Samir Odeh-Tamimi (*1970 in Jaljulia near Tel-Aviv) experienced his musical socialization in various ensembles for traditional Arabic music. Fascinated and inspired by both European classical music and the aesthetics of new music, he came to Germany at the age of 22 and studied composition and musicology, also engaging with compositional role models such as Giacinto Scelsi and Iannis Xenakis. Thus, he develops his musical language equally from influences of the Western European avant-garde as well as Arabic musical practice. His oeuvre encompasses a complex spectrum of diverse vocal and instrumental works, which is also marked by regular collaborations with ensembles such as the Neue Vocalsolisten and Zafraan Ensemble. Philoktet is his fourth staged work, following his highly acclaimed music theater works Leila and Madschnun and L’Apokalypse Arabe I and II.