A bit of Christmas for everyone
NEAR the Famagusta gate, tucked away in one of the many picturesque lanes of Nicosia’s historic old city is the Chrysaliniotissa crafts centre and perhaps one of the fleeting examples of holiday spirit that has been spared the effects of commercialisation and pandemonium. The courtyard of the whitewashed crafts centre, done up with a massive Christmas tree and thousands of little lights, looks like something out of a fairly tale and gives a sense of joy and warmth. From the courtyard, the visitor can peek into the various craft workshops that comprise the Chrysaliniotissa centre and begin their exploration of the horseshoe shaped building from the shop to which they are most drawn. A little café, adjacent to the row of workshops that brim with objects, is open during the day and offers a welcoming repose from the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. Offering warm drinks ideal for cold weather and an opportunity to take in the beauty of the surrounding neighborhood, the coffee shop is an additional incentive to visit the centre in the few days before Christmas.
Upon entering any one of the five shops, visitors will realise that they have come across a space of artistic creation that also functions as the site for display and selling. The workshops of the Chrysaliniotissa centre are, at once, studios, galleries and stores. One can chat with the artist, take a look at the instruments they use in the creative process and purchase original art with a purpose; almost everything one comes across on the shelves of the workshops has some function while also maintaining its own unique aesthetic composition.
In the candle workshop, pungent with the sweet smell of wax, the visitor finds candles of all shapes, colors, scents and sizes. With candles ranging from the most simple to the quite eccentric, the shop offers an array of tempting objects. The neighbouring glass workshop, filled with impressive machinery, is replete with an array of pretty and delicate glass-blown artifacts. From decorative plates to paperweights to stained glass panels, glass has been transformed into hundreds of different forms.
In the wood workshop, another inflexible material has been worked and shaped to create bowls, frames, decorative pieces and more. Whatever its shape or function, the organic beauty and varying texture of wood makes each object distinct and appealing.
Next door, visitors may peruse handmade icons or purchase meticulously crafted products of iconography.
A ceramics workshop teems with innovative creations in clay and presents visitors with elegant and funky objects for eating, drinking and decorating.
In the tranquil haven of the Chrysaliniotissa centre, Christmas shoppers and crafts enthusiasts will find an abundance of interesting goods, a beautiful setting, and the experience of the old fashioned holiday tempo.
Annual fair at the Chrysaliniotissa Crafts Centre. Until December 24. Open Mon.-Fri. 3pm-8pm, Sat.-Sun. 10am-1pm and 3pm-8pm. Tel: 22 345303, 22 347465.
Music
Greek carols
TRAVEL through history and tradition in a concert of carols deriving from the many regions of the Greek-speaking world. Michalis Terlikas and the “Moussa” musical ensemble have prepared a programme replete with the carols of Christmas, New Years and the Celebration of Lights and will use music to transport their audience from the island of Cyprus to the landscapes of Crete, the Eastern Aegean islands, Asia Minor, the Peloponnesian peninsula and the province of Thrace. By including both contemporary and centuries-old carols in their concert, the musicians will induct their listeners into the rich musical heritage of the Hellenic world and share historic celebratory practices with modern audiences. Tonight’s musical performance at Limassol’s enchanting Rialto Theatre is not only a celebration of the musical creations inspired by longstanding rituals and beliefs, but also constitutes a significant effort to preserve and disseminate traditional art forms that are increasingly threatened with extinction. Amid the sounds of voice, clarinet, percussion instruments, triangles, lute, violin and dulcimer, the ensemble will present an ethno-musicological investigation though majestic music.
An established musician who is well known for passionate performances of traditional Cypriot music, Michalis Terlikas was born outside Morphou and grew up among the rhythms and sounds of this rural district. Though he later left Cyprus to study in Athens, Terlikas never looked back on the authentic music with which he was raised and eventually dedicated himself wholeheartedly to playing and studying the music of Cyprus. Beginning with lessons in Byzantine music, Terlikas also worked alongside researchers of traditional music while singing with various ensembles. He has played for both radio and television and participated in numerous festivals of traditional music across the world.
In 1992, Terlikas broadened his activities and undertook the directorship of the Moussa ensemble. Performing frequently in Cyprus and abroad, this musical group uses only authentic instruments and has mastered an impressive repertoire of traditional songs. Along with Terlikas, they have produced three albums and collaboratively investigated the depth and complexity of Demotic songs and Cypriot music.
Tonight Terlikas and the Moussa ensemble invite us to a festive concert that will reveal how our predecessors celebrated Christmas and welcomed the New Year.
Greek Carol Concert by MichalisTerlikas and the Mousa ensemble. Tonight. Rialto Theatre. 8.30pm. Tickets £4 and £2. Tel: 77 777745.
