The Greek Passion

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The Greek Passion (Řecké pašije in Czech) is an opera in four acts by Bohuslav Martinů to a libretto by the composer, based on the novel of the same name (also known as Christ Recrucified) by Nikos Kazantzakis. The opera has been performed in Czech, German, and English. The first performance was helt at the Städtisches Theater, Zürich in 1961.

[edit] Synopsis

The story concerns the attempts of a Greek village community to stage a Passion play. It takes place in a Greek village dominated by Turks.

It is the mirror image of the suffering of Christ. The village holds Passion plays and the Elders decide on choosing the characters for the play. Monolios, the Christ, is a humble shepherd boy. Yannakso, becomes Apostle Peter. He is a merchant-peddler who travels with his donkey through the villages and sells his items. He is warm-hearted, naïve and loves his donkey over everything else. Michelis becomes Apostle John. He is born into a wealthy family. Kostandis is Apostle James. He is the owner of a café. He is good-hearted, willing to share, but confused. Then comes Panayotaros, Apostle Judas. He is a wild man, waiting for revenge. The widow Katerina is Mary Magdalen. She is a prostitute in the village of Lycovrissi. She is beautiful, but of course an outsider in the village, not caring about anybody’s opinion. But she is the most generous one and gives in the end her life for what she believes in.

Then we are introduced to a whole group of Elders of Lycovrissi. All the characters are very well defined. There is the Priest Grigoris - a strong domineering man who bends God’s will to his own. Archon Patriarches is the leader of the village. He only lives for his own pleasure. Old Ladas, he tries to get as much as he can on earthly positions and lives like a miser and there is Hadji Nikolis, the schoolmaster. He means well but is ineffectual, haunted by fear.

The whole story is made colorful by the Turkish household consisting of The Agha, the Lord of Lycovrissi. He lives surrounded by his Oriental splendor, drinks himself crazy and enjoys raki and pretty boys. Hussein, the Guard, a giant Oriental and does everything his master asks of him.

A wonderful character is the Priest Fotis. He comes to the village with a whole group of starved villagers from a nearby village called Sarakini, who has been overrun by the Turks and looked for shelter in Lycovrissi.

Right at the beginning of the book the selection for the Passion Play takes place and one of the participants mutters: “What a heavy burden the priests has put on our backs. God help us to carry it through. Last time, if you remember, Christ was acted by Master Charalambis, a man of property, a good family man. But he tried so hard to follow in the footsteps of Christ, he struggled so, during the whole year, to be worthy to bear the cross, that in the end it turned his head. On Easter Day he put the crown of thorns on his head, heaved the cross upon his shoulder and, abandoning everything, went off to the monastery of Saint George of Soumela, over there, Trebizond way, and became a monk. It was the ruin of the family; his wife died of it, his children became beggars in the village.”

This somehow sets the mood for the book - and then the passion of Jesus enfolds. Bit by bit the characters develop into the characters they were assigned to. It is unbelievable, like a mirror image to the bible.

We see how the villagers, simple, earnest people who are fond of Monolis, who plays Christ, Yannasko, Apostle Peter, Michelis, Apostle John etc. are indoctrinated by the elders. The main factor is a real saintly priest, Priest Fotis who comes to the village to ask for help with hundreds of hungry and dying people and who is turned away from the village and finds a refuse in the barren mountain. There he tries to survive with the help of Manolios, Yannakos, Michelis and the rest of the group. Priest Grigoris is afraid to lose the power over the village and starts his hate campaign first against the priest and his people and then against the rest of the group. At one point Manolios offers his life to save the village, but in the last minute he is saved. The venom of the village elders appeals even the Agha, but he is too comfortably and too afraid to lose his power to do anything.

Manolios ends his engagement and lives up in the hill praying to God and follows his voice. Michelis gives up his riches and comes to live with Magnolios. This of course infuriates and in the end kills his father. One main character, Panayotaros, Apostle Judas, doesn’t really change in character, but he becomes very dangerous and a real Judas. He doesn’t care for his life anymore after widow Katerina dies, for whom he has a crazy desire. He is the one who spies on the people up in the mountain and on Michelis and Manolios and reports it to the Priest Grigoris, one of the main villains.

In the end a mob consisting of the villagers kill Manolios. This excerpt shows the power of the story:

“For an instant Manolios’s heart failed him, he turned to the door - it was closed; he looked at the three lit lamps and, under them, the icons loaded with ex-votos: Christ, red-cheeked, with carefully combed hair, was smiling; the Virgin Mary, bending over the child was taking no interest in what was happening under her eyes. Saint John the Baptist was preaching in the desert. He raised his eyes toward the vault of the church and made out in the half-light the face of the Almighty, bending pitilessly over mankind. He looked at the crowd about him; it was as if in the darkness he saw the gleam of daggers. The strident voice of old Ladas squeaked once more: “Let’s kill him!” At the same moment, violent blows were struck upon the door; all fell silent and turned toward the entrance; furious voices could be heard distinctly: “Open! Open!” “That’s the voice of priest Fotis!” cried someone. “Yannakos’s voice,” said another; “the Sarakini have come to take him from us!” The door was shaken violently, its hinges creaked; there could be heard a great tumult of men and women outside. “open, murderers! Have you no fear of God?” came the voice of priest Fotis, distinctly. Priest Grigoris raised his hands. “In the name of Christ,” he cried, “ I take the sin upon me! Do it Panayotaros.” Panayotaros drew the dagger and turned to priest Grigoris. “With your blessing, Father!” he asked. “With my blessing, strike!”

Priest Fotis and his people bring the dead body of Manolios to the mountain. He kneels next to him and holds his hands.

“Toward midnight the bell began ringing, calling the Christians to the church to see Christ born. One by on the doors opened and the Christians hastened toward the church, shivering with cold. The night was calm, icy, starless.”

“Priest Fotis listened to the bell pealing gaily, announcing that Christ was coming down on earth to save the world. He shook his head and heaved a sigh: In vain, my Christ, in vain, he muttered; two thousand years have gone by and men crucify You still. When will You be born, my Christ, and not be crucified any more, but live among us for eternity.