Event Category: Music

Third round of performances

“Songs of Salvation”, one of the most beloved shows of recent years, are returning once again to the artistic life of Athens! Christina Maksouri and four exceptional folk musicians set up their stage again and invite us on a journey through the life and songs of Sotiria Bellou. From Thursday March 7th and every Thursday at 21:00, a great celebration dedicated to the “Princess of Rebetiko” awaits us at PLYFA.

The actress Christina Maksouri, one of the remarkable voices of the younger generation, having to her credit, particularly successful musical performances, personal albums and participations in third party albums and concerts, with the characteristic metal and the distinctive interpretation, gives new life to the songs of Sotiria to today. Along with the songs, Maksouri narrates short stories and short incidents from the life of the unsurpassed performer, through words of Bellou herself, but also of people who knew her.
Favorite songs performed by Bellou and etched in the history of Greek music, such as Wandering Life, You don’t talk, I walk like an outcast, Don’t cry, I said to erase the old ones, The mountains are chanting, Don’t run away from me anymore, With planes and steamships , and many more, are brought back to life in the show in a simple yet meaningful way. It is no coincidence that it is often mentioned that Maksouri’s voice and the way she “presses” the words have something from Bellou. And yet, those who have already watched the show, talk about a purely her own way of interpreting these songs.

Together with Dimitris Haliotis, they have done the research and signed the artistic supervision of the show, which started its course in the summer of 2021 in the context of the Athens Epidaurus Festival with four sold out nights at the “Stecki tou Ilias” in Thisio, it was repeated a little later at the Hamam music scene in Petralona and last winter with consecutive sold outs in the special PLYFA venue, while he has toured inside and outside of Athens (Tino Festival, Zakynthos, Syros – Documenting Heritage Festival, Mykonos Art Festival, Routes in Marpissa, Ag. Friday – Cultural Meetings at the Municipal Library).

They said about the show:
It is like setting up a small celebration with friends, who after a long time meet again and share moments, feelings and songs. They become a company again, a hug with things in common, which bring us all together and make us love the people around us more. Everything in this celebration is simple, simple, that’s why it’s magical. – George Mitropoulos – Euronews
On a stage, four musicians and Christina Maksouri in the center remind us why the great Sotiria Bellou still moves. This is the magic of this job. It puts you in the world of Bellou and together in the world of another Greece and lets you wander freely. Christina Maksouri’s bone-shattering voice, modest and Doric presence. Just like Belle was. – Natasha Mastorakou – in.gr

Christina Maksouri and Dimitris Haliotis made a poem performance. We laughed, we sang, we were moved, we cried… The songs of Salvation were one of the performances that I will remember forever in my life. – Christos Papamichalis – Athens 984

The modesty with which Christina Maksouri and her four musicians present Bellou’s life and approach her songs make the spectators, regardless of age, feel comfortable singing along. – Ioanna Sotirchou – The Journal of Editors

There is something handmade about this work, each time it is not quite the same as the last. Christina, sitting on the stage and flanked by four excellent musicians, addresses the audience as if she were in a company. The show premiered at the Athens Epidaurus Festival in the summer of 2021 and has since won many “lives” – not without reason. -Xenia Georgiadou – Daily

A wonderful musical performance with songs and stories from the fictional life of the unpilgrimaged rebbe Sotiria Bellou. When you hear “Raise my soul, give me power” you shudder even today. – Electra Zargani – Documento

Greece, the birthplace of western civilization, has been an infinite source of inspiration for artists. The philosophers, mythology, illustrious history and geographical location between east and west appeal to the imagination. Also musically there is a lot to discover. Unfortunately, over the last years, Greece’s misfortune got the most attention: natural disasters, a refugee crisis that concerns all of Europe – in both meanings of the word concern, and lastly a devastating economical crisis. The Ricciotti ensemble wants to offer some relief and joy in the form of a musical performance.

Program

Music from different styles and cultures finds a home in our program. To start with, we feature classical composers like Mozart, Glass and Spyridon Samaras. But there are also premieres by contemporary composers Evis Sammoutis and Maarten Bauer, and a Greek premiere by Calliope Tsoupaki. Greek heroes Theodorakis (known for his legendary film music) and Hadjidakis cannot be left out. Jazz music written by Greek musicians Kontrafouris and Klampanis is also added to the mix. The folk song Misirlou – known in different variations in most of the Eastern Mediterranean region – is a perfect example of the crossroads position of Greece. During the Dutch part of our tour, the finale of the seventh edition of Ricciotti’s Great Arranging Competition took place. The arrangers created compositions that incorporate the Seikilos epitaph, which is the oldest notated piece of music and was discovered near the Turkish city of Aydın. (The area was a part of Greece at the time.) The three winners received a cash prize and their pieces will be played during the Greek part of Ricciotti’s Odyssee.

Matthijs Koene
Together with this inspiring pioneer, the Ricciotti takes the pan flute back to its mythical country of origin. Matthijs Koene is considered to be one of the world’s leading pan flute players. His vision has greatly expanded the technical and expressive possibilities of the instrument. There have been written over two hundred compositions for him and his ensembles. This way Matthijs conquered a spot for the pan flute in the realm of classical music.

Repertoire

Premieres

Anemôtis
Evis Sammoutis

Ámmos
Maarten Bauer

Classical

Maestrale
Calliope Tsoupaki

Overture Rhea
Spyridon Samaras

Overture Idomeneo
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

The Olympian
Phillip Glass

Bacchanale
Jacques Ibert

Dance of the Amazon
Anatoly Liadov

Orpheus in the Underworld
Jacques Offenbach

Repertoire

Elaiolado
Cretan traditional
arr. Willem van Merwijk

Too Close
George Kontrafouris
arr. Peter Keijsers

Irrationality
Petros Klampanis
arr. Robbert Scherpenisse

Hellenic Hits
Various composers
arr. Peter Davis

Misirlou
Traditional
arr. Geert Rubingh

De Gepikte Vogel
Jurriaan Andriessen

Jarence
Konrad Koselleck

Finalists Ricciotti’s Great Arranging Competition:

1800 Cirkels
Vangelis
arr. Rani Kumar

Soura kai Mastoura
Anestis Delias
arr. Ida Weidner

No More Yet
The Punch Brothers
arr. Peter Davis

With Matthijs Koene (Pan flute)

Twilight Visions
Chiel Meijering

The Ballad of Mauthausen
Mikis Theodorakis
arr. Marijn van Prooijen

Pandora’s Blues
Nana Simopoulos
arr. Bram Faber

Hartino to Feggaraki
Manos Hadzidakis
arr. Annemarie Hensens

Sofar So Good
Dimitri Vassilakis
arr. Kjell Hählen

Song for life and death
Calliope Tsoupaki
arr. Hugo Bouma

Herachrimea
Oene van Geel

The Ricciotti ensemble is a Dutch symphonic street orchestra consisting of 43 young, socially committed and talented musicians with the social mission of bringing live symphonic music everywhere and to everyone. Since its founding in 1970, we actively seek out audiences; at home, at work, on holiday, on the street or in the park or a concert hall. But mainly
in all kinds of institutions such as eldery homes, asylum seekers’ centres, homeless shelters and prisons. Audiences of very different backgrounds and ages, with or without access to public life and in all parts of the Netherlands as well as abroad. The program of every performance consists of short pieces in many different genres: classical, pop, jazz and also genres of non-western music-cultures.

During a tour the orchestra plays five performances a day on average, the musicians can be ready to play in just a few minutes upon arrival (the record being 1 minute and 36 seconds). In accordance with the orchestra’s social mission, all performances are free of charge for the audience.

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Theme
As the destination for this year’s tour abroad, the Ricciotti ensemble chooses Greece. One of the main pillars of the Ricciotti policy is the social mission. Greece is one of the areas of Europe where there have been many social problems in recent years. Because of its geographical location, Greece acts as the gateway to Europe and receives large numbers of refugees with all the humanitarian problems that entail. In addition, during the most recent economic crises, this same area was hit hardest. So, for the Ricciotti, reasons abound to travel to this area to try to reach as many people as possible who normally do not come into contact with live symphonic music. Apart from social reasons, Greece is also culturally and musically very interesting to travel to. Greece is the cradle of Western civilisation. That history and its mythology have inspired artists from all over the world for centuries. Composers of all times have also inspired works inspired by this culture. In addition, geography has created a folk music rooted in both Western and Eastern traditions. The programme will therefore consist of works by classical and jazz composers in which Greek mythology plays a defining role. This will be combined with typical Greek pop and folk music. Soloist Matthijs Koene is considered one of the world’s leading pan flutists. His vision and playing style have greatly enhanced the technical and expressive possibilities of the pan flute. Over two hundred compositions have since been composed for him and his ensembles. Thanks to all these efforts, Matthijs brought about the entrance of the pan flute into the world of classical music. Together with this inspiring pioneer, the Ricciotti ensemble will return the pan flute to the land of its mythical origins.

Opening Act ECATI | Special Guest mc mi55t / IOKO/ Alexandros Argyris / George Doussos

Teaser

ody icons officially present their first full length album and invite you to celebrate with them.

On October 14, 2023 at PLYFA the songs from the POLYDRAMA album will be heard live immediately after their release on all music platforms. In POLYDRAMA the ody icons reveal the materials from which tears are made and turn on the lights in the secret rooms of our most personal confessions. POLYDRAMA is what the title says: a collection of songs – points in recent years that admit the thirst for drama but also methods of relieving it within the cultures that shaped their personality in Cyprus, Greece and Paris.

“This is a musical imprint of my journey through the various rooms of my human experience thus far. It’s intense, it’s overwhelming, it’s sad and playful, political and emotional. It is a variety of elements that make up my fragility, my essence, my strength. I am this journey. this journey is me. It is much, it is multiple, it is plural, it is maximum. I went through dark rooms and bright rooftops to come back and put the notes on my piano honestly.
Please visit POLYDRAMA the same way you would visit your soul: gently but thoroughly, with care and bravery.”
-ody icon

In “POLYDRAMA” the songs are signed by ody icon and the album, like the concert, is musically produced and orchestrated by Fotis ingie Papatheodorou with whom they have been collaborating for the last few years (EP “drama” & ” We cry at night”).

The evening will be opened by the distorter of rembetic sounds and tour guide of dark soundscapes ECATI, presenting material from his first album while the concert will feature as special guests mc mi55t, Iōko Ioannis Kotidis, Eugenia Liakou, Elena Posatzidou, Roula Chernou but also Alexandros Argyris and the clarinetist Giorgos Dousos who also participate in the POLYDRAMA album.

The musicians Irini Alisa and Yiannis Papanikolaou and the interpreters Androniki Xanthopoulou and Olga Dalekou appear on stage.

In the supertitles Grigoris Stathopoulos.

The costumes are edited by Marios Rammos, while the visual identity and visuals were created by Markos Zouridakis (nodataism) and Phaidonas Galogavras (fedon nom).

In the accessibility and production of the concert Christos Papamichael and liminal. In her communication, Katerina P. Trichia.

The spot will sell ody icons merchandise, the net proceeds of which go to the social kitchen The Other Man.

*The concert is accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing people*

Incantations is a meeting point of various women artists creating an empowering and immersive journey made of mysterious chants, hypnotizing sounds, moving bodies and visual performances. The night will grow as a polyphonic ritual among which performances will occur in the contemplative space of the PLYFA theater of Athens.

The Vougioukli Sisters:
Technique or expressiveness: a fiercely debated subject amongst music lovers that ceases to exist in the divine presence of both. This much sought-after endowment is a way of life for siblings Eleni and Souzana Vougioukli.

Born and raised in the multi-cultural environs of Xanthi, northeastern Greece, the sisters have in less than a decade taken the local music scene by storm. Their musical art form brings harmony and custom. Performing in over 20 languages, the two girls turn to tradition for inspiration and training, absorbing the musical “wisdom” of the past while adding their own artistic signature and finally producing a distinctive creative outcome. Whether it be Portugal’s lamenting fados, Irish ballads and drinking songs, the forceful American blues or the passionate songs of southern Italy’s Grecia Salentina, the Vougioukli sisters manage thanks to their extensive classical studies to deliver a practiced performance.

But it is neither their impressive vocal skill nor correctness that sets them apart. As many of us will agree, technically gifted artists abound. The pair’s arousing vocal acrobatics linger into those deeper nooks and crannies of the soul, leading to the gratification and accompanying elation that only music can achieve. And this, my friends, is what artists from all walks of art strive to achieve. This is too what we the audience, starved of good sound, seek to find. Both are professional musicians by studies… and choice. Souzana is a mathematics degree holder and speaks English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. While Eleni, specialising in Slavic and Balkan studies and economics, speaks Arabic and Turkish.

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Exotica Lunatica:
Exotica Lunaticais a French-Greek musical duo formed after the explosive and obvious encounter of two very singular artistic personalities. This project is an invitation to travel, to discover several horizons coexisting in harmony and enriched by their diversity. Born in 2022, the duo has released their debut album « Enter The Moon » last June, and has been touring in France, Italy and Greece since then.

Eleanna Konstanta is a Greek singer, guitarist, director and performer and Daphné Hejebri is a French composer, multi-instrumentalist, director and performer. With a strong technical musical background and emerging from various roots, this duo produces an ethnic and deeply polyphonic music with real sounds, incorporating classical elements and merging them with diverse modern materials. Exploring various themes such as the relationships humans have with the living, with the elements, with the matter, with the senses, with the transcendence, as well as more committed socio-political themes, this duo conveys us through a mystical, metaphysical, erotic and cosmic soundscape.

The creative fusion between the two women artists was evident, like a sharing of heritage, an opening to new horizons and a deep desire for connection through a mixture of singular artistic universes. The specificity of what Exotica Lunatica offers lies in the hybrid character of a music that claims to break away from genre. Its existence is also accompanied by a desire to create strong collaborative, performative, musical and visual objects that only strengthens its identity. Born with the idea of surrealism, symbolism and a touch of mysticism, this duo develops a language that brings together a variety of images through which sensory connections can be established.

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