Eugenia Arsenis

ABOUT ME

As a multifaceted individual, I am privileged to wear many hats in my journey of self-expression and contribution to society.

As a director, I harness the power of visual storytelling to illuminate the human condition and provoke thought.

Simultaneously, my passion for music drives me to create soul-stirring compositions that resonate with audiences on a profound level.

In my role as an educator, I am committed to nurturing the minds of the next generation, instilling in them a sense of intellectual curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

And as a politician, I leverage my diverse experiences and expertise to advocate for policies that promote equality, justice, and progress for all.

Through each of these endeavors, I strive to leave a positive impact, enriching lives and shaping a brighter future for generations to come.

WHAT I DO

EDUCATION

FURTHER TRAINING

ARTISTIC TRAINING

DISTINCTIONS & HONORS

ACTIVISTIC ENGAGEMENT

POLITICAL ACTIVITY

• 2022 Candidate for the National Elections for A’ Athens, Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) / Progressive Alliance (11,910 votes, registered by the Ministry of Interior, Hellenic Republic, 4th according to the votes)
• 2020-2023 Elected Member of the Central Committee for A’ Athens, Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) / Progressive Alliance
• 2020-2023 Elected Member of the Prefectural Committee for A’ Athens, Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) / Progressive Alliance
• 2021-2023 Responsible for the Coordination of the Department of the Migration and Refugee Policy, Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) / Progressive Alliance
• 2019-2023 Coordinator of the Cultural Committee for A’ Athens, Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) / Progressive Alliance
• 2019 Candidate for the European Elections, Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) / Progressive Alliance (54,569 votes, registered by the Ministry of Interior, Hellenic Republic)
• 2019 Candidate for the National Elections, Coalition of Radical Left (Syriza) / Progressive Alliance for B’ Piraeus (10,140 votes, registered by the Ministry of Interior, Hellenic Republic)
• 2015 Honorary Candidate at the National Elections (Honorary Ballot), Coalition of Democratic Left/Greens
• 2014-2018 Elected Member of the Executive Committee of Democratic Left
• 2014-2018 Elected Member of the Central Committee of Democratic Left
• 2014-2018 Elected Member of the Prefectural Committee of Democratic Left
• 2014-2018 Coordinator of the Cultural Committee of Democratic Left
• 2014 Candidate for the European Elections, Democratic Left

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS – BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

• Member of the Executive Committee of the Federation of European Screen Directors (2022 – present)
• Elected Delegate of the Greek Directors’ Guild for the Federation of European Screen Directors (2016 – present)
• Elected Delegate of the Greek Directors’ Guild at the Hellenic Entertainment Federation (2021 – present)
• Board Member of the National Theatre of Northern Greece – Honorary appointed by the Ministry of Culture (2010 – 2013)
• Board Member of the Greek Film Center – Honorary appointed by the Ministry of Culture (05-11/2017)
• Regular Member, Hellenic Centre of the International Theatre Institute (President, 02-09/2016)
• Culture Committee, American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (2016 – present)
• Regular Member of the Hellenic Theatre Studies Association (Board Member and Registrar of Public Relations, 2015 – 2016)
• Regular Member of the Greek Directors’ Guild (2009 – present)
• Board Member of the Fulbright Alumni Association (2022 – present)
• Board Member Fondation Hellenique, Paris (2022 – present)

ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

2007 – present: Lecturer – Academic Advisor – Course Convenor – Designer of Theatre Minor – Designer and Coordinator of Opera and Musical Theatre Programmes:

Designing academic programmes | Conducting workshops and seminars | Supervising and consulting students | Producing performances and cultural events | Practicing non-typical methods of education

Courses: Directing, Dramaturgy, Philosophical Aesthetics, Opera, Film, Acting, Greek Drama, Musical Theatre, Production.

• Lecturer, Postgraduate Programme “Greek and World Theatre: Drama, Performance, Education”, area: Theatrical translation and Creative Writing, Department of Theatre Studies, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2022)
• Lecturer, Opera and Musical Theatre, Department of Music Studies, School of Philosophy, University of Athens (2018)
• Postgraduate Programme in Theatre Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Open University of Cyprus (2016-2017)
• Lecturer, Department of Theatrical Studies, University of Peloponnese (2007-2012)
• Lecturer, Department of Music Studies, Ionian University and Stage Director at the Mozart’s Summer Academy (2010-2011)
• Designer and Coordinator of the Minor in Theater and Performance of the Hellenic American University (2009 – present)
• Coordinator of the Opera and Musical Theatre School, Acting for Opera, Musical Theatre, Choreography (2009 – present):
  Kodály Conservatory of Athens (2018 – present),
  Modern Conservatory of Athens (2015 – 2018),
  National Conservatory (2011 – 2015),
  Music College Thessaloniki (2011 – 2012),
  Athens Conservatory (2009 – 2015)

ARTISTIC INSTITUTIONS

Dramaturg – Director, Center for Contemporary Opera, New York, 2012-2019

• Advising on opera repertory
• Providing workshops for librettists and composers
• Directing new operatic works

Coordinator and Dramaturg of the Experimental Stage, Greek National Opera, 2004-2011

• Selecting the Repertory
• Managing the Programming
• Organizing the Budgeting
• Supervising artistic and technical teams
• Fostering audience development

INTERNATIONAL ARTIST: DIRECTOR-DRAMATURG-WRITER-CHOREOGRAPHER, SINCE 1995

OPERA:

• The Tragedy of Carmen, Peter Brook’s adaptation of Carmen by Georges Bizet, conducted by Christopher Rountree, The Florentine Opera, Marcus Performing Arts Center, March 2020, Directing, Choreography, Pre-show lectures
• The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, conducted by Theodore Coresi, Teatrul de Arta Deva & Vienna Opera Company, Romania May – July 2018, Directing, Choreography, Masterclasses
• The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, conducted by Ph. Giannelou, Municipality of Metamorphosis Theatre, Athens, Feb. 2018, Directing, Choreography
• Falling Man by Kenneth Fuchs, text by Don DeLillo, adapted by J.D. McClatchy, conducted by David Krane, Center for Contemporary Opera, Symphony Space, New York, 2016, Directing
• Black Water by Jeremy J. Beck based on the novel by J. C. Oates, conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya, Center for Contemporary Opera, Symphony Space, New York, 2016, Directing
• The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, conducted by S. Soulis, Knossos Theatre, Athens 2016, Directing, Choreography
• A Fairy in my Computer opera for children by Efi Markoulaki, conducted by Phaedra Giannelou / Katia Molfesi, Altera Pars, Athens, 2015, Directing
• El Cimarrón by Hans Werner Henze, based on the book by Miguel Barnet, conducted by Sara Jobin, Center for Contemporary Opera, Symphony Space, New York, 2014, Directing
• El Cimarrón by Hans Werner Henze, based on the book by Miguel Barnet, conducted by Viswa Subbaraman, Skylight Music Theatre, Milwaukee 2014, Directing
• Night of the Living Dead by Todd Goodman and Stephen Cartanzarite, Center for Contemporary Opera, The Cell Theater, New York, 2013, Directing
• Puss in Boots, Russian opera for children based on the tale by Charles Perrault, Raduga-Cultural Center, Russian Embassy, Athens 2013, Directing
• The Human Zoo by Mark N. Grant, Center for Contemporary Opera, The Flea Theater, New York, 2012, Directing
• The Mark of Cain by Matthew Harris and Terry Quinn, Center for Contemporary Opera, The Flea Theater, New York, 2012, Directing
• The Little House, Russian opera for children, Raduga-Cultural Center, Russian Embassy, Athens 2013, Directing
• Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell, conducted by Stanley Ritchie, St George Church, Corfu 2011, Directing, Choreography
• The Secret Kingdom by Ernst Krenek, conducted by Andreas Tselikas, Greek National Opera, 2011, Directing, Choreography, Dramaturgy
• Who Did Pee-Pee in the Mississippi? by George Dousis, based on the children’s book by Eugene Trivizas, conducted by Iakovos Konitopoulos, Greek National Opera, 2011, Directing, Dramaturgy
• The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, conducted by Andrew J. Chung, Bay Area Classical Harmonies, Oakland Metro Operahouse, California 2009, Directing, Choreography
• The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken by Kurt Weill, conducted by Theodore Antoniou, Greek National Opera, 2008, Directing, Choreography, Dramaturgy, Translation
• Merola Grand Finale, selection of scenes from 20 operas and music theater works, from Monteverdi to Sondheim, San Francisco Opera Orchestra, conducted by Stephen Lord, San Francisco Opera Center, 2007, Directing, Choreography
• La Cenerentola by Gioachino Rossini, Director: Jose Maria Condemi, conducted by Martin Katz, San Francisco Opera, 2007, Assistant Director
• Introductions and Goodbyes by Lucas Foss (libretto by Menotti), conducted by Theodore Antoniou, Goethe Institute, Athens 2007, Directing
• Fürwahr..?! by Karl Amadeus Hartmann, conducted by Theodore Antoniou, Goethe Institute, Athens 2007, Directing
• Waxworks (Wachsfigurenkabinett) by Karl Amadeus Hartmann, conducted by Theodore Antoniou, Greek National Opera, Athens 2006, Directing, Dramaturgy, Choreography, Translation
• The Nightingale and the Rose by A. Christodoulides, director John Fulljames, City of London Festival, London 2005, Librettist
• El Cimarrón by Hans Werner Henze, based on the book by Miguel Barnet, conducted by Theodore Antoniou, Greek National Opera, Athens, 2005 Directing, Translation-Adaptation to Music, Dramaturgy, Lighting Designer
• Trouble in Tahiti by Leonard Bernstein, Greek National Opera, Athens, 2005, Translation
• The Lighthouse by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, conducted by Theodore Antoniou, Greek National Opera, Athens, 2004, Translation, Assistant Directing
• Antigone: a production for the BBC Proms based on Sophocles’ text with music by Felix Mendelssohn, with the BBC Singers and the City of London Sinfonia, conducted by Richard Hickox, Royal Albert Hall, London, 2003 (Live Broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and BBC Worldwide), Directing, Dramaturgy, Translation

THEATER:

• Muse in the Bottle by Tatjana Asman, International Analogio Theatre Festival, Directing, Choreography, Acting, Translation, 2022
• By Fire, a production – tribute to the 100 years from the Catastrophe of Smyrna, All of Greece, One Culture, Fortetsa Castle, Rethymnon, 2022
• Women of Passion, Women of Greece by Eugenia Arsenis, theatrical performance in English, directed by T. Ligari, To Treno sto Rouf, Athens, Writing – Dramaturgy, has been performed for six theater seasons in Athens – the play travelled to three International Festivals in Australia in April 2017 (among them, to the Sydney Festival), Brussels in September 2017, India February 2018
• On-the-less created for the opening of the International University Theatre Festival of Casablanca after an honorary invitation, Morocco, 2015, Concept, Directing, Dramaturgy, Music Supervisor, Performer
• An Odd Couple, a play for a contrabass player with music by Theodore Antoniou, Goethe Institute, 2012, Playwriting, Directing
• Theatre Piece by John Cage, Goethe Institute, 2012, Directing, Dramaturgy
• May Music Follow The End of my Life… (The Element of Tragic in Ancient Greek Drama and in the Arabic Tradition), National Theater of Northern Greece, Summer 2011, Directing, Dramaturgy
• Opera in the Attic, based on the opera Brundibar by Hans Krasa, The Municipal and Regional Theatre of Kozani, 2010, Directing, Dramaturgy
• Hypsipyle by Euripides, for the Classical Association Conference, directed by David Wiles, Studio Theatre, London, 1997, Music Composition

FILM AND TELEVISION:

• Stent Web TV, Directing
• Exarchia Luthiers, feature length – awarded – documentarty film by Nikos Papakostas, scipt by George Koukios, Athens 2022, Narration
• The Grecian Captive by M. M. Noah, in collaboration with the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce & the Hellenic American University, 2021, Co-Producer, Director, Scriptwriter, Art Director, Music Supervisor
• 200 Years of Greek Independence, documentary on the 200 year from the Greek War of Independence, Municipality of Metamorphosis, 2021, Director
• A Basket full of Music, a documentary on sports and multiculturalism, National Greek Television, 2011, Director-Scriptwriter
• Generations, a short film produced at the New York Film Academy, 2007, Director, Scriptwriter, Editor, Musical Advisor
• The Cello, a short film produced at the New York Film Academy, 2007, Director, Scriptwriter, Editor
• Conference TV spot for the 1st International Conference of the Hellenic Theatre Studies Association, Athens 2006, Directing, Voice-over
• On the Preservation of the Environment-documentary, National Greek Television, Athens, 2005, Cultural Advisor, Selection of Texts
• The Myth of Helen-documentary, National Greek Television, Athens, 2004, Scriptwriter, Cultural Advisor

CULTURAL EVENTS:

• Presentation of the Awards on Voluntary Action, Skywalker with the journalist Christos Kympizis, Athens, 2023
• Passport to Greece: Performance on Mikis Theodorakis and Yannis Ritsos on a dramaturgy by Nikos Graikos, Paris, 2023, Directing, Piano Performance
• 1st Chorus Festival, organized by the Chorus of the Lawyers’ Association of Athens, Olympia Municipal Music Theatre “Maria Callas”, Athens, 2020, Directing
• Literature and Jazz, based on autobiographical texts by Miles Davis, a collection of memories from the most significant moments in the history of Jazz, Band leader: Alex Christidis, Athens, 2018, Narration, Selection of texts
• Carmina Burana, H2Opera, conductor: Nikos Maliaras, 2016 & 2017 Choreography, Directing
• 1st Ceremony of Awards of the Hellenic Film Academy, Megaron Athens Concert Hall, 2010, Directing

LECTURES & PUBLICATIONS

• 2022 The Action of Resistance of the Disabled during the years of Occupation, Book reading from the rare book by Frixos Theofanides “Disabled people, the pioneers of freedom”, in collaboration with The Disabled Artists Movement: Zero Tolerance and the Municipal Movement “OPEN CITY”, Technopolis, Athens
• 2022 Culture, a weapon of mass humanity, Talk at the Culture Assembly of the European Forum of the Left, Green and Progressive, with the support of the European Left and the European Parliament, Serafio City of Athens
• 2022 Talk on Maria Callas, invited by the Maria Callas Greek Society and the OXY Editions, Acropolis Musuem
• 2022 In the Shadow and in the Light, by Persa Zikaki, Book Presentation, Athens, Patras
• 2021 The Pandemic’s Impact on Violence and Harassment Against Women (Women’s Web March, Democrats’ Abroad Greece, USA)
• 2021 Women of Passion, Women of Greece (Hassan Al Meniei Center for Theatrical Research and Cultural Exchange, Morocco)
• 2020 The Tragedy of Carmen (Pre-show lectures, The Florentine Opera, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee, USA)
• 2019 Artivism Drives Democracy: The Artists as Leaders for the Change of Society (European Parliament, Brussels)
• 2016 Theatre in Europe: Cultural and Political Context (invited as the President of the Hellenic Centre of the International Theatre Institute by the German Centre of the ITI for discussion on Eastern and South Eastern Europe at ITI Berlin)
• 2016 Culture and Equal Participation in Education and in Art (on Education and Human Rights, City of Athens Cultural Centre)
• 2016 Developing a Humanist Society (on cultural education, representing the Hellenic Theatre Studies’ Association, Athens)
• 2015 A Dying Art? The Future of Opera, Battle of Ideas, Institute of Ideas, (Barbican Centre, London)
• 2015 Aesthetics and Politics, Keynote speaker (Culture Center Pavillon, Hannover, Germany)
• 2014 Mondernism, Avant-Garde, Humanism: The Case of Igor Stavinsky (Artville, Athens)
• 2014 Opera: Are we all invited? (The Battle of Ideas International Satellite Event, organized by the Institute of Ideas in London, Hellenic American Union)
• 2014 Culture and the Arts as elements of a new model of development: European standards and national choices (Free Thinking Zone, Athens, May)
• 2013 Choreographing in America (The Hellenic Association of American Studies, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)
• 2012 A Life of A Runaway Slave: An Ongoing Immigration [based on Henze’s opera El Cimarron] – (2nd International Conference of the Hellenic Theater Studies Association, Athens) – member of the Organizing Committee
• 2011 Reflections of Violence in Art (5th National Conference for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse, Hellenic American Union)
• 2010 The Researcher as Artist, the Artist as Researcher or the Artist-Researcher from Research to Art (Department of Theater Studies, University of Athens, 20th anniversary)
• 2005 Staging Mendelssohn’s Antigone (Mendelssohn in the Long Nineteenth Century, Trinity College, Dublin)
• 2004 Romanticism and Ancient Greece: Mendelssohn-Sophocles, A Musical Approach to Greek Drama (XII International Meeting for Ancient Greek Drama, Delphi) – publication, European Cultural Delphi Centre, 2005
• 2003 Minding Music: Music Understanding and the Aesthetics of Music (2nd International Workshop, Highlights in Basic and Clinical Neuroendocrinology: Music and the Brain, Athens)
• 2003 The Death of Elektra: Influences of Psychology in Hofmannsthal-Strauss’ Opera Elektra (British Psychoanalytic Society: Culture and the Unconscious, July-London and, Hellenic Psychiatric Association: XVII International Congress of Psychopathology of Expression and Art-Therapy, October-Athens) – publication
• 2001 Mendelssohn’s Antigone: The Relation of Music and Text in the Context of Hegel’s Aesthetic Theory (Symposium of Greek Drama, London – Oxford, Organizer and responsible for the publication of the proceedings of the Symposium of Greek Drama on the Internet)

CONTACT

• Phone
  +30 6973 223 229
• Email
  earsenis@gmail.com
• Website
  https://eugeniaarsenis.com

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