observer is as vital as the teller, and the audience becomes its own diviner of truth. I, in my own creative capacity, am merely a tool of greater forces and can but submit to the Fates.
Bringing the creative team for Mythologia together has put me back in touch with a favourite composer, Carl Vine. Carl and I have worked together many times since our first adventure with Poppy in 1978.“
Mythologia was filmed at the Lyric Theatre of the Queensland Performing Art Centre (QPAC) in Brisbane in late 2000.
MYTHOLOGIA CREDITS
HERACLES
SIMON TURNER
ZEUS
JOSEF BROWN
HYLAS
CHRISTOPHER HARRIS
ARTEMIS
LEA FRANCIS
CALISTO/ CERYNEAN HIND
KATHERINE GRIFFITHS
PAN/ EROS
BRADLEY CHATFIELD
OMPHALE
WAKAKO ASANO
GANYMEDE/ IPHITUS
GAVIN MITFORD
EURYTUS
DAVID HOGG
SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY
With the
SYDNEY GAY & LESBIAN CHOIR
Musical Director
JOHNATHON WELCH
Choreography
GRAEME MURPHY
Creative Associate
JANET VERNON
Music
CARL VINE
Set
GEORGE FREEDMAN
RALPH REMBEL
Costumes
RICHARD de CHAZAL
Lighting
DAMIEN COOPER
Video Imagery
NORAH MULRONEY
MARTIN CROUCH
Scenario
GRAEME MURPHY
CARL VINE
Research & Translation
SUZANE MacALISTER
Rehearsal Director
BRETT MORGAN
The Dancers (alphabetical)
KATHERINE ARNOLD-LINDLEY
WAKAKO ASANO
ANDREA BRIODY
JOSEF BROWN
TRACEY CARRODUS
BRADLEY CHATFIELD
ROLAND COX
LEA FRANCIS
KATHERINE GRIFFITHS
CHRISTOPHER HARRIS
GAVIN MITFORD
SIMONE SAULT
CHRISTOPHER SHERIFF
SIMON TURNER
XUE-JUN WANG
Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir
Assistant Conductor
TIM GRAHAM
Accompanist
SALLY WHITWELL
Sopranos
STEPHANIE ANDERSON
SUSAN BAXTER
JODIE BROEHME
NICOLE BRETT
EVE BURTON
NATHALIE CRANE
MARY CUNNINGHAM
LIZ EGLINTON
GILLIAN GREEN
LYNNE HANCOCK
STACEY KOTSEP
SALLY MILLINSHIP
FIONA O'CONNOR
JUDITH ROSONAKIS
MELANIE SMITH
BARBARA STOCKILL
TRUDY STONE (Soloist)
Basses
PAUL ANDREWS
GRAEME BARTLETT
OLIVER BENDALL-CHARLES
FRITS BOS
JIM BOX
MICHAEL BUCKLEY
GEOFFREY BURCHFIELD
GARETH CHAN
NIGEL CLARKE
GLEN DAVIES
ANDIS EISLERS
DAVID HASKEW
NEIL HENDRY
PHIL HITCHCOCK
DEREK HODGINS
MICHAEL HONEYMAN
BEN HUTCHINSON
DAVID LAIDLEY
MAC McMAHON
JEAN-CLAUDE NEIDERER
JIM POON
MATTHEW PORTCH
STUART READ
MICHAEL RYAN
RONALD TEO
MARTIN WISEMAN
MICHAEL WOODHOUSE
DAVID YOUNIE
Altos
JANE BANCROFT
SANDY CAUSER
JENY ECONOMY
LAURY FREIBERT
KATHY HOSSAK
CATH HUGHES
JUDITH ISBEN
MAUREEN KINGSHOTT
LOUISE MARAL
BEVERLEY MOREMAN
FRANCES NEILSEN
DIANNE PAUL
DEBRA PERRY
JANE POTAKA
DEBRA QUARMBY
SALLY ROBERTS
ALEX SHARP
VALERIE TOMLIN
BRONWYN VOST
BARBEL WINTER
Tenors
RAY BASS
MALCOLM BOADLE
PHIL BURGESS
TIM CLEMENTS
MATTHEW GISSING
TIM GRAHAM
STEVEN HANKEY
CHRIS HARRIS
DAVID HOGG
DAVID KEYS
PAUL MOORE
ANDREW MORPHETT
JOHN O'BRIEN
MARK ORR
MARK PORTER
TONY ROSCIOLI
JOHN STUART
GIL SUNBARRY TAYLOR
PEDRO TEIXEIRA
MARK WALMSLEY
CHRIS WATERS
MATTHEW WATTS (soloist)
VIDEO
Equipment & Crew
CUTTING EDGE POST (Brisbane)
Additional Camera
PHILIPPE CHARLUET
Filmed at
QPAC (Queensland Performing Arts Centre)
Video Produced/ Directed/ Edited by
PHILIPPE CHARLUET