The Foundation Collection
Yannis Tsarouchis - Stage Design
   Yannis Tsarouchis was also very active in the theatre, in which he worked as a stage designer for over sixty years, creating more than a hundred sets for various plays. In his later years, he turned to directing, particularly ancient Greek tragedies with designs that captured his undevided interest and carried his concerns and aspirations to a more profound level. He was active in both theatre and opera, and became internationally known through his art and his constant creativity in this sphere. Given the special demands of the stage, his work here opened the way for further contact between the artist and the world.
   As a stage and costume designer, he worked in the theatre with the most important actors and directors of his time. Actors such as Katerina Andreadi, Marika Kotopouli, Katina Paxinou, Takis Horn, Elli Lambeti, Yorgos Pappas, Maria Alkaiou, Anna Synodinou, Vasilis Diamandopoulos and many others, and directors such as Karolos Koun, Alexis Minotis, Photos Politis, Pelos Katselis and Dimitrios Rondiris.
   Amongst the work he did for the theatre were the stage sets and costumes for the Cherubini’s opera Medea, with Maria Callas in the leading role, directed by Alexis Minotis at the Dallas Civic Opera (later performed in Covent Garden, Epidavros and La Scala); for the Thais, also in the Dallas Opera House, directed by Franco Zeffirelli; and for Aristophanes’ Birds directed by Karol’s Koun at the Theatre des Nations in Paris.
   He also made the sets and costumes for films such as Bogris’s The Engagement, Sunday Awakening, Girl in Black, Eroica and Stella, directed by Michael Caoyannis, and Christ Recrucified, directed by Jules Dassin.