Smart and in 2021 this work had its Russian premier at the Sheremetev Place, St. Petersburg by Alexey Pudiov His Before The Flame Goes Out:Memorial to the Jewish Martyrs of Ioannina, Greece, premiered at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, then toured to the Mona Foma Festival in 2017 In 2018, he directed the award winning chamber opera Backwards from Winter, by US composer Douglas Knehans for the Dark Mofo festival. Education Koukias studied at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. 1979 – 1981 Ian Cugley – Composition, University of Tasmania 1981 – 1985 Johannes Roose – Flute, University of Tasmania 1983 – 1984 Don Kay – Composition, University of Tasmania 1984 – 1985 Michael Cubbin – Flute, University of Tasmania 1984 – 1985 Peter Billam – Composition, University of Tasmania 1985 Keith Humble – Composition, La Trobe University, Melbourne 1985 – 1988 Michael Scott – Flute, NSW Conservatorium of Music 1986 Mark Kopytman – Composition, Rubin University of Jerusalem 1986 Richard David Hames, Composers School, Adelaide 1986 – 1988 Thermos Mexis Greek Instrumentation, Sydney 1986 – 1989 Ross Edwards – Composition, Sydney List of works Operas 1990: Days and Nights with Christ, an opera in two parts, sung in ecclesiastical and modern Greek 1992: To Traverse Water, an opera in two parts, sung in ecclesiastical and modern Greek 1994: Mikrovion – 36 Images in a Phantom Flux of Life, an opera in five parts 1998: The Divine Kiss, an opera in seven parts 2003: Tesla – Lightning in His Hand, an opera in two parts, sung in English about the life and times of Nikola Tesla 2012: The Barbarians, an opera inspired by the Greek-Alexandrian poet Constantine Cavafy, performed in modern Greek with bilingual narration. Premiered in 2012 as part of the MONA FOMA festival. Music theatre 1999: Rapture – Sonic Taxi Performance, for solo voices, small chorus and ensemble 2001: Spirits of the Hoist, for three solo voices, ensemble and tape 2002: Schwa – The Neutral Vowel, for two solo voices and tape Orchestral 1993: ICON, for grand orchestra, antiphonal choir (80 voices), 8 percussionists and tape; premiered on the steps of the Sydney Opera House 2003: Within a Prayer at Lamplighting, for orchestra; commissioned by the China National Symphony Orchestra 2004: Ancient Immortal Spirit, for orchestra and mezzo-soprano soloist; premiered by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra Choral works 2001: Prayer Bells – PENTEKOSTARION, for 3