⁂ Judith ➆

"Judith" premiered in London as part of Tête à Tête:

The Opera Festival 2023.

It is a one-woman show based on Bluebeard's Castle by Béla Bartók, but it’s much more than an opera—it’s a work-in-progress, exploring the theme of "Opera as a Ceremony and Healing Process," inspired by the ancient Greek theatre’s healing aspects.

The stage is treated like a temple, and The Parthenon becomes Bluebeard’s Castle.

The 7 openings between the columns in the front of the temple, represent the 7 doors of the Castle.

In this journey, Bluebeard becomes the voice of the Creator, guiding Judith toward her liberation—not just as a woman, but as a soul on a transformative path. This is a journey of the cleansing and awakening of the soul, leading it back to its original essence. Not only is about balancing our inner feminine/masculine forces + heart/mind (cross), but more about ascending from the root to the crown of existence, a spiritual ascent toward unity and theosis—the divine union of the soul with its Source.

The soul’s mission throughout this journey is to realize itself, to purify the shadows that obscure its true nature, and to return to its primal state of wholeness and harmony. In the depths of Judith's liberation, we see the path of the soul's purification: to cleanse the distortions of the past and awaken to its true power, free from the chains of patriarchy, fear, and illusion. The journey becomes not just an individual healing, but an invitation for the soul to transcend, reclaim its unity, and realize its divine purpose.

The pandemic didn’t necessarily bring healing for everyone, but it did spark a collective awareness. It made us pause and reflect: Something feels off, doesn’t it? In a world where we’ve been moving so fast, disconnected from nature, from each other, and even from ourselves, could this moment be a chance to step back and change direction?

Could the disconnection we’ve felt, and the constant pace of ambition, technology, and social media, be what has pulled us away from our true essence? What if the pandemic—despite all its challenges—was offering us an opportunity to reconnect with what truly matters, to slow down, and embrace a more holistic approach to life?

Judith is not here to give us all the answers, but it invites us to explore these questions. Through Judith’s journey of liberation, we are asked: How do we reconnect with what’s meaningful? How do we heal the disconnections that have shaped our lives and find a path to peace and balance?

It’s a show that mirrors this call for reflection, offering us a space to think about our own paths to wholeness. Through Judith, we are invited to step away from the noise and fragmentation of modern life, and consider what it might mean to return to a more grounded, connected existence—one where we are more in tune with our true selves, the world, and each other.

Time to heal

Time to remember who we are.

*The show is dedicated to every soul that seeks to be heard.

As above, so below ∆∇

✪ The production:

Music: Béla Bartók, Jakob Huuge, Arvo Pärt

Text: Béla Balázs, Leonora Gaitanou

Creation of the project, staging, solo performance: Leonora Gaitanou

Male Voice: different to every country

Piano: Konstantinos Papadakis

Set design & Video Art: Piedra Muda Lab

Lighting Design: Sergi Cerdán

Costume: Daphne Valente 

Set construction & artistic residence: Brava! Performing Arts

Arrangement for smaller orchestra: Aristides Strongylis (in case of orchestral version)

Sponsors:

In London: Schwarz Foundation, Sumita Kumar

In Milan: Stiftung ERGATA

‘‘The Judith Project’’ was shortlisted for the Fedora Opera Prize 2022. The Fedora Competition is for emerging artists with innovative ideas. Judith was representing the Greek National Opera.

*Opera as a Ceremony & Healing Process

Our project is an open call for healing, an invitation for the spectator to embark on their own journey of self-exploration. It’s an opportunity to step beyond the performance itself and "open their own Pandora’s Box"—to explore the depths of their soul. The pandemic has created space for introspection, for looking within and reconnecting with the very essence of who we are.

It has invited us to climb to the ‘‘Krone’’, the Corona, our soul and from there to our Higher Self.

The collective consciousness of humanity has been deeply affected by the pandemic—its traumas, fears, sadness, and anger have left imprints on us all. However, by healing and restoring balance within, we also heal the collective. As each individual reawakens and reconnects with their true self, that energy ripples outward, affecting societies and, ultimately, humanity as a whole.

If each one of us begins to sense unity—not just with other humans but with all living beings—this can reflect in the collective consciousness as unity and love, a harmony that could transcend borders, bringing peace to the world.

This is a call to reconnect with your soul, to reconnect with Mother Earth, to reconnect with the very forces that created and sustain us.

For so much of our lives, we’ve been in a kind of slumber, disconnected from our deeper nature—like a dormant spiritual phase. We’ve forgotten who we really are, beyond our personalities, beyond the roles we play in this world. We’ve forgotten where we come from, and perhaps, where we’re truly going.

Awakening is the essential journey—the path to personal and spiritual growth. It’s a process of rediscovering ourselves and reclaiming the divine connection within.

This performance isn’t about offering a temporary escape from reality, nor is it about simply relaxing. Judith is a “wake-up” performance, a call to awaken to something deeper, and it offers food for thought long after the curtain falls. It’s not just a show—it’s an invitation to reflect, to question, and to begin the transformative journey toward healing and wholeness.

Your soul is calling you.

From fear to faith.

Remember the Oneness of us all.

Unity.

Judith in Milan, 19+20.6 at Teatro No’hma, representing Switzerland at the Premio International Competition Teresa Pomodoro with shows from all around the world.

Watch here: