ἀκούετε (akouete) pronounced (ah-koo-EH-teh) is the Biblical Greek command to "Listen" with an emphasis on listening with the intent to understand.  In the original production, this phrase was spoken at the top of act 2, noting how when Jesus entered the world, things were different.  He listened to the people who were around him, heard their own stories and then commanded his disciples to do the same.