In 1990 the archaeological research project for the lost city "Helike" in surroundings of Egion began. The city was destroyed in 372 B.C., most certainly by an earthquake followed by a flooding. About 500 years later Pausanias mentioned in his book about travelling around Greece, that he had seen those ruins at a seabed and wrote a detailed description about the city and its citizens. The doom of Helike was mentioned by several authors in that time. For more information please click adequate part on our website https://www.idyllion.eu/

The expected discovery of the city, that has been looked for since about 20 years by now, and whose successful finding will hopefully be soon - as there were new evidences from last years' research results - gave the impulse for writing the opera-libretto. An impressive Poseidon temple with a bronze statue of Poseidon and an Agora are recorded since antiquity.

On the one hand the story of two lovers in ancient times is told, who survive the earthquake and the tragic destruction of their hometown including the extinction of all citizens, on the other hand intellectual delight of an ancient symposium and love are subject of the opera. Dramaturgical turning point is the change to the "future" - our present - when 2.500 years later, an archaeological team searches for the lost city. Indeed the search is shaken by another not that strong earthquake, but at the same moment at the place where the archaeologists are searching, an earth-wall collapses and an impressive part of the ruins of the temple is revealed and finally also the bronze statue of Poseidon. The success of the yearlong archaeological excavation is coming: the whole place is excavated. The opera ends with a big, triumphal celebration at the long awaited find spot in honour of archaeology and ancient Greek culture, with choral singing and old and new Greek dances.

The contrast between the ancient, fictitious story on the one hand and the modern, scientific archaeological excavation on the other - Helike's excavation gives reason to praise archaeology - and also the personal fate of the lovers being integrated in the storyline - their love story survives time - characterizes the exciting libretto.

By songs and choirs in ancient Greek as well as by a philosophical symposium the beauty of the ancient language and the impressive force of free thinking are shown. In order to ease probably occuring language problems and to facilitate a performance in other languages, the libretto is also available in English, German, included a phonetic translation of the ancient Greek text into Latin characters (Erasmus-pronunciation).