Koutalianoi, as the Asia Minor wrestlers were called in various historical periods: the legendary Panagis Koutalianos and his descendant Dimitris, Haris Karpouzilos and Giannis Keskelidis or Sampson, the giant of Greek wrestling "Attilio" or "Asian" (sic). The Greek wrestlers still intersect with our historical memory as a reminder: in the fields, in the squares, in their well-polished muscles and chains, we projected our desires for collective victories – and our defeats.
Through the legendary lives of these figures, the transition from the late 19th to the early 20th century emerges allegorically, with successive displacements, the Great Asia Minor Disaster, and the now suffocating borders of the modern Greek state. And while the fate of the heroes is the continuous struggle until the final victory, for these Asia Minor "giants with feet of clay," destiny was, more or less, predetermined, like the fallen empire that cast them out. From the strength of youth and worldwide fame to the fragile body of old age: in a painted beard of a former superman awaiting coins, before being buried in oblivion.
The work Koutalianoi or The Weight of History was presented for the first time at the archaeological site of the Anaktoropolis as part of the Ministry of Culture's "All of Greece One Culture" initiative in 2022.
Concept, Artistic Supervision: Musical Theatre Group Rafi
Music Composition: Apostolis Koutsogiannis
Libretto: Marios Chatziprokopiou
Artistic Supervision, Sculptures: Petros Touloudis
Choreography: Agni Papadeli-Roussetou
Lighting Design: Kostis Moussikos
Costumes: Vangelis Mantzavinos
Magnetic Tape Editing: Michalis Kalkanis
Performers:
Lito Messini, soprano
Anastasia Kotsali, mezzo-soprano
Oros Ensemble
Vasilis Zigeridis, qanun
Konstantinos Zigeridis, bayan
Irene Krikoni, violin
Antonis Tsachtanis, clarinet