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AIRPOWER24 brings one of the greatest stories in Greek mythology to life – the epic journey of the Argonauts and their search for the Golden Fleece. In this production, the adventure takes to the skies: 25 aeroplanes and helicopters, supported by special vehicles from the land forces and special operations forces, create a spectacle that blurs the boundaries of theatre, film, and military precision.
In collaboration with the artist network “lawine torrèn”, the Austrian Armed Forces have ventured to create a unique display. Accompanied by specially composed music by well-known composer Tristan Schulze, which was played by over 140 musicians from the Austrian military band, the artwork unfolds its full effect. The display is an expression of theatrical achievement, but above all demonstrates the skills of the Austrian air force: air landings, winch recoveries, external load transports, and fire-fighting attacks are embedded in a gripping storyline. The transformation of the Austrian Armed Forces into a modern, internationally operational army is impressively demonstrated.
A performance of the air and the ground
The display at AIRPOWER24 is a tribute to human imagination, the courage to break new ground and the power of myths that continue to fascinate even after thousands of years. In this modern production, goddesses and gods are depicted as aircraft, while people on the airfield embody their dreams and desires. Runways and taxiways are transformed into playing fields for dancers and actors who perform in and on helicopters and aeroplanes. A heavy goods transporter, which appears as the ruins of Colchis Castle or the Palace of Thebes, becomes the flying sailboat “Argo” and moves majestically across the site.
When art and the military meet in the sky in this way and the moving love story of Jason and Medea is told, an incomparable spectacle unfolds at AIRPOWER24, reviving myths and presenting a timeless, fascinating narrative.
The saga of the Argonauts: A journey full of dangers and heroic deeds
It is the “Argo”, the legendary ship with 50 oarsmen, that gives the party its name, the Argonauts. Led by Jason, they set off to seek the Golden Fleece – one of the ancient Greece’s most coveted treasures. Obtained from the skin of a golden ram, it is a symbol of royal power. Their journey takes them from Iolkos to Colchis, the ancient empire in present-day Georgia. At the same time, the moving love story unfolds between Jason and Medea, the daughter of King Aietes of Colchis.
After being rejected as a child by his father Aison, the king of Iolkos, and raised by the wise centaur Chiron, Jason returns as an adult to claim his inheritance. However, his uncle Pelias sets him an almost impossible task: to fetch the Golden Fleece from Colchis to prove his heroism. Thus begins an adventurous journey in which the Argonauts encounter numerous challenges and dangers.
When they arrive in Aja, the capital of Colchis, the Argonauts are welcomed by King Aietes. When Jason demands the Golden Fleece, however, he realises Aietes will not give it up without a fight. Aietes sets him two tasks: He must harness two fire-breathing bulls with iron hooves to a plow and plow a field, then sow dragon’s teeth and fight the iron-armoured men that emerge from them. Medea, who has fallen in love with Jason, secretly helps him to accomplish these tasks. Despite his successes, Aietes is not prepared to hand over the fleece. With Medea’s help, Jason manages to steal the fleece and return it to Greece with the Argonauts.
Years later, Jason and Medea’s love story takes a tragic turn. After Jason returns home and marries the daughter of the Corinthian king, Medea’s desperate rage unleashes a tragedy – she murders their children in revenge. To protect Medea from the Corinthians’ revenge, her grandfather, the sun god Helios, rescues her in his chariot to the heaven of the gods.
