Have you ever heard a story that is thousands of years old? Ogygia’s Nymph is a tale that has been told for a very long time, and was made famous by Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey. In this ancient legend, the Gods decided to test Odysseus, King of Ithaca — so they sent him on a perilous journey in the Mediterranean Sea. Shipwrecked on the island of Ogygia — Malta’s sister island, now known as Gozo — Odysseus fell in love with the beautiful nymph Calypso, who promised him he would live forever if he stayed with her. But Odysseus never forgot his home and his kingdom! In poems, music, and images, the IssaSonus Ensemble — whose members hail from respected conservatories and universities — will share this classic and memorable myth
In the musical story Ogygia’s Nymph, members of the ensemble explore the tale that has been told for a very long time and made famous by the Greek poet, Homer, in his epic poem The Odyssey, which describes the adventures of Odysseus.
Synopsis: The Ancient Gods decided to put Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, to a test and sent him on a journey in the Mediterranean Sea. Shipwrecked on the island of Ogygia (Malta’s sister island – Gozo) he fell in love with the beautiful nymph Calypso. While he loved Calypso, Odysseus never forgot his home and kingdom, Ithaca. Over thousands of years many poems and stories were written about Odysseus and Ogygia’s nymph. Come and listen to poems and music about this beautiful story of love and nostalgia.
Ogygia’s Nymph was first presented by the IssaSonus Ensemble in Washington, DC — in cooperation with the Embassy of Malta and the Kids Euro Festival 2015.
Laura Falzon – flutist & director
Anna Tonna – mezzo soprano/narrator
Alexander Wu – pianist
October 23rd 2015
Kennedy Center-Millennium Stage
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F St., NW, Washington, DC 20566
October 24th 2015
Sitar Arts Center
1700 Kalorama Road Northwest, Washington, DC 20009
October 23rd 2015
Holy Trinity Elementary Independent school Georgetown,
325 36th St NW, Washington, DC 20007
IssaSonus Ensemble represents Malta at the Kids Euro Festival 2015 with Ogygia’s Nypmh in Washington DC
Between the 23rd and 24th of October 2015, the Embassy of the Republic of Malta in Washington, D.C. participated in the Kids Euro Festival, a festival of European arts and culture organised by the EU Delegation to the United States in collaboration with the Embassies of all of the 28 European Member States in Washington.
In the 2015 edition of the Festival, Malta was represented by ISSASonus ensemble, a flexible classical chamber music ensemble based in New York City and directed by Maltese flutist Laura Falzon. ISSASonus’s ensemble concert seasons have featured world premieres and music projects with collaborations that span across artistic disciplines and geographical boundaries. Flutist Laura Falzon, together with mezzo soprano/narrator Anna Tonna, and pianist Alexander Wu, developed, produced and presented Ogygia’s Nypmh- a musical performance with text adapted from the classic and memorable myth of Calypso (based on Homer’s epic poem—The Odyssey), bringing together Mediterranean music and legend.
Ogygia’s Nymph included a collaboration with the graphic artist Claudia Baldacchino and contemporary Maltese video artist Ruth Bianco. Bianco’s artistic video projection—Finding Oygia, provided a background and additional context to the music and narration, portraying Odysseus’s journey across the seas with images of the Maltese blue sea and dancing waves in the background. Children were thus invited to use their imagination and embark on a journey back in time to the middle of the Mediterranean, where the story unfolds on the island of Ogygia, — Malta’s sister island, now better known as Gozo.The exploits of Greek hero Odysseus on his journey home after the fall of Troy were recounted and accompanied by music of Debussy, Camilleri, Schubert, Mouquet and Ravel. Shipwrecked and washed ashore on the island of Ogygia, he was compelled to remain there with Calypso until she was ordered by Zeus, via Hermes, to release him.
Ogygia’s Nypmh, was performed at the Kennedy Centre Millennium Stage as well as the Sitar Arts Centre and at the Holy Trinity Elementary School in Georgetown.
The show was a resounding success with both children and adults. It showcased Maltese talent and elicited various questions from the audience about Malta’s history, language and culture. Dr. Patricia Borg, Chargée d’Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Malta was on hand to answer questions after the shows. The audiences were provided with leaflets and promotional gifts from Malta as a further enticement to visit the islands.
This KidsEuro Festival spans a whole fortnight and is a joint initiative of the EU Member State Embassies in Washington. Along the years it has been a wonderful showcase of European arts and culture that presents more than 125 free activities to families and, particularly, to children. For more information about the Kids Euro Festival, please visit: http://kidseurofestival.org/. The Embassy would like to thank the EU Delegation in Washington DC and the generosity of the benefactors of the European-American Cultural Foundation, for having made the event possible.
“The show was a resounding success with both children and adults. It showcased Maltese talent and elicited various questions from the audience about Malta’s history, language and culture”
– Dr. Patricia Borġ, Chargée d’Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Malta
Clau Studio – poster design © 2015
Ruth Bianco – Video projection: Finding Ogygia © 2015
Music by Debussy, Camilleri, Schubert, Mouquet, Ravel
