A love of the sea
“Why do we love the sea? It is because it has the potent power to make us think the things we think,” Robert Henri once said. How many times have we caught ourselves day dreaming while gazing at the deep blue waters of the sea as we laze on a golden sandy beach?
The sea has inspired many people through the ages to write poems and songs, while many artists have often captured its beauty on canvas. To mark the start of summer, a group of artists here in Cyprus has come together to present their own response on the subject. Each using their own technique and style, the exhibition will include paintings by well-known and new artists that cooperate with the gallery. Some of the more established names include Mathaios Christou, Aristotelis Demetriou and George Michael while a few of the new and upcoming artists include Emmanuelle Baudin and Ramon Torres Trias.
The Sea
Group exhibition with well-known and new artists presenting their own ideas on the sea. Opens June 14, 7pm, until July 30. Gallery K, Evrou St, Strovolos, Nicosia. Tel: 22-341122
SMALL PANEL Music
Jazz big band gets it togather
We often jump at the chance to go along and watch international musicians who arrive on our shores, but how about supporting the efforts of local musicians striving to put Cyprus on the map of the international music scene? A local band that hopes to make a mightly impression is the Cyprus Big Band – the first jazz orchestra to be established on the island.
Founded by Jeunesses Musicales Cyprus and supported by Cyprus College, its mission is to promote, preserve and perform jazz and Latin music in Cyprus, to contribute to the cultural infrastructure of local musical life and go on to present it overseas. The band will be playing at the PASYDY auditorium in Nicosia on Thursday evening and in Limassol next Monday with a special concert at the Rialto Theatre.
Aspiring to become the National Jazz Orchestra of Cyprus, the members are all recognised performers, having graduated from renowned American and European music schools. Consisting of alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, two trumpets, trombone, piano, bass and drums, its repertoire is built on historical development of American and European jazz and Latin music, covering all its stages and styles from the beginning of 20th century until today. For the upcoming concert in Limassol, the Big Band is preparing original pieces from North and South America arranged especially for this type of orchestra.
Cyprus Big Band
A historic retrospective of orchestral jazz music from the beginning of the 20th century to the latest trends. With a band of nine members established by the Jeunesses Musicales Cyprus.
June 14: PASYDY theatre, Nicosia. £8-5. Tel: 22-844444
June 18. Rialto Theatre, Heroes Square, Limassol. £8-5. Tel: 77777745
NIGHT LIFE
Drop in for a cool night out
We all need a bit off a cool off in the evening as the summer days just keep on getting hotter. One beach bar after another has recently sprung up along the Limassol sea front and last week saw the official summer opening party of the classy Drops beach bar.
In a nutshell, the bar just screams ‘glam’ and the word on the street has it that it’s set to be the hottest spot of the summer. Truth be told, it’s often the case in Cyprus that as soon as a new place has its opening party, the crowds rush to be seen there.
But if you don’t want to become part of that ‘crowd’, it’s definitely worth going along to Drops when things are a little quieter during the week. It’s a great place to relax after an afternoon swim and you can enjoy a natter with friends in the comfy wicker chairs. As the night falls, you can sit on the trendy bar stools and even have a nibble as snacks and grilled items are served until 10pm. As for the music, it’s a mix of mainstream English and Greek hits.
Drops Caf?-Beach Bar
Open for snacks and drinks during the day, with music and dancing at night. Drops Beach Bar, 17 Amathunda Avenue, Limassol. 9am-3am. Tel: 25-310310
BIG PANEL Festival
Italian cultural month
Travels to Italy are usually associated with eating vast amounts of delicious food and spending hours sightseeing. Then there’s all the cultural activities that seem endless – be it a visit to a museum or watching a theatre performance, there’s nothing quite like the passion of the locals when they put on a show or sweep you away with a breathtaking concert.
Forget hopping on a plane to enjoy everything this beautiful country has to offer as the Italian Embassy has brought a taste of Italy to our doorstep this summer. For some renaissance and baroque music you can go along to a concert by the Musica Ricercata Ensemble set to play in Nicosia on June 15 and Larnaca on June 16. Based in Florence and often travelling around the world to put on shows, the chamber music ensemble will be playing pieces from the 15th to the 17th century. Some of it is dedicated to the myth of Aphrodite, while other pieces played were composed for Shakespeare’s theatre.
June 22 marks the opening of ‘Mythos’, an exhibition of modern and contemporary art at the Evagoras Lanitis Centre in Limassol. ‘Mythos’ has already met with great success in Athens and Monte Carlo and will continue its tour to other European capitals once it closes in Cyprus. With over 70 works, there will be a number of great artists on show including Sartorio, Chini, De Chirico and Kounellis. All the work draws on the rich myths and legends shared in the Mediterranean culture.
As the festival draws to a close at the end of July, you may be interested in going along to a concert by Lucio Calla in the Municipal Garden Theatre of Limassol where he’ll be singing his heart out with some of the best hits of his 30-year career. Viva Italia!
Italian month
Musica Ricercata Ensemble
Nicosia: June 15. Castelliotissa Hall. 8.30pm
Larnaca: June 16. Larnaca Medieval Fort. 9pm.
Free. Tel: 22-357718
Mythos
Exhibition of modern and contemporary Italian art. Opens June 22, 7.30pm, until July 22. Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Carob Mill, Limassol. 10am-1pm and 5pm-10pm daily. Saturday and Sunday 5pm-10pm. Tel: 25-342123
Lucio Dalla
A contemporary music concert. July 27. Municipal Garden Theatre, Limassol. 9pm. Tel: 25-878744
