Throughout his career, Luka Lesson has drawn inspiration from Ancient Greek poets - their words lingering over packed amphitheaters to educate and enthrall the masses.
"I guess my journey as a Greek Australian and an artist has led me towards storytelling," he said. "I fell into hip-hop ten years ago and I discovered spoken word poetry."
More recently the artist has been focusing on Odysseus, the hero of Homer's epic 3,000-year-old poem "The Odyssey". But as he delved deeper, Luka began noticing similarities between the well-loved classic, and a source of intense debate across Europe and the Middle East.
"The map of where Odysseus left Troy, the coastline of Turkey to find safety on a Greek island and found trouble with the ocean long the way, transpose that onto a modern day map and it's almost the exact same journey that refugees are taking today," he said.
"Odysseus is regarded as this incredible man who did this incredible journey and he made it and he's a hero, and yet refugees are being treated like dogs."
Over the past few months Luka has been working with a choir and orchestra - led by University of Sydney composer James Humberstone - to create "Odysseus Live", a production that pays homage to the Ancient epic through poetry, hip hop, electronic and classical music.
Dr Humberstone has called it the most ambitious project he's ever been part of.
"Luka's words really resonate with me," he said. "I find it really easy to know exactly where emotionally I should approach those from as a composer.
"I've tried to not just provide nice harmony and hooks people can sing along with, but to provide some gritty music."
Singer and pianist Lolita Emmanuel jumped at the chance to take part. Born in Australia to Assyrian parents, the production's nod to the refugee crisis has seen it take on a much deeper meaning.
"Ever since the fall of the Assyrian Empire in 612 BC, we haven't had a country for ourselves," she said. "Displacement as a theme in Odysseus is really important to me to see interpreted.
"When you see it in a modern context it's more confronting, and there are minorities right now who are experiencing this problem."
"Odysseus Live" will be performed Sunday night at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. But Luka remained hopeful the production will be picked up by other orchestras and ensembles to be played throughout Australia and the world.
"The ultimate dream has been to perform this at the foothills of the Acropolis," he said.
