Delphi Festival

Delphi Festival 2018
The Delphi Festival 2018 aims to highlight an important and unique place, that once was the center of the ancient world. From the 15th to the 30th of June and 10-12 of August, musical and theatrical events will be presented in selected places of the Municipalities of Delphi and Dorida, highlighting the cultural richness, natural beauty and rich history of the Delphi area.
Under the artistic direction of composer Dimitris Maramis, the Delphi Festival 2018 will focus on contemporary Greek music creation by associating it with theatre and poetry.
First performances, assignments of new works, presentations of young artists and collaborations with important cultural institutions such as the National Opera, the Athens Concert Hall and the Greek Art Theater Karolos Koun constitute the identity of this year’s event.
Presale of tickets starts today (Monday) through the site https://www.ticketservices.gr/event/delphi-festival-2018/ and at 39 Panepistimiou (Athens), the Tourist Kiosk (Delphi), and at bookstores in Amfissa (Anazitissi bookstore), Itea (Diametros) and Galaxidi (Exantas).
Delphi Festival 2018 – the program
June 15-16
Piano works by Manos HadjidakisThe emblematic piano works by the magnificent Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis, which were presented with great success by the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera under Giorgos Hadjidakis art direction, will be presented in the yard of Sikelianos House in Delphi within the framework of the Delphi Festival 2018.
The piano works to be presented are: For a Small White Clam, Six Folk Paintings, Wilderness, Ionian Suite, The Cursed Serpent. In addition, the program, especially for the Delphi Festival 2018, includes the work Kapetan Michalis based on the homonym novel by Nikos Kazantzakis.
The works will be interpreted by the distinguished pianists of the new generation Stefanos Thomopoulos and Thodoris Tzovanakis, accompanied by the baritone Dionysios Sourbis.
In his piano works, Manos Hadjidakis expresses a personal musical idiom conversing with the classical form by making reference both to classical composers and to Greek folk and the so called rebetika music.
Production: Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera
Soloist: Thodoris Tzovanakis, Stefanos Thomopoulos
Song: Dionysios Sourbis
– event info –
event: Piano works by Manos Hadjidakis
where: Sikelianos House, Delphi
when: Sunday – Monday, June 17–18, 2018 starting time: 21:00June 17-18
Agamemnon by Aeschylus / EuripidesThe work is a combination of Agamemnon by Aeschylus and Iphigenia at Aulis by Euripides. It is a chamber music work for three voices (two actors and a musician) about Agamemnon: the cause of the war, his daughter’s sacrifice, his return to Argos and his assassination by his wife Clytemnestra. It is a coproduction of the Greek Art Theatre Karolos Koun and Omada Chroma. It was first staged and for only four sold out performances in the Greek Art Theatre (Frinichou) in October 2017, and then for ten performances in Thissio – A Theatre for the Arts in January 2018.
Co-production Greek Art Theatre – Omada Chroma. Direction by Konstantinos Hatzis and musical composition by the world famous composer and musical director of the Greek National Opera Giorgos Koumendakis.
Artists: Leda Protopsalti, Giorgos Papapavlou and Dionysis Vervitsiotis (violin)
Direction: Konstantinos Hatzis
Musical composition: Giorgos Koumendakis
Translation of excerpts: K. Ch. Myris
Installation art: George Bounias
Costumes: Vasiliki Syrma
Movement : Christiana Felouka
Photography: Haris Germanidis
– event info –
event: Agamemnon by Aeschylus / Euripides
where: Delphi, in the Roman Agora of the archaeological site of Delphi
when: Sunday-Monday, June 17-18, 2018 starting time: 19:00June 22
Modern Greek Composers by 8tettoThe a cappella vocal group 8tetto, a form that brings out the musical dynamics of eight voices without instrumental accompaniment, present their new musical performance «Modern Greek Composers».
Works by: Sergios Voudris, Eleni Karavouzis, Themis Karamouratidis, Giorgos Kouroupos, Kostis Kritsotakis, Nikos Kypourgos, Dimitris Maramis, Alkis Baltas, Thodoris Oikonomou, Nikos Platyrachos, Evanthia Reboutsika, Maria Saplaoura, Phlippos Tsalachouris.
8tetto
Sopranos: Penny Deligianni, Annie Fassea
Mezo: Gina Markouli, Antonia Tzitzika
Tenors: Stratis Stil, Nikos Ziaziaris
Bass: Elias Kapadais, Dimitris Alexoudis
Musical preparation: Alexandros Faris
– event info –
event: 8tetto – Modern Greek Composers where: Galaxidi
when: Friday, June 22, 2018, at 21:00June 23-24
Lyricos Vios New composers write music for works by Angelos SikelianosTalented composers of the new generation have been assigned by the Delphi Festival to write music for the poetry of Angelos Sikelianos.
The name of Angelos Sikelianos, one of the leading figures of the 20th century Greek poetry, together with his American wife Eva Palmer has been connected with the revival of the «Delphic Idea» and the organization of the Delphic Festivals in 1927 and 1930, which rendered Delphi the centre of world interest again.
Composers of different musical temperament, each one of them having his own career in Greek music, Haris Gatzoflias, Christos Theodorou, Kalogeraki brothers and Fenia Christou, join their talents by writing music for poems by Sikelianos, a poet that harmonizes Dionysian sensuality with Apollonian light.
The outcome of this assignment is twelve new songs which will be played for the first time in the yard of Sikelianos’ House in Delphi, i.e. the space that provided the basis for the Delphic Festivals.
The program is also enriched with other songs written by the above mentioned composers (mainly music written for poems by contemporary with Sikelianos poets) and will end with songs by premier Greek composers e.g. Hatzidakis, Theodorakis, Xarchakos, etc.
Works performed for the first time:
Haris Gatzoflias: Ionian Rhapsodies | Alafroiskiotos (The Light-Shadowed) | Chrysofrydi (The Woman with Golden Eyebrows)
Christos Theodorou: To Maria Polydouri | Letters to Anna | First Rain
Kalogeraki brothers: In Saint Luke’s Monastery | Adjessivano’s Suicide | Nascent
Fenia Christou: Ode to a Lost Love | Love | The Greeting
– event info –
event: 8tetto – Modern Greek Composers where: Sikelianos House – Delphi
when: Saturday, June 23, 2018, at 21:00
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where: Panourgias House – Amfissa – Delphi
when: June 24, 2018, at 21:00June 30
Haunted by Dimitris MaramisHaunted by Dimitris Maramis is based on the famous tall story/parable The Dead Brother’s Song, the superb folk song of intensely dramatic and metaphysical character that deals with the popular folklore about vampires.
This song, also found in different variations all over the Balkan countries as well as in several countries of central Europe, connects man to his primitive fears and folklore and serves as a bridge between modern and bygone era.
The second song The Ghost of Charmaina, with lyrics by Sotiris Trivizas, utilizes a legend of the Amfissa region. It is about an unrequited love that leads to suicide and refers to the folklore about «ghosts» i.e. the spirit of the dead who cannot find rest.
Both songs are interconnected with common expressive ways and themes and provide us with a picture of a pre-industrial society, a society definitely poorer in material things but richer in poetry and magic.
The work has been assigned by Athens Concert Hall, and will be performed in its complete staged form in Alexandra Trianti Hall, in 2019.
Artists: Thodoris Voutsikakis, Eleni Dimopoulou, Argiro Kaparou Vassilis Dimakopoulos, Vasiliki Karakosta.
– event info –
event: Haunted by Dimitris Maramis
where: Amfissa, Charmaina district
when: Saturday, June 30, 2018 at 21:00
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where: Krokyleio
when: Saturday, August 11, 2018 at 21:00August 10
The Pioneers (Protomastores) Traditional Greek Music VirtuososAreti Ketime and Yiannis Niarchos collaborate on songs, in a musical performance dedicated to the “pioneers” whose works defined the 20th century music in Greece, the Balkans, and Eastern Mediterranean countries. A concert of traditional music of Greece and the Balkans performed by distinguished virtuosos.
The recently formed ensemble consists of:
clarinet: Giorgos Kotsinis
oud-lute-vocals: Thomas Konstantinou
violin-vocals: Manolis Kottoros
zither: Stavroula Spanou
double-bass: Giannis Plagiannakos
drums-vocals: Kostas Meretakis
– event info –
event: The Pioneers Traditional Greek Music Virtuosos
where: Itea, Port
when: Friday, August 10, 2018 at 21:00
More information is available at www.delphifestival.gr
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