On September 24, 2025, at 21:00, the historic Οdeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens will host a unique and concert: Mare Nostrum. This production by the Greek National Opera (GNO) Learning & Participation Department brings together the internationally celebrated Catalan conductor and viola da gamba virtuoso, Jordi Savall, along with his esteemed ensemble Hespèrion XXI, in conversation with the GNO Intercultural Orchestra. This special musical evening, illuminates the rich musical exchanges that have shaped the Mediterranean’s cultural landscape.

The Vision of a Shared Sea

The concert’s title, Mare Nostrum (Our Sea), sets the profound tone for the evening. The intent is to portray the Mediterranean not as a divider, but as a shared sea—one that unites the peoples who each rightfully consider it their own. In a contemporary era requiring heightened understanding, this musical affirmation asserts that genuine progress can only be achieved through sharing and the realization that the ties that unite us surpass those that separate us.

Jordi Savall himself emphasizes that the necessity goes beyond mere cultural or religious discussion: “It is not enough to have a dialogue between cultures and religions—we need a dialogue between souls. And that is exactly the kind of dialogue this concert’s music offers,” he notes.

The resulting program is a powerful journey through diverse cultural expressions, drawing on melodies from Christian, Sephardic, Ottoman, and Arab-Andalusian traditions. The repertoire, conducted and curated by Savall in collaboration with Harris Lambrakis, promises a broad spectrum of sound, encompassing traditional Greek, Cypriot, Turkish, and Arabic music, alongside contemporary repertoire and ancient music dating back to the 1700s. During rehearsals, the orchestra was observed trying melodies from "Γιασεμί" and "Wa Habibi". This musical collaboration, occurring during a "highly critical historical period," is poised to highlight music’s power as a universal language, promoting peaceful co-existence and reconciliation.

The concert will feature two exceptional vocalists: Katerina Papadopoulou and the acclaimed French singer Marc Mauillon.

The Maestro and His Legacy

Jordi Savall is recognized as one of the most prominent performers globally, renowned for his dedication to preserving and promoting the Mediterranean musical tradition. Savall began his career focused on the viola da gamba, an instrument that acts as a symbol of Renaissance and Baroque music. Over fifty years, he has devoted his life to reviving and spreading forgotten music spanning the Mediterranean, the East, and Europe.

His approach skillfully combines strict musical precision with a deep humanitarian perspective, allowing him to explore the past with both liveliness and timelessness. Savall’s diverse roles include being a gambist, maestro, musicologist, researcher, and an ambassador for cultural reconciliation. His commitment to cultural understanding has garnered him numerous international distinctions, including the respected title of “Artist for Peace” from UNESCO. In Athens, Savall will also perform as a musician, playing the vielle alongside Hespèrion XXI members Guillermo Pérez (organetto), Efrén López (medieval lute, hurdy-gurdy), and Dimitri Psonis (santouri, percussion, bells).

A Collaboration Built on Sharing

The concert gains its unique resonance from the collaboration between Savall’s Hespèrion XXI and the GNO Intercultural Orchestra. The GNO Intercultural Orchestra, led by Harris Lambrakis, is an ensemble known for its extensive repertoire that encompasses traditional, modern, and experimental music.

The orchestra celebrates its seventh anniversary of continuous evolution and creative presence, having sought out new collaborations consistently. Lambrakis has been at the helm since its founding in 2018. Lambrakis notes that the orchestra’s "compass" over these seven years has been the concept of "sharing" (μοίρασμα): sharing ideas, musical genres, and culture.

The ensemble truly embodies interculturality, comprising musicians from highly diverse backgrounds and cultural identities. Throughout its history, the orchestra has included participants from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Argentina, Congo, England, and France. Lambrakis explains that each musician adds something distinctive to the identity of both the collective and the individuals involved, noting: “For me, that is interesting, to approach the culture of the person next to you and for them to approach yours. To make this sharing happen. And not only in terms of traditional instruments, but with the personality of each person,” as some compose in a classical style, others in a more traditional style, and others focus on electronic music.

The conductor views the deepest achievement of the orchestra as the "sharing of life" among its members, fostering a bond that transcends their weekly three-hour rehearsals.

For Harris Lambrakis, the partnership with Savall is a profound honor. He states that there could not have been a better collaboration for the concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus than with the emblematic maestro and musician Jordi Savall, who accepted their invitation. Lambrakis acknowledges Savall as a globally renowned landmark in early music whose performances, approach, and style have influenced the entire world. Furthermore, Savall embodies interculturality by bringing diverse cultures together, seeking synergies, and experimenting with the sound of old instruments combined with new timbres—a combination upon which this specific partnership will be based.

This collaboration reaffirms the Greek National Opera's steadfast commitment to promoting intercultural dialogue and showcasing contemporary musical creation through events that unite diverse traditions and people via the shared language of art.

I.L. with information from ANA-MPA, Greek National Opera, all photos from Greek National Opera.

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Mikis Theodorakis, a name synonymous with Greek culture and political engagement, left behind an immense musical legacy, a significant part of which is his profound contribution to film scores. As we mark the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2025, we remember how the internationally acclaimed Greek composer left his indelible mark on cinema. Beyond his symphonies, oratorios, and popular songs, Theodorakis's film music earned him international acclaim, making him one the most famous Greek composers of the 20th century. His cinematic melodies, often composed under challenging circumstances like imprisonment or exile, became iconic, gracing Oscar-winning films and earning him nominations and awards from prestigious organizations such as the Golden Globes, Grammys, and BAFTAs.

Theodorakis's journey into film composition began in 1953 with the Greek-American director Greg Tallas's "Barefoot Battalion". His international breakthrough, however, came a few years later with Michael Powell's 1959 film "Honeymoon" (Luna de Miel). The film featured his recurring musical theme, the "Honeymoon Song," which later became widely known in Greece as "Αν θυμηθείς τ' ονειρό μου" (If You Remember My Dream). Such was its popularity that the Beatles even covered it in 1964.

During a prolific period for Greek cinema, Theodorakis continued to make his mark. He composed for Alekos Alexandrakis's "Συνοικία το Ονειρο" (A Neighbourhood Called 'Τhe Dream') in 1961, a landmark film for Greek cinema known for its melancholic atmosphere and the orchestral "Ο Χορός του Ρίκο". The film's standout song, "Βρέχει στη Φτωχογειτονιά" (It's Raining in the Poor Neighborhood), with lyrics by Tasos Leivaditis, was first performed by Grigoris Bithikotsis in a classic scene and became widely covered.

Theodorakis also forged significant collaborations with renowned directors. He scored Jules Dassin's "Phaedra" (1961/1962), starring Melina Mercouri and Anthony Perkins. For this film, he showcased his versatility by adopting a more jazz-oriented style, with Mercouri herself performing two notable songs: "Σε Πότισα Ροδόσταμο" and "Love Theme from Phaedra" (known as "Αστέρι μου Φεγγάρι μου"). His enduring partnership with Greek director Michael Cacoyannis began with "Electra" (1962), an adaptation of Euripides' tragedy, for which Theodorakis received a music award at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. His score for "Electra" was innovative, using elementary musical instruments to create a ritualistic rhythm and incorporating natural sounds.

In 1962, French actor and director Raymond Rouleau filmed “Les Amants de Teruel,” with Mikis Theodorakis participating in the soundtrack. The film's theme, actually the melody of his song “Ομορφη πόλη" (Beautiful City) would later acquire French lyrics and be sung by none other than Edith Piaf!

The zenith of his cinematic career arrived in 1964 with Michael Cacoyannis's "Zorba the Greek". The film, which earned three Oscars, featured Theodorakis's complete soundtrack and etched his name into global consciousness. The iconic "Zorba's Dance" (Sirtaki), performed by Anthony Quinn, remains one of the most powerful and recognizable images in cinema history, heard and danced worldwide even decades later. His work on "Zorba the Greek" earned him nominations for both a Golden Globe and a Grammy.

Theodorakis's music was deeply intertwined with his political activism, a connection evident in his cinema work. While in exile in 1969, he managed to collaborate with Costa-Gavras on the legendary political thriller "Z". Despite being in exile and unable to write music specifically for the film, he granted Gavras permission to use any of his existing pieces, which were then adapted by a French composer. Theodorakis's rich, furious, and detailed palette of sounds perfectly complemented the film, which gained immense international recognition, winning two Oscars. For his powerful score, Theodorakis was awarded a BAFTA for Best Original Music in 1970.

His second collaboration with Costa-Gavras was on "State of Siege" (1972). For this film, Theodorakis incorporated the Chilean group Los Calchakis, expressing his support for the Latin American struggle against imperialism. Although a larger work was intended, Gavras ultimately chose to cut much of the score from the film, as he wanted to avoid an overly epic tone. Later editions released the full intended soundtrack, which blended traditional Andean sounds with the vocals of Los Calchakis.

In 1973, Theodorakis cemented his Hollywood presence with Sidney Lumet's "Serpico", starring Al Pacino. Lumet specifically sought out Theodorakis, who had recently left Greece, valuing his status as a "stalwart leftist" within the European artistic elite. While on a major U.S. tour, Theodorakis provided Lumet with just 14 minutes of music that scored the film. His work on "Serpico" earned him another Grammy nomination and a BAFTA nomination. His name appeared prominently in the film's opening credits, second only to Al Pacino's and before Lumet's, a testament to his global recognition. The score uniquely blended traditional bouzouki sounds with more modern jazz influences.

Theodorakis continued his prolific work, collaborating with Cacoyannis again on "The Trojan Women" (1971) and "Iphigenia" (1977), and with Dassin on "The Rehearsal" (1974), a film about the Polytechnic uprising. In 1980, he composed the music for Nikos Tzimas's classic political film, "The Man with the Carnation," depicting the final days of Nikos Beloyannis.

Mikis Theodorakis's filmography is a testament to his unparalleled talent, featuring scores that are undeniably national and political in character, yet capable of transcending borders. His music for cinema, often penned under the most adverse conditions, traveled the globe, graced classic films from Europe to Hollywood, garnered awards, and remains as emblematic and powerful today as when it was first created.

Honors and Awards Bestowed on Mikis Theodorakis for His Film Scores

1962: Awarded at the Thessaloniki Festival for his music in Michael Cacoyannis’s film Electra.

1965: Wins the Golden Globe from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for his music in Zorba the Greek.

BAFTA Awards (the British Academy Film Awards, the UK equivalent of the Oscars):

• 1970: Wins the BAFTA for Best Music for Z.
• 1974: Wins the BAFTA for Best Music for State of Siege.
• 1975: Wins the BAFTA for Best Music for Serpico.

Grammy Awards, presented annually in the U.S. by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to honor outstanding achievements in the music industry:

• 1965: Wins the Grammy for his music in Zorba the Greek.
• 1974: Wins the Grammy for his music in Serpico.

• Awarded the “Erich Wolfgang Korngold” prize for his overall contribution to film music.

2002: Honored with the Erich Wolfgang Korngold award at the International Biennale for Film Music in Bonn, Germany

2007: The World Soundtrack Academy honored Theodorakis with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his entire body of work in film music, in a special ceremony (October 20) at the Ghent International Film Festival in Belgium.

I.L.

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Greek National Opera's educational program Co-OPERAtive, the first intercultural youth opera hub in Europe, will complete its fifth year by presenting a new music theatre performance titled (Another) Winter Journey. The performance will feature a mixed group of Athenian teenagers and unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors who were involved in the educational program, alongside the GNO Intercultural Choir. The asylum-seeking minors arrived in Athens from countries such as Syria, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Egypt, Pakistan, to seek refuge from war, violence, extreme poverty, or oppressive regimes; along with teenagers from neighborhoods within Athens itself, they take the stage of to present their contemporary version Franz Schubert’s emblematic song cycle Winterreise.

Guided by Panos Iliopoulos’ musical adaptation and the directorial vision of Vasilis Vilaras, the performance explores the emotional landscape of adolescence, opening a dialogue with timeless human questions—fear, loneliness, hope, loss, first love, and transformation. The dramaturgy, shaped by Vilaras and Lemonia Gianniri, crafts a tapestry of personal testimonies, music, movement, and lived experiences. Rather than following a linear storyline, the performance unfolds as a poetic collage, where the adapted compositions of Schubert function as an inner engine of memory and change.

The stage becomes a meeting ground for different cultures and languages, as young participants narrate, sing, and dance their own lived stories. The GNO Intercultural Choir acts as a collective voice—sometimes urging, sometimes guiding, sometimes reflecting—always carrying a sense of hope. Movement direction is by Ilias Hatzigeorgiou and the performance is conducted by Markellos Chryssicos on the harpsichord.

Winterreise (meaning Winter Journey), the song cycle for voice and piano written in 1828 by Franz Schubert is reimagined with a new structure, incorporating more voices and instruments to become a contemporary work, (Another) Winter Journey. Composer and harpsichordist Panos Iliopoulos, responsible for the adaptation of Schubert's work, said in an interview with ANA-MPA: "Schubert’s song cycle Winterreise was, of course, not originally written to be performed by a choir, so one of the biggest challenges for me was finding ways to make that possible without resorting to oversimplification — and while always preserving the core and essence of Schubert’s music.

As Iliopoulos emphasized, in some of the songs, the original character and mood have been preserved intact, while in others he took more liberties — transforming the pieces, for example, by adding melodies or changing the atmosphere of the instrumental accompaniment. "In our arrangement, the songs are supported by an ensemble of three wind instruments, three strings, and keyboards, instead of the 'lonely' piano of the original — thus turning something intimate into something collective," he explained.

How did young people from such diverse social and cultural backgrounds work together and find a shared voice for expression? In an interview with Efimerida ton Syntakton, the artists and workshop facilitators who guided the teens and are behind the production discuss the experience. Director Vasilis Vilaras recalls that greatest challenge during rehearsals was "bringing together teenagers coming from unstable sociopolitical conditions in their countries of origin and currently living in temporary accommodation facilities, alongside youths who were mostly born in Greece and experience a relatively greater sense of safety" and having them having inhabit the same universe, even if only for a short while. He points out that coordination was the key word for this entire endeavor.

As far as the role that role did the teenagers play in shaping the narrative, Vilaras explains that although the initial dramaturgical concept was developed by the artistic team the teenagers enriched this concept by bringing in their own personal experiences through free-writing exercises and improvisation, which experiences were then incorporated directly into the text of the performance.

Answering question on how he structured this mosaic of experiences, languages, and music on stage, Vilaras states that "we used Schubert’s Winterreise as our foundation. Each song we hear is transformed on stage into an expression of adolescence:
The longing for love, the fear of death, the anxiety about the future, and the urgency of simply existing — all unfold before us through the body, the mind, the heart, and the resistance that defines this age."

This production emerged from a months-long creative process involving teenagers from diverse cultural and social backgrounds, who met weekly in the GNO’s rehearsal spaces to share stories, experiment artistically, and ultimately co-create a unified performance.

(Another) Winter Journey is a performance that speaks to all of us: those who once were teenagers, those who still feel like teenagers, those raising them, and anyone who believes in the transformative power of art as a vehicle for inclusion and empathy.

The event will take place on Saturday, 7 June 2025, 19:30 in the Greek National Opera at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. Admission will be free for the public with priority tickets, which will be distributed from June 2 at 12:00, exclusively through ticketservices.gr. The performance will be fully accessible providing an inclusive audiovisual experience for all audiences in collaboration with ATLAS E.P.

Co-OPERAtive - Intercultural Opera Hub for Teenagers

The intercultural opera hub for teenagers, Co-OPERAtive, is part of the GNO's intercultural activities (along with the intercultural orchestra and the intercultural choir) and is the recipient of the 2019 Fedora European Educational Award. Since its inception, it has continued to grow—broadening its collaborations and deepening its commitment to bringing opera closer to younger generations, while celebrating the cultural diversity of contemporary Athens and promoting social inclusion. After four years of successful implementation, Co-OPERAtive returned in 2025 for a fifth season and renewed goals.

Focusing on the importance of intercultural exchange in artistic creation, the program annually brings together 30 young people of diverse nationalities—including Athenians and unaccompanied minor asylum seekers—for a series of weekly workshops led by distinguished artists in music, theater, and dance. These workshops culminate in the co-creation and public presentation of an original musical theater piece.

Throughout this creative process, participants are encouraged—under the guidance of renowned professionals—to develop a shared artistic language and collaborate on a work of their own. The final production is presented to the public at the Stavros Niarchos Hall of the National Opera, a prominent contemporary 1,400-seat opera venue.

This year's Co-OPERAtive was implemented in close collaboration with Kinoniko EKAV, European Expression, Home Project, and Zeuxis.

I.L., with information from Greek National Opera, Efimerida ton Syntatkon and ANA-MPA

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The Maria Callas Museum in Athens was inaugurated in October 2023, on the occasion of the centenary of the artist’s birth. It is the first one dedicated to the Greek soprano who became an opera legend, aiming to introduce the general public to the career and personality of the internationally renowned soprano, while highlighting the elements of her technique that made her unique.

The museum project was implemented by the “Technopolis” cultural organization of the Municipality of Athens, using modern museological approaches. Visitors are invited to immerse themselves in the world of “La Divina” and her unique interpretation of some of the most emblematic roles of her career. Through objects, texts and audiovisual footage, visitors to the museum can follow Maria Callas’ entire career: her first steps, her years in Greece, her international career and major roles, her social and personal life, her emblematic personality, and the legacy she left behind.

Τhe Maria Callas Museum has been shortlisted for the prestigious European Museum of the Year Awards (EMYA) 2025. From a pool of 41 nominated museums across Europe, the grand winner will be announced in May 2025 at the Sybir Memorial Museum in Białystok, Poland. With the museum having completed one year since its official opening, and on the occasion of its nomination, our sister publication, GRaktuell, spoke with Maria Florou, Director of the Maria Callas Museum and Head of the Museum Department of the Technopolis of the City of Athens.

Maria Florou studied History and Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Museum Studies at the University of Leicester in England. In 2004 she was employed at Technopolis of the City of Athens in the sector of Visual Arts and Events. In 2011, she became Head of the Industrial Museum Sector, and took over the coordination of the museology team as well as the project management for the realization of the current Industrial Gas Museum. She was a member of the Board of Directors of OPANDA (Organization of Culture, Sports and Youth of the Municipality of Athens), 2017-2019. In 2022 she took over the project management of the Maria Callas Museum and since 2024 she has also been the Director of Museums at Technopolis.

How was the idea for the creation of the Maria Callas Museum initially conceived?

The story behind the establishment of the Maria Callas Museum goes back several years. The Municipality of Athens acquired the core collection in 2000 and housed it in the then newly founded Technopolis, a unique cultural space located in an industrial monument. Shortly afterwards in 2011, under the management of Kostis Bitzanis, as a part of restructuring and redefining the strategic objectives and given that the collection was believed to not be properly showcased in this industrial setting, it is decided that this issue should be further considered. The ultimate goal was to house it in a modern museum, ideally in the centre of Athens and most importantly, following the international standards of an integrated and modern museum institution and not just an exhibition. A preliminary study was therefore commissioned (done by Andromache Gazi, Erato Koutsoudaki-Gerolympou and Alexandros Charkiolakis), which would include both the museological and museographic design. The building at 44, Mitropoleos Street was acquired by the Municipality of Athens in 2010 and was immediately decided that it was appropriate for housing this collection. From the outset, it was intended to be a modern and sustainable museum, with spaces for events, educational programs, the installation of a bistro and a gift shop.

How long did it take to plan out the permanent exhibition, to staff the museum and plan its activities?

The actual planning, implementation and actualization took part from the end of 2020 until October 2023. New members were brought into the museology team, such as Niovi Andrioti (currently the Museum's Collection Manager), Despina Andriopoulou, who was actively involved in the management of the project and ran the museum in its first months of life, and myself who was the key implementation manager of the whole project and now runs the museum.

The core collection - which in 2000 consisted of about 300 items (letters, clothes, accessories, records and sheet music, press cuttings and a photo album, etc.) - comprised about 1200 items by 2020. During that same period, final decisions were taken on how to present the collection, while he museum's design studies were updated as were the architectural plans for the spaces beyond the exhibition halls, i.e. for the storage rooms, the café and the gift shop. We then worked intensively (over the course of about a year) at all levels to implement the museological study, the necessary construction works and adjustments to the exhibition spaces, and of course everything needed for the museum to function properly once it was open, such as staffing and drawing up its initial activities and strategic plan.

Please describe to us the building and the current exhibits that attract Greek and foreign visitors; how would you sum up the museum’s first year of operations?

The Maria Callas Museum, housed in an imposing three-storey neoclassical building in the city center, opened its doors to the public on October 26, 2023. The permanent exhibition spans the first and second floors, while the ground floor houses the museum's café and shop. The third floor serves as a multipurpose hall, a space for temporary exhibitions and educational activities. The Museum's collection includes Maria Callas's personal items, letters, posters, programs, theatre costumes, clothes, jewellery, photographs, audiovisual material, sheet music, records and works of art inspired by her. Within a year of operation, the collection was enriched with more than 40 new items, reaching a total of 1,200 items.

The Museum now attracts new donations and collaborates with internationally renowned institutions such as the Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera House Collection, Metropolitan Opera, The Dallas Opera House, V&A Museum, while in Greece it cooperates with the Ministry of Culture, the Athens Conservatory, the National Conservatory, the Athens Concert Hall and Lilian Voudouri Music Library, the Benaki Museum, the ELIA-MIET Archive, etc, and it loans items from its collections to other institutions and foundations such as the National Opera, the Athens and Epidaurus Festival and the National Library of Greece. In addition, the Museum has developed educational programs for children, families and schools, while it is active in various areas of cultural outreach, such as synergies with institutions working in the field of Cinema, cooperation with the Radio and TV network of ERT, hosting journalistic broadcasts in the Museum's premises, hosting artists from the entire spectrum of the Arts, permanent cooperation with University Institutions, such as the University of Panteion, etc, the co-creation of musical events with Conservatories of the city, giving a platform and promoting young musicians, etc. Through lectures, workshops, film screenings and inclusion activities, the Museum has established itself as a vibrant space for cultural and artistic creation, combining unique exhibits with contemporary initiatives.

What are you and your partners most concerned with today ( e.g. collection maintenance and enrichment, digitization, etc.) and what are the main challenges you face?

The Maria Callas Museum is called upon to meet important challenges in order to preserve and enhance its unique collection. One of the key issues concerns collection policy, as the constant new donations that present themselves require systematic research and evaluation. Each new object must enrich the Museum's narrative while maintaining its connection to the present. The conservation of the collection is an ongoing challenge, as it is critical to safeguarding the cultural heritage of Maria Callas. At the same time, digitization is a goal of the Museum and has begun to be implemented in stages, ensuring access to the material for future generations.

The Museum's educational mission is equally important. Opera, although not as familiar to Greek audiences, can gain new momentum through educational programs aimed at younger generations. The aim is to highlight the timelessness of Callas' art, linking its history with contemporary issues and approaches, so that it remains relevant for today's audiences. As part of this we have this year launched a series of Masterclasses, taught by renowned artists from the world of opera, in the hope that it will become a staple for the museum. At the same time, we encourage the creative expression of young artists who are inspired by Callas and see her as an eternal symbol. Our goal is to achieve a continuous feedback of the life of the Museum, placing it on the cultural map of the country, but also fulfilling its multiple roles as a contemporary museum on a daily basis.

How would you describe your vision for the role of the Maria Callas Museum in the contemporary cultural landscape of Greece and Europe?

As we move through the post-covid digital era, we envision a museum open beyond national borders, which will be an active member of the wider contemporary cultural and museum network, both in Europe and the rest of the world. The Maria Callas Museum, as a biographical museum and at the same time a museum for music and opera, can be a focus of scientific research and a meeting point for different groups of the public, through a variety of activities, fulfilling the principles of inclusion and the educational role of museums (and promoting contemporary culture).

Our dream is that the Museum, inspired by the very special and unique woman-soprano-symbol that was Maria Callas, and by her rich legacy, should be considered a home of the arts, living and developing in its own time and being a center of attraction for different people and innovative ideas.

Can you, as a person active in the field of culture, describe modern Greece to us in one sentence?

The culture of modern Greece reflects the sensibilities, beliefs and desires of a society that has survived an economic crisis but remains creative, modern, tries to be inclusive and responsive to the needs of all of us.

Photo credits: Studio Kominis and V. Patsialos, Technopolis City of Athens

Read also via Greek News Agenda: Callas, La Divina; The Maria Callas Museum in Athens

The post Interview with the Director of the Maria Callas Museum and Head of the Museum Department of the Technopolis of the City of Athens, Maria Florou appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Evanthia Reboutsika is among the most famous contemporary Greek composers. She has created music for both instrumental pieces and songs, and is especially famous for her original music scores that have been used in films, TV programs and theater productions.

Reboutsika was born in Patras and at the age of six she began studying the violin at the Conservatory of Patras. She continued her studies at the Athens Conservatoire and the Greek National Conservatoire and later in Paris at the École normale de musique. From a young age she played with her brother and sisters as a quartet, touring in Greece and abroad.

Her works have been internationally distinguished, at the Rome International Movie Awards, the Cannes Indies Cinema Awards, the London Greek Film Festival, and others. The World Soundtrack Academy awarded her with the "Discovery of the Year 2006" for Çagan Irmak's film "Babam ve oglum" which was also awarded by Bosphorus University as Soundtrack of the Year. The score she composed for Tassos Boulmetis’s A Touch of Spice won the State Prize at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival.

She created original music themes, among else, for the bicentenary of the Greek War of Independence and for the play "The Ellinikon", while together with the lyricist Lina Nikolakopoulou she created the song "Hellenism", a hymn to the Greek Diaspora. She has been awarded the Golden Lion of the Order of Alexandria by the Patriarch of Alexandria.

Her latest project is called "Gefyres / Bridges Greece - Israel - Palestine" (with the participation of Israeli Ladino singer Yasmin Levy, Palestinian-Israeli singer-songwriter Mira Awad and Greek soprano Christina Poulitsi) conveying the message of peace coexistence togetherness through the healing value of music that aims to function as a bridge across nations and cultures.

What are your influences? What role has Greece played as a symbolic space of inspiration? And how are Eastern and Western melodies combined in your work?

Ever since I was a child, my life has been full of various types of music, since I grew up in my father's movie theater, a place echoing with film soundtracks from all over the world. In the darkened auditorium we had melodies from around the globe to keep us company, at home we listened to my father who was an excellent Byzantine cantor, at the Athens Conservatoire I pursued my studies in classical music and our daily life was permeated by traditions, local and beyond.

For centuries, Greece has been a source of inspiration for all people, all the more so for me since it is my homeland. My travels have brought me to distant countries but in each of them I have always found a common language, music.

I sensed Greece everywhere, its colors and sounds, its art and culture have influenced the whole world. The West and the East, whatever their differences, remain elements of the same humankind.

You have composed several film scores and TV sountracks; where do you get the inspiration for this kind of compositions?

A fleeting moment, a thought, a story I read, a memory - all of these can provide inspiration. Then the melodies flood the heart and become notes that give rise to new emotions. The journey of inspiration is unique to each person and may not be just about art. Connecting with the people of the Diaspora who sought out new homes without forgetting their roots, their own experiences and their stories, all of these are sources of inspiration.

I often like to create my own stories with my imagination and a melody is born to accompany each story.

You have composed the song "Hellenism" with the support of the General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy. What is your relationship with the Greek Diaspora?

I have always had deep emotions towards Diaspora Greeks, with whom I often come into contact through my travels and concerts abroad. Along with Lina Nikolakopoulou, who wrote unique lyrics and whose words caused hearts to beat louder, we created "Hellenism" as a minimal offer to Greeks abroad.

We wanted to give voice to the nostalgia, dreams and hopes of people who live far away but always have their homeland in their soul.

What are your views on contemporary Greek songmaking?

Songs are our friends and, as such, sometimes they have a lot to tell us. There are many songs worth discovering in a time when there is often low quality in cultural production.

Tell us about your upcoming plans.

I've always loved to travel, I've said many times that I had my suitcase ready for the most unexpected trips. This time I want to travel with the "Bridges" of music around the world. The start was made on October 4 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, with the aim of using the melodies to speak about the necessity of togetherness and to underline the unifying and healing value of music.

Read also via Greek News Agenda: Filming Greece | Film Director Tassos Boulmetis: Strangely Enough, the Crisis Promotes Greek Cinema

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Ano Syros is located on one of the two large hills above Ermoupolis, the capital of the island of Syros. The settlement was sometimes referred to as the "hill of Catholics," as ιτ used to be inhabited mainly Catholics islanders, who trace their origins to Venetian merchants and Frankish crusader and settled there as a safer location during the Middle Ages, when the island was subject to frequent raids by pirates. The large gates, which to this day constitute the central entrances tothe settlement (Portara, Epano and Kato Terma, Skalakia, Sa-Bastias), were closed with large wooden doors for greater protection from raids, mainly at night. In the 12th century,

Ano Syros was part of the Duchy of Naxos, until 1537, when the Duchy became a tributary of the Ottoman Empire, and was annexed by the Ottomans in 1579. The inhabitants of Ano Syros actively participated in the Struggle of 1821 and in the two world wars, but also in the Resistance, many lost their lives fighting,  as can be evidences a Heroes' Monument with their names of the fallen inside the settlement. Until the foundation of Ermoupoli, the first residential core of Ano Syros was exclusively Catholic. In fact, he had been placed under the protection of the king of France.

From 1890 onwards, the French Hospital was created, various associations were founded and the large cobbled road was built that connects the medieval settlement with Ermoupolis. It is one of the few medieval settlements in Greece that is in such good condition and has been regularly inhabited for almost eight centuries.

Built around 1200, the majestic Saint George Cathedral, also known locally as San Tzortzis, dominates the top of the medieval settlement of Ano Syros. It is built on top of an older Byzantine church and is considered the most beautiful Catholic church on the island; it is also the largest and the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Syros. From its construction until today, it has undergone numerous renovations, the most important of which dates back to 1834, after it was completely destroyed by the Ottomans in 1617. That was when most of the Diocese's archives were destroyed. The renovation of 1834 was undertaken by Tinian architect Hatzisimos Nikolaos and it was he who gave the temple its current form. Maintenance work of the temple took place in the last decades as well.

The building complex includes the church, the three-story bell tower of 1855, the baptistery (originally the chapel of the Holy Cross), the sacristy, the building with the historical archive and the episcopal palace. Inside the church is an icon dedicated to Our Lady of Hope which is considered miraculous, as it is believed that she saved the population of Ano Syros from a cholera epidemic in August 1854. Other important relics are the icons of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Saint Peter and Agios Andreas.

One of the most important artifacts of the temple is its organ, the oldest church organ in Greece. This impressive instrument was built in 1888 by the Italian Zeno Fedeli organ builders in Umbria, and was donated by Pope Leo XIII to the Cathedral of Agios Dionysios in Athens. It stayed there until 1951, when, on the initiative of Bishop Georgios Xenopoulos, it was transferred to Syros.

Since then, the church organ of the Zeno Fedeli house with its beautiful neo-gothic style wood-carved facade has been located in the porch of the entrance of the Cathedral of San Tzortzis of Ano Syros. For many years it served the needs of the church and the religious ceremonies of the Catholic community, but gradually the mechanical problems due to its age and the lack of Greek technicians for its maintenance and stringing had condemned it to silence and obscurity.

In 2016, at the initiative of the, His Excellency Petros Stefanou, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Syros, it was partially repaired and it sounded again. For the needs of the repair, the Italian craftsman Saverio Tamburini, 4th generation of manufacturers of the house of the same name, who has built important church instruments all over the world (Milan, Vatican, Messinia, Mexico, Bologna) was enlisted. Its restoration was completed in 2019 with a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

“ANO” International Organ Festival

Since 2017, with a view to showcasing the organ in St. George's Cathedral in Ano Syros and, at the same time, revive the Ano Syros medieval settlement, the Catholic Diocese of Syros has been organizing the “ANO” International Organ Festival. The festival's program of events includes concerts, lectures, viewings of the pipe organ as well as tours of the Ano Syros medieval settlement.

In August 2024, for the eighth consecutive year, the Catholic Diocese of Syros and the Association of Greek Catholics of Syros held the ANΩ International Organ Festival, featuring a program dedicated to the great Greek composer originating from the Cyclades, Nikos Skalkotas. Furhtermore, the festival highlighted its international character with prominent invited artists and organists of famed cathedrals in Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom.

This year’s Festival also presented the ANΩ FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA (AFO) to audiences for the first time. The ensemble includes young musicians from Greece, Poland and the Czech Republic, along with experienced musicians from the Athens State Orchestra, under the direction of the Festival’s artistic director and distinguished conductor of international repute, Stefanos Tsialis.

Also for the first time, the Festival extended its activities beyond Syros, with the ANΩ Festival Orchestra giving a second concert – after its inaugural appearance at the courtyard of Sisters of Mercy Monastery in Ermoupoli – at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Fira, Santorini.

A special treat for festival audiences this year was be a photography exhibition titled “The Organs of Greece”, curated by photographer Dimitris Vamvakousis. All of the organs located in churches throughout Greece, as well as at the Megaron Athens Concert Hall, were photographed within a period of 20 days and the photographs displayed at the Cathedral of St. George in Ano Syros.

The 18 churches organs that exist today in our country are located in churches, except for one, the largest in size, which was built in 1993 and is located in the Athens Concert Hall – it took three months of daily 8-hour work by a team of six specialists who arrived from Bonn to build it. Unfortunately, some of these wonderful ecclesiastical organs remain mute and decommissioned awaiting interventions for their restoration.

These include the church organ of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Greece in Nice, which was built in 1882 in Denmark by Knud Olsen, and the church organ of the Catholic church of Agia Barbara in Lavrio, Attica, which belongs to the Victorian organs era, which adorned the living rooms of rich families, which is why its enclosure is a particularly elaborate piece of furniture with decorative shapes and beautiful lighting sconces. The two impressive church organs in Corfu, made in Italy, one of them 176 years ago, are also out of operation.

The post The Saint George Cathedral in Ano Syros and its church organ: a marvel and its melodic legacy appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Each year, the Greek National Opera’s Learning & Participation Department launches a diverse array of educational and social programs. These programs integrate opera, music, dance, and visual arts into a series of artistic, experiential, and participatory learning activities; they are designed to engage a wide range of participants, including children, teenagers, schools, adults, seniors (65 and over), unaccompanied minors from accommodation facilities, inmates across Greece, individuals with or without disabilities, socially vulnerable groups, as well as amateur and professional artists from Athens and beyond.

An integral part of GNO’s learning and participation initiatives are their intercultural education projects, i.e. Co-OPERAtive: an intercultural opera hub, the Intercultural Choir and the Intercultural Orchestra, all of which have been active this season.

A “ΣUΠΕR” Co-OPERAtive

Co-OPERAtive, an intercultural opera hub for a mixed group of Athenian teenagers and minor asylum-seekers from all over Attica, returns for a fourth year with the production of music theatre performance “ΣUΠΕR,” which is asking us “which superhero did you want to be as a child, and which one would you like to be now?” This question marks the beginning of a series of consecutive transformations into characters with superpowers. Numerous biographical fantasy references compose a non-linear collective story of allegorical and literal transitions from one state to another, through which we map our own self: both the personal utopia and the inner reality of each one of us.

“ΣUΠΕR” is directed by Argyro Chioti, with music composed by Panos Iliopoulos and texts written by the participants, Athenian teenagers and unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors from Kinoniko Ekav and European Expression.  Speaking to Greek News Agenda* on her experience directing this very special project, Argyro Chioti said: “Co-OPERAtive is a complex and demanding undertaking in many respects. I could discuss at length the specific issues we faced, such as the difficulty of establishing communication with teenagers due to language barriers, their almost complete inexperience on stage or with any creative theatrical process, and the ephemeral nature of their commitment—most teenagers are in a state of waiting to move elsewhere. Additionally, there were various challenges related to differences in religious, social, or cultural perceptions. And of course, the project’s desired outcome, which was that the theme, text and music of the performance would emerge from the participants themselves.

That is what I can summarize as far as the complexity of the workshop is concerned; I wish to focus more on what I found to be most essential, which I tried to learn and respect – with  the absolutely close and in-depth collaboration of the rest of the members of the Co-OPERAtive artistic team (Eleni Moleski, Katerina Gevetzi, Nikos Ziaziaris, Panos Iliopoulos and Pavlos Thanopoulos) – and it is the following question: How do you listen to these individuals without them speaking? How do you elicit responses without coercion? How can one tap into the creative power of the theatrical experience by building on something universal and common to all people and teenagers, giving each one with the space they need, without touching on their – often unimaginable– existential wounds, or falling into the trap of pity, or surface-level approaches such as pseudo-superiority or superficial sympathy?

How do you listen to what the other person would like to tell you on stage, without them saying it to you?

With a playful intent, we ended up with the world of ΣUΠΕR, the theme of hybrid superheroes in a dream circus and the couplet that the teens sing in chorus often during the performance, and which I could say encapsulates the absurdity of the whole experience and of our world in general:

‘Everything has gone well and we are getting closer to our dreams.

We haven't changed course.’”

“ΣUΠΕR”’s composer, Panos Iliopoulos told Greek News Agenda*: "I was amazed by the energy the kids brought to our rehearsals, and how we collectively managed to overcome major obstacles, such as verbal communication; there is no common language between us, so non-verbal codes emerged, a process that of course was greatly aided by the musical aspect of our project.

My approach to composing the music for “ΣUΠΕR” involved combining elements from the vocabulary of contemporary music with simple melodies, rhythmic speaking and recitation, so as to make it possible for everything to be sung and performed by children from diverse cultural backgrounds and varying levels of musical education ―after all, the children were not required to pass any auditions in order to be accepted into the program: the only requirement was their enthusiasm and love for music and theater."

Speaking to “Reader” website, Eleni Moleski, head of theater workshops for Co-OPERAtive and responsible for editing the texts for “ΣUΠΕR”,  noted: “Most of the children answered that when they were younger they wished they had a super power that would make them stronger or faster. But now, they wish they had the power to change things not only for themselves but also for the world around them, their family and their country. Still others said that they now admire people who have inner strength because they want them to feel confident and not be afraid to be themselves. The strongest desire was summed up in the phrase “I don't want anything. I just want to be myself." This need for acceptance of ourselves, by ourselves, and by those around us is a struggle for all us, from childhood through our teenage years and into adulthood."

The performance "ΣUΠΕR"  will take place on Friday 31 May 2024 at the Greek National Opera Alternative Stage at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. Admission will be free for the public.

The intercultural choir

This year, for a seventh consecutive year, the Intercultural Choir will continue expanding its repertoire by combining songs from the world’s folk traditions with modern vocal music. The connection of the voice with the body, movement and improvisation, will become for yet another year the basic tools for musical co-creation and free expression. The first performance of the Intercultural Choir was given this December at the mountain village of Vamvakou in collaboration with the Vamvakou Revival project, as part of the Christmas Celebration Events organized with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Another performance will be given this June 12 at the Greek National Opera Alternative Stage (more details to be published  soon).

Greek News Agenda* spoke to Anna Linardou, the Intercultural Choir’s director on the project’s aims: “The Intercultural Choir is a project with educational, artistic, and social aims. Our choir this year consists of proximately 40 men and women from 14 different nationalities, ranging in age from 22 to 83 years old. Some of them are graduates of music universities, others are professional singers and actors, while others have no previous contact with music and singing. Some of our members found themselves in our country and in our group through difficult circumstances. Therefore, our goals are manifold. On one hand, we want to provide everyone, regardless of their musical background, with a fundamentally educational experience. On the other hand, we aim for the choir's activities to have artistic significance and appeal. But our primary goal is creating and the feeding a collective that works creatively with material of its own heterogeneity; a collective that encourages, motivates, inspires, but also asks of each of us to make the necessary personal adjustments towards a common path.”

Asked whether participating in a music project helps them process possible traumas, ms. Linardrou emphasized that “the contribution of collective singing to human well-being is now well established. After all, the role of the song before its incorporation into performance, was to strengthen community bonds and thus empower individuals. Therefore, restoring this primary function of singing is a desideratum. The young refugees who participate bring so much positivity and have such commitment to the group, that is definitely an indicator that something good is happening. But I don't know if this is enough to process a deeply traumatic experience...”

Responding on how elements from the diverse cultural backgrounds of the participants are incorporated into the choir's musical repertoire, ms. Linadrou explains: “First of all, we seek to achieve a multicultural repertoire and to include songs from the countries of origin of our members. Furthermore, our approach to the material is based on the criterion of vocal pluralism. That is, the aim is not to adapt traditional songs to the dominant vocal pattern of Western-style choirs, but instead to include many different vocal idioms and timbres. We do not desire vocal homogenization, but rather the exploration of the diversity of one's own voice through the voices of others”. 

Finally, when we ask her about a special moment she would like to share with us, ms Linardou replies: “They are many and touching. Most of them I can't share because they belong to the group. What I can share is my own feeling. I feel truly grateful to have the privilege of working with these people. They are a source of inspiration, motivation, and of valuable personal reflection.”

Intercultural Orchestra

The Intercultural Orchestra continued its journey through world music, further enriching its palette of traditions, styles, and timbres. Having evolved into a high-class ensemble since its inception in 2018, the orchestra will once again create new musical experiences this year with the steadfast goal of showcasing music as a universal language of communication and connection among people. This season, the orchestra welcomed new members and expanded its exploration to an even broader range of musical traditions.

In 2024, the Intercultural Orchestra participated in the Greek National Opera’s Opera’s 2nd Sacred Music Festival during Easter and concluded 2023 with a remarkable concert at the Parnassos Literary Society in December.

The post Empowering through art: The Greek National Opera’s Intercultural Education initiatives appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Panos Iliopoulos is a composer and performer, specializing in both early and modern keyboards. His extensive studies include musicology at the Music Studies Department of the National University of Athens, composition and piano at the State University of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim, as well as harpsichord and historical keyboard instruments at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.

As a composer, arranger, improviser and performer on early keyboards Iliopoulos has participated in numerous concerts, festivals and opera productions across Europe, e.g. at the Oude Muziek Festival Utrecht, Concertgebouw and Muziekgebouw Amsterdam, Markgräfliches Opernhaus Bayreuth, Theater an der Wien, Athens and Epidaurus Festival, collaborating with orchestras and ensembles such as the Geneva Camerata, Nieuwe Philharmonie Utrecht, Armonia Atenea and the State Symphony Orchestras of Athens and Thessaloniki.

He has been featured in recordings and broadcasts of TV and radio stations across Europe, as well as the record labels Etcetera, Passacaille and Puzzlemusik. Iliopoulos has also composed original music for theater productions, including "Apocalypse" at Onassis Stegi, "Casa Nova" at the National Theater of Greece and "The Holiday Trilogy" at the National Theater of Northern Greece.

We caught up* with Panos Iliopoulos while he was in Cologne―playing harpsichord, organ and regal for the ongoing production of Monteverdi’s Coronation of Poppea―and we discussed the tentative link between early and contemporary music, the perils and promises of fusing different musical traditions, why opera is not an elitist art form and why it holds great potential for further development in Greece, and of course his latest projects, among which is "J.S. Bach - The Apocalypse," a new opera commissioned by the Netherlands Bach Society, currently touring in the Netherlands and Germany.

The opera “J.S Bach - The Apocalypse” was inspired by the hypothesis “what if Bach composed an opera.” You were tasked with forging the opera into a unity, using music by Bach, as well as composing your own. Can you tell us more about this project? What were the biggest challenges you faced in creating the score for “the opera that Bach never wrote”?

I have to admit that at first I was somewhat reluctant and ​​apprehensive about the project, being fully aware that it is impossible for me to write music exactly the way Bach did ―as far as not only the style itself is concerned, but also of course the unsurpassable quality and beauty of Bach’s music. So I decided to take that as a given, and approach the process with utter respect and cautiousness, by generally keeping Bach’s music as intact as possible and merely providing new music with the purpose of “gluing” Bach’s pieces together into a through-composed opera, attempting to make it as hard as possible for the listener to distinguish which bits were newly composed. Whether I succeeded in that or not, it’s of course up to the audience to decide ―but I do hope that there are moments where this indeed works. 

Only on very special dramaturgical moments (for example, when the mad prophet Jan Matthijs is speaking in tongues, quoting random fragments of the John’s Revelation, or when someone is depicted describing visions they saw in the sky) did I allow myself to venture into a musical language that strays away from Bach’s ―but even then, I did employ some motivic material taken from Bach, albeit used in a completely different manner.

Some of your own projects (e.g. Broke Konsort), as well as other projects you have participated in, propose a dialogue between Baroque music and Eastern Mediterranean music (Rembetika songs, Ottoman music). What are the connections between those styles of music and what can be gleaned from the encounter of these two worlds?

Let me start by noting that, in all such attempts of fusing or juxtaposing different cultural traditions, there is always the danger of approaching them at a surface level. I am well aware of that danger, and thus I keep a very critical stance towards such attempts ―first and foremost my own! 

I think that the key is to approach disparate traditions with a sense of respect, which is always what I try to do when initiating or participating in such projects. I also try, as much as possible, to not fall into the trap of cultural appropriation ―as in, to not merely “borrow” elements of a musical tradition just because I fancy them, but to also strive to have a somewhat deeper understanding of them. 

This is aided by the fact that I mostly venture into cross-over projects that are referencing musical traditions in which I feel that I myself am more or less a part of, be it Greek traditional songs (with which I am acquainted since my childhood) or baroque music (with which I might have a more “constructed” ―but not less true― relationship, since I immersed myself into it later in life). That being said, there are elements of some of these traditions that allow for a more smooth and playful dialogue between them, the most important of which, in my opinion, is the improvisatory aspect. In any case, as you can imagine, I’m not striving for any sort of “purism”, and I believe that this dialogue can bring to life interesting new perspectives which can help keep these traditions alive.

As a musican who is a perfomer/improviser as well as a composer, you play ―and write for― early and modern keyboards, including harpsichord, jazz piano and electronics. What led you to explore the link between early and modern music? How does one get from the harpsichord to electronics?

There isn’t necessarily a direct link between all of these ―they’re all simply areas of interest for me. It’s not that one thing leads to another in a linear way. Importantly though, the fine line that one could say joins these areas, is that they all allow a great degree of creativity. 

For example, baroque music has, by its very nature, a lot of improvisatory elements ―notably the practice of basso continuo, which I specialize in and was driven to, specifically because of the freedom it gives to the performing musician. Now, although we try to study the sources in order to get more informed about the way music used to be played in baroque times, we will never be sure; and this provides a great window for creativity and for injecting personal flair to the way one approaches the performance.

Similarly, when composing, the scope for creativity can indeed be boundless. In any event, although as mentioned there isn’t necessarily an obvious link between early music and contemporary composition, in many phases of my artistic endeavour these fields of interest have indeed come together, for instance in the pieces that I have composed for historical instruments ―sometimes even combined with the use of live electronics.

Some might argue that opera today is an elitist art form, catering to a niche audience.  Do you think that opera could, or even should, try to appeal to wider ―and maybe younger― publics?

It’s not entirely accurate that opera is an elitist art form ―neither historically, nor currently. In many phases of the history of opera, it was an extremely popular spectacle ―otherwise it wouldn’t be presented in theaters that sit upwards of 1000-2000 people. There is of course the example of French baroque operas, which, while generally commissioned by the king and premiered at the palace, soon after the premiere they were performed in large theatres for the wider public. And, in our times, let’s not forget that the ticket pricing in most opera houses is quite “democratic”: if one ignores the very expensive tickets for the few, one can often find tickets which cost much less than the average, say, pop concert. So, while there might be an elitist aspect to the genre, I think that it’s surely not a defining feature of it.

My feeling is that a major issue of today’s opera is the fixation of most opera companies worldwide to the “canon”, i.e. a corpus of a few dozen operas which keep being performed again and again ―something that by the way didn’t happen at the time that these operas were actually written. Of course, if an opera was a success back then, it would be played repeatedly, but the public kept asking for new ones. Hence, something that might help nowadays in attracting a younger audience could be the commission and production of more new operas, because both the music and the subject matter of new operas will by definition be both more modern and more relevant to today’s public.

This could also help alleviate some of the aspects of older operas that pose challenges to modern audiences, such as for instance their often very long durations ―in our days, where the attention span is barely 30 or 60 seconds on a TikTok video, durations such as three or four hours seem unfathomable. Of course we have to note that these durations also served a purpose back then: people didn’t have easy access to music (no radio, no CDs, no Spotify), so they really appreciated getting a bang for their buck on the few occasions per year that they could go to the opera [laughs].

In any case, specifically in Greece there is a huge margin for improvement as far as the engagement of a broader audience for opera and music theatre is concerned, since we have a tremendous tradition in theatre ―let’s not forget that indeed opera was invented in the early baroque times as an effort to revive ancient Greek drama. Apart from that, there is very big wiggle room to experiment with new forms, beyond the “stereotypical” boundaries of opera as a genre.

Any upcoming projects you would like to tell us about?

On May 21st I will be returning to the Zamus Early Music Festival in Cologne along with my esteemed colleague Jonathan Keren in an interactive improvisation performance titled “The Oneirocritics,” where we will musically interpret, on the harpsichord and the violin, dream descriptions from the concertgoers , which will be randomly pulled out of a hat during the concert.

On May 31st, at the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera in Athens, there will be the premiere of “ΣUΠΕR,” a music theater performance which is the culmination of the Co-OPERAtive educational program, an intercultural youth opera hub for a mixed group of Athenians and unaccompanied asylum-seeking teens. 

I had the honour and joy to work as composer for the project, and together with the educational and creative teams, we aimed to collaboratively craft theatrical stories on stage, integrating dialogue, music, singing, and visual depictions of brief narratives sourced from the teenage participants' written works, jointly creating a music theatre piece.

Finally, a highlight of the tour of the “J.S Bach – The Apocalypse” opera mentioned above, is that it will be performed on 10th and 11th June 2024 as part of the Bachfest in Leipzig, the city where J. S. Bach lived and served as cantor for the better part of his later life.

*Interview to: Ioulia Livaditi

The post Composer and harpsichordist Panos Iliopoulos on his (unorthodox) approach to music making appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Four new museums opened in Athens during the past year, further enriching the Greek capital’s vibrant cultural scene.  Dedicated to painting, music, poetry and sports respectively each museum unveils a chapter of Greece’ enduring cultural narrative.

Alekos Fasianos Museum

The Alekos Fassianos Museum was designed and remodeled by architect Kyriakos Krokos, in collaboration with the artist Alekos Fassianos himself; it was completed in 1995 and it opened to the public in 2023.  The location of the museum is where the artist’s family home used to be back in the 1930s and until the 1970s. The museum is run by the Alekos Fassianos Estate and aims at facilitating research into the creator’s oeuvre by opening a dialogue with fellow artists, researchers, curators and the public.

Alekos Fassianos (1935 2022) was a renowned Greek painter who gained recognition for his distinctive style, which was characterized by immediacy and a deliberate departure from standardized painting techniques.  A student of Yannis Moralis at the Athens School of Fine Arts, where he studied from 1956 to 1960, he continued with studies in lithography in Paris (1960-1963), on a scholarship from the French government. In the following years he took to dividing his time between the Greek and French capitals.  Among his appearances in international exhibitions are included the Biennales of Sao Paolo (1971), Venice (1972), and Graphics at Baden-Baden (1958).

Ancient Greek vase painting, the Byzantine and folk traditions, the painting of Theophilos and various types of modern art are all to be found at the basis of Fassianos’ artistic creation, which through clear and uniform color, free and skilled draughtsmanship, a “childlike” feeling, and sensitivity of rendering, result in highly personal formations. His work is dominated by the human figure – characteristic are the figures of the bicyclist and the smoker, which crop up again and again.

The exhibition space aims to focus on the diverse artistic practice of Alekos Fassianos. Presenting works from 1956 to the end of his life, the exhibition introduces the viewer to Fassianos’ development as an artist. Showcasing works from the early years in Paris in the 1960s and his brief influence from abstract art to the inspiration he later draws from Byzantine art with the use of gold leaves and a darker color palette, a series of paintings of his widely celebrated way of painting as well as collages and mixed media works. The exhibition also pays tribute to his neighborhood, Agios Pavlos. The “Myth of his neighborhood” unfolds through a series of works representing local life in the 40s, 50s and 60s in Athens.

The Alekos Fassianos Museum is significant to the contemporary artistic and architectural map of Athens for it is one of the few museums in the world in which the complicity between artist and architect underpins a dialogue between the works and the space that houses them.

Cavafy archive

Following the publication of the digital collection of the Cavafy Archive in March 2019, the Onassis Foundation created the Cavafy Archive, a tailor-made space in Athens dedicated to the poet’s archive, which was inaugurated in November 2023. The Cavafy Archive is situated on Frynichou Street in the central Plaka neighbourhood and houses over 2,000 items, including manuscripts of poems, literary works, articles and notes of Constantine Cavafy, the influential Greek poet, journalist, and civil servant from Alexandria.

Born on April 29, 1863 in Alexandria, Egypt, where he died on the same day in 1933, Constantine Cavafy is the leading poet of the Diaspora, writing in Greek far from Greek lands. The body of his poetry includes the 154 poems of the “canon”, 37 “repudiated poems”, most of which are juvenilia written in romantic katharevousa, 75 “hidden” poems that were found finished in his papers, and 30 “unfinished” poems. His poems often feature historical figures or creations of the poet’s imagination, with frequent references to familiar or less familiar elements of Homeric, Hellenistic, and Byzantine years. Today his poetry comprises a discrete pole in Greek literature, and he enjoys a prominent place in world literature as well.

The aim was to create a space for the poet’s writings and books, his personal items and furniture, surrounded by artworks that enable us to gain an in-depth understanding of his growing impact on artists from his era until today, a space open to researchers and the public, open to all.

The newly designed Cavafy Archive introduces three accessible rooms for visitors: one exhibiting C. P. Cavafy's personal items, another dedicated to Cavafy's experiences in Athens, and the Reading Room. Following standard archival practices, the archive and library are housed within a specially arranged space.

The rooms displaying the poet's personal belongings and furniture reflect the ambiance of his private space in Alexandria. Amid family photographs, vases, frames, a copy of his glasses, his desk, and other tiny and large objects, six portraits of the poet by contemporary artists stand out. Unique among the exhibited items are the poet's untouched possessions: his death mask, as well as the first edition of Cavafy's poems, edited by Rica Singopoulo and illustrated by Takis Kalmouchos, which was printed in 1935 following the poet's death.

In 'The Athens of Cavafy,' the pages from Cavafy's diaries during his trips to Athens stand out, along with a plethora of letters and notes expressing admiration and emotion for the work of the Alexandrian poet by Grigorios Xenopoulos, Ion Dragoumis, Angelos Sikelianos, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Tellos Agras, Napoleon Lapathiotis, and the lawyer and economist Georgios Charitakis, who conveyed Kostis Palamas' praise for Cavafy's work, among others.

Maria Callas Museum

The Maria Callas Museum is the first museum dedicated to the Greek soprano who became an opera legend; it opened its doors to the public in October 2023, in the heart of Athens. The museum was inaugurated on the occasion of the centenary of the artist’s birth, which was included in UNESCO’s list of anniversaries for 2023; it aims to introduce the general public to the career and personality of the internationally renowned soprano, while highlighting the elements of her technique that made her unique.

The museum features more than 1,000 items belonging to or associated with Callas, including priceless historical artefacts such as rare live recordings, personal items, record collections, sheet music, photographs, dresses, jewelry and much more. The collection was made possible by contributions and donations from various institutions and private owners.

Read more on our extensive Greek News Agenda article on the Maria Callas Museum.

Athens Olympic museum

Τhe Athens Olympic Museum, operating under the aegis of the International Olympic Committee and the Hellenic Olympic Committee aims to showcase the Olympic Games from antiquity to date; the spirit of fair play as a universal value; Greece’s critical role in promoting Olympism; Athens as an Olympic Capital, while at the same paying tribute to Greek athletes and presenting the Greek Olympic and Paralympic Champions who have won medals. The Museum of Athens is located next to the renovated Olympic Facilities, in the suburb of Maroussi, where the International Radio and Television Center was housed during the 2004 Athens Olympics and it is connected through a footbridge to the Olympic Stadium of Athens "Spyros Louis" (OAKA).

The Athens Olympic Museum is organized like a journey thought the history of the Olympic Games, through a chronological narration, highlighting three milestones of the Olympic Games: their birth in Ancient Olympia, their revival in Athens 1896 and the return of the Games in Greece during Athens 2004. The principles and values of the Olympic Movement are also showcased through an interactive multimedia exhibition.

The Museum aims to highlight the concept of “Agon” (endeavor in English). the effort to surpass oneself in all aspects of life. The idea of the “Agon” was the inspiration behind the design of the Permanent Exhibition of the Museum, an exhibition of Olympic Games memorabilia, athletes’ testimonies, and artefacts from Greek antiquity to present.

The Museum adopts state-of-the-art recreational learning techniques, offering a plethora of interpretive media, interactive exhibits (hybrid and digital), installations with original items and heirlooms, from antiquity to modern Olympic Games, composing a unique experiential expedition for the visitor. Be sure not the miss the project Ancient Olympia: Common Grounds, a collaboration between the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports and Microsoft, is a mixed reality exhibition, using Artificial Intelligence to digitally preserve and restore the site of Ancient Olympia. Visitors can digitally navigate and explore the ancient site, as it stood more than 2,000 years ago.

The post Explore four new museums that have opened in Athens appeared first on Greek News Agenda.

Miltos Pavlou born in Thessaloniki, lives and works in Vienna, Austria. He serves at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) as research project manager. As a human rights researcher and writer with studies in Sociology (Italy) and Law (Thessaloniki), he has worked for several years in institutions and organisations advocating for human rights in Europe and Asia. In Greece, he served as Senior Investigator to the Greek Ombudsman for 13 years and held directorial positions in institutes and centres studying and combating racism, xenophobia, and protecting human rights (such as i-RED, the Institute for Rights, Equality, and Diversity, among others). Currently, he is responsible for the large-scale European survey on LGBTIQ people in 30 countries conducted by FRA (EU LGBTIQ Survey). Parallel to his main professional career, he composes and creates songs in Greek and English, reflecting on themes of love, travel, people and places, memories and the transformative power of life experiences.

In your album 'Ithaca' you have translated and set to music poems by C.P. Cavafy. Tell us a few things about this venture.

This second album featuring Cavafy's poems endeavors to capture the universality of his verse, translating the meanings, spirit, and essence of his potent messages for a broader audience, given the prominence of English as one of the most widely spoken languages globally.

The first album ‘Ithaki’ includes all 12 Cavafy poems in Greek transformed in songs in the last 35 years or so. This was a very personal creative endeavor. The Greek ‘Ithaki’ album includes also the poem Ithaca, in my own English translation.

The effort to produce also the Ithaca album in English, stemmed from the daily use of the language at work and its widespread use as international language, a ‘lingua franca’ allowing to reach out to more people and on a global scale.

While there are several great classical and well known and acclaimed translations of Cavafy, also in English, I felt compelled to craft my own translations. Existing translations did not always reflect my own reading, connection and feeling with the specific poems, especially in relation to rhythm, pace and musicality of the language. And I felt I needed an English translation that would not only fit on my own musical expression and reciting rythm of each poem but would also be articulated in a more modern language as it is spoken today. The success or not of these translation is not an academic pursuit but hinges on whether the poems-turned-songs resonate on a profound level, capturing the depth, dimensions, and layers envisioned during the creative process. It would depend on whether the poems-songs are felt as I imagined them and whether they are relate to mark they have left to the global culture.

I can now say that I really enjoy listening and singing along to these translated poems when I commute with the U-Bahn to my office in the mornings. I feel I reconnect with the poetic embrace that initiated this musical journey many years ago.

And as a due counter-present – ‘antidoro’ as we say in Greek - to Italy, an Italian version of Itaca is also part of this forthcoming album as a bonus track. This is where it all started, in Salerno, the area of Paestum, the ancient Poseidonia founded by Greek immigrants as Cavafy refers to in one of his poems, ‘Poseidoniatai’ (Poseidonians)

Last, not least, behind this album Ithaca in English a futile vanity might be hiding- an attempt to leave a meaningful legacy. With the passage of time, thoughts turn to the lasting impact one can have on future generations. The album is not just a musical endeavor but a contribution to preserving memories, conveying essential messages, principles, and values for those who follow, laying the groundwork for their own lives.

How did your involvement with the work of Cavafy begin? What is that moves and inspires you in the poetry of the great Alexandrian poet?

Since my youth in the 80s, when I was a sociology student in Salerno, Italy, I have been transforming Cavafy's poems into songs. This artistic journey began during a period of personal crisis, around the age of 24, a pivotal moment when individuals often define themselves and embark on a transformative path.

Already engaged in composing songs with my own lyrics at the time, delving into the world of Cavafy's poetry was an unexpected but profound experience. It was driven by an inner urge to explore the poems, their concepts, and meanings more deeply. The act of dressing the verses with music became a form of personal guidance, a way to navigate major life questions. It was as if I were reciting the poems to myself through music, uncovering their multiple layers and dimensions. As the songs took shape, they ceased to be mere adaptations; they became my own creations, illuminated and nurtured by Cavafy's verses.

These musical interpretations provided me with clarity, sensitivity, and determination, enabling me to comprehend the universal, yet individual, and commonly shared quests of humanity. They became a source of support as I acknowledged, accepted, and defined my own path in response to life's pressing questions, queries, and challenges.

While composers are often inspired by poems to create original lyrics for a song, in this case, the songs remain faithful to the original Greek poetry. The essence of the poems influenced the musical expression during the composition process, resulting in a distinct style that differs significantly from my own usual musical and lyrical creations. I do hope that the amalgamation of Cavafy's timeless words and my musical interpretation has given rise to a unique and authentic artistic expression that can resonates with the profound themes woven into the fabric of the poems.

“Cavafy's poetry uniquely combines the individual experience with the collective, carving out and setting before us emblematically and inescapably the drama of the human condition”. Tell us more.

Cavafy's poetry holds a striking impact on the reader, weaving together individual quests and the challenges of life's journey. Through a blend of symbolism employing emblematic figures and concepts, as well as grounded in realistic and relatable human experiences, his verses resonate with readers on a profound level. The emblematic stories, persons, ideas, and concepts in Cavafy's work feel remarkably authentic, capturing a wide spectrum of human experiences in their tragic or life-defining dimensions.

What I think sets Cavafy's poetry apart is its ability to transcend cultural, geographical, and ethnic boundaries, addressing the universal nature of the human condition. Drawing inspiration from ancient Greek and Hellenistic figures, his poetry becomes a complete representation of humanity. It explores the multitude and multifaceted manifestations of human existence, encompassing passions, beliefs, social constraints, a sense of belonging, as well as sexual life, love and passion in an intricate interplay of personal and collective experiences.

This unique, but also so familiar to our human experience, blending of the individual and the collective, is valid both for the Cavafy poetry that draws from historical events, stories, tragedies and to the personal erotic quests of eros, lust and passion.

Which were the main challenges you were faced with while translating and setting Cavafy to music?

Since the music was already there, having set to music the 12 poems in Greek during the past decades, the task of translating Cavafy's poems into English by adapting the verses to the pre-existing music for this album, presented a unique challenge. The primary goal was to undertake a translation exercise that would not only capture the musicality, tempo, and weight articulation of the original Greek compositions but also convey the essence of the poetry in English as spoken today. This translation, starting and building on the solid basis of pre-existing important translations of the Cavafy opus, aimed to authentically reflect the artist's personal perception of the poetry while maintaining a connection to the original messages.

Beyond linguistic fidelity, the translated poems needed to pass a crucial aesthetic test. They had to resonate with the overall aesthetics and inner dynamism of the musicalized poetry, considering the twelve poems as milestones in a personal journey. Each poem had been set to music during critical moments in life, where its meanings, concepts, and dimensions held significance in understanding, acceptance, reflection, and action.

As a former professional translator and someone who uses English extensively in their day job I embarked in this process with the goal to achieve an honest, unique, and worthy approach to presenting Cavafy's poetry in English verses.

The journey mirrored the challenges faced often by translators, on a demanding path, requiring a careful balance of maintaining meaning, capturing essence, and staying true to both the poet and to my own understanding and emotional connection to the poetry. Throughout this process, the music served as a guiding force. As I entered the studio for voice recordings, further revisions and adjustments felt necessary to ensure a harmonious marriage of music and language in the spirit and aesthetic approach set already by the first Ithaki Album in Greek.

So the English poems, were born from and through the musicalisation of Cavafy's original Greek verses. Nevertheless, they offered in English, a fresh and brilliant visions of the poet's universal concepts about human experiences, realizations, ideas, ideals, and emotions. Inevitably, the English poem-songs in this album carry within them the deep essence of Cavafy's poetry in Greek, subtly interwoven with the rhythm and articulation laid down by the musical compositions, crafted and tailor made on the Greek original poetry. The result is an intricate fusion that celebrates the beauty and universality of Cavafy's poetic legacy.

How does your involvement with music is combined with your work as a sociologist and human rights advocate? Where do the two attributes meet?

These are in principle two distinct activities although they do intersect in terms of their passion for understanding the human condition, the challenges, the potential. They also both support and promote human life as an adventure of living together that can lead to knowledge, experience, emotional, political and intimate connection to other human beings based on principles and values that we cherished and brought us here. We are now often called to defend them and move forward through turbulent times. In the face of hardships and difficulties, knowledge through research can give power based on facts and direction, orientation based on principles and values. But the music can give a profound and powerful sense of awareness, of belonging and community, through emotional and transcendental experiences.

My day job is the one in the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, doing research, drafting reports and giving presentations on human rights and the situation on the ground in 30 countries (EU27 + 3 candidate countries). They might have an impact in improving people’s lives. Currently, I am working on a large EU LGBTIQ Survey, the latest wave of which was conducted in 2023, and drafting its results report. And this is very rewarding and fulfilling. It comes after decades of work in the areas of non-discrimination, racism and xenophobia, migrant integration and Roma inclusion in other human rights organisations and institutions in Greece and abroad.

In a way, music production had been left behind given that for many years I was extremely busy, often working in parallel in more jobs, and going through challenging times in terms of family, finance and chronical health concerns. However, my younger children would tell somebody today that their dad “fights for human rights and makes music singing songs”.

And this is where my music and my work finally meet.

 “The music collection aims to contribute to a return back to basic principles and values ​​in a critical and difficult moment both in Greece and around the world [...] As a work of music, it fulfills the need for introspection, reflection and re-creation”. Ιn this respect, what is that makes the poetry of Cavafy both timeless and timely?

At times, music and art serve as a catalyst, prompting us to turn our heads and gain new perspectives. They guide us back to fundamentals, aiding in the rediscovery of essential principles and core values. With their support, clarity emerges, enabling us to take the next steps in our journey. Alternatively, they can let us dive into a realm of emotions, stirring memories and revealing truths often overlooked. These moments prompt us to pause, reflecting on the happenings in our lives and the world around us.

In these reflections, we find the light illuminating the most crucial aspects, allowing us to connect the dots, comprehend, and move forward confidently in our quest to imbue our lives with meaning. This becomes especially pertinent in today's era, marked by swift transitions into new realities and a challenging landscape of disinformation, geopolitical and cultural struggles, and conflicts that encroach upon the peace and prosperity we have grown accustomed to.

In this context, the Cavafy poetry featured in this album, which has been for me a guiding hand through difficult times in the past, takes on a poignant and insightful resonance through music. It serves as an emotional conduit, offering keys to navigate life's journey – at times as admonishments or axioms, conveying desperate cries of failure, depression, and loss, but also portraying moments of growth, acceptance, and redemption.

*Interview by Athina Rossoglou

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