ABOUT THE OPERA

Oedipus at Colonus (Act 1)

Man between guilt and redemption.

After departure from Thebes, Oedipus is accompanied by his daughters on the way to a place where he could find peace. They reach a sacred location where no one is allowed to stay. Oedipus is resting there when old men come and tell him that this is a holy place. When they realise who he is, they are sorry for him. Oedipus begs them to send for their ruler. It very quickly spreads across the country that Oedipus is here and he is asking to see the king. When Theseus, king of Athens, hears of Oedipus, he does not hesitate and goes to see him. Meanwhile, the elders tell Oedipus about prayers that he must say so he can stay at the sacred place. Oedipus - an old, weary and blind man - entrusts his prophecy to Theseus. He has been exiled from the land by his family and only his daughters stayed with him in his misery. Creon now tries to get Oedipus back because he benefits from his return. And then even his sons try to get him on their side in their fight for the throne.

Oedipus begs Theseus to protect him, not let him be taken from this country, and leave him to die here. He promises to generously reward him and all his land. The king gives him his word. It happens as Oedipus predicts. First, his brother in law Creon comes and at first with gentle words and then violence tries to persuade him to return with him to his homeland from which he had been exiled. Creon kidnaps the daughters of Oedipus. Theseus given his word brings them back. Oedipus thanks him. Then comes Oedipus' firstborn son Polynices and begs his father to join him, because he has a right to the throne as the first-born. Oedipus rejects and curses him because he had not helped and stayed with him when he had been exiled. His destiny is to die fighting his brother, who also dies. Antigone is trying to persuade her brother to avoid the fate and not to fight, but he accepts his destiny and plunges towards his death.

Shortly after, knowing that his time is coming, Oedipus calls upon Theseus. He tells everybody that he himself will select the place of his death and that nobody, except Theseus, can go with him and know where he is. This place must be protected from military attacks and stay a secret from all so it never sees any disasters. Oedipus parts with his daughters and orders them to leave. Theseus promises to take care of them and their welfare. Then comes a voice of God calling Oedipus to him, the ground opens and Oedipus disappears. His daughters mourn and want to see where his grave is, but, as he had promised the old man, Theseus denies them this request. However, he fulfils their dreams and helps them stop their brothers' fighting.

Only Gods never die nor age,

everything else is wasted by Time ruling everything.

Even the Earth force dies, the body dies, even the faith dies, but infidelity flowers;

also, the good spirit does not always rule between friends, nor between neighbouring two cities, after all to some now and to some later a favor changes into a disgust and again into a friendship.

Seven Against Thebes (Act 2)

The military campaign against Thebes.

There is a dispute over the throne after Oedipus' departure. With the help of their uncle Creon, the two brothers come to an agreement to divide the government so that each would reign for one year and then transfer the power to the other. Eteocles assumes the throne first. But when the year ends, he refuses to pass the power to his brother and eventually drives him out of Thebes.

Polynices finds support and understanding in Argos where he is kindly received by King Adrastus. Tydeus, son of Calydon king Oeneus, finds asylum in Argos at the same time. Tydeus is banished from Calydon because he murdered his cousins. Tydeus is known as a wild and cruel remorseless warrior. Denied the opportunity to ascend the throne after his father, he seeks ally who would help him return to Calydon.

Adrastus accepts them both and promises to help in regaining their power. Adrastus is told by prophecy to harness a boar and a lion, which are fighting in his house, to his chariot. He does not know what to do with that advice but soon realises that Calydon Tydeus' symbol is a boar and Polynices of Thebes has a lion as his symbol. So they become grooms of Argos - Tydeus marries Adrastus' daughter Deipyla and Polynices marries Argia.

They organise an army and decide to go against closer Thebes first. The town is surrounded by solid walls with seven large gates. The gates are attacked by seven commanders and their armies. The chance of success is small. One of the oracles, Amphiaraus, knowing that everyone except Adrastus will die, refuses to participate. Polynices offers his wife Eriphyle a precious necklace from the Harmony family's grandmother which eventually brakes Amphiaraus' resistance. So he goes to war, but before leaving, he orders his sons to kill their mother if he does not return alive. Supposedly Alcmaeon, the son who fought in the second war with Epigones, has had fulfilled it. The gods, not without objections and warning, support the campaign at first. Their goodwill does not last long and the gods abandoned the arrogant and pompous warriors and leave them at the mercy of death.

Thebans closely watch all preparations for the attack and are ready to defend the city. The assailants realise that the city defeat is not going to be easy. Adrastus lures the defenders from behind the walls causing them significant losses. Then the Thebans retreat behind the walls and survive the attack.

Adrastus divides his army and each of the seven commanders is to attack one of the city gates. The fight is not going well for the attackers. The first to die in combat is Capaneus, followed by Parthenopeus, Tydeus and Hippomedon ... War is supposed to be decided by the Theban brothers, but they both die as well.

Thebans under the leadership of Creon go on the offensive and drive Argoans to run. Amphiaraus flees in his chariot. His pursuers nearly get him with their spears when Zeus intervenes striking the ground with lightning. Amphiaraus disappears underground and rules there - the alive among the dead. The king Adrastos is the only one that survives the fight by jumping on his winged horse Arion and disappearing. 

Thus ends ingloriously the expedition against Thebes, tragic and unnecessary. The war bloodbath is just a backdrop for the fratricidal struggle ending with the death of both brothers.

It is followed by the last part of the ancient cycle, the rock opera Antigona.

Opera is not among the genres that can tell a story descriptively. Everything takes place in music and lyrics. Lyrical expression of the story is connected by the use of a number of poetry techniques.

GALLERY

PHOTO: NICOLA BERNARD, MATĚJ HONSKUS, PETR TIBI, HANA BROŽKOVÁ