The Kypria Festival next month has something for everyone
BACK for its 15th year, the Kypria International Festival will see some of the world’s most prolific performers, artists, musicians and dancers come together in a celebration of all things Cypriot.
The programme incorporates ballet, opera, art, photography, theatre, dance and music; this is indisputably the premier cultural event on the island. Offering something for every art-lover, there is quite simply no excuse to miss it.
Ever heard of France’s celebrated aerial photographer, Yann Arthus-Bertrand? Fifty million people around the world have. It took Bertrand 14 years of fieldwork, flying over 76 countries and taking 100,000 shots to capture some sensational photographs of our planet. As part of Kypria 2005, 120 giant-sized photographs, including pictures of Cyprus, will be mounted outdoors around Ledra Street in the heart of Nicosia. “It is a unique opportunity for Cypriots and visitors to see this exhibition and to be made aware of the state of our planet – how beautiful and fragile it is and to think of ways to protect it and preserve it for future generations,” said exhibition director Sylvie Hartman.
Hosting the global premier of A Concert for Ten Pianos And Orchestra, the Cyprus Steinway Club is proving to be a true pioneer of Cyprus’ cultural scene. The concert is the brainchild of Cypriot composer Savvas Savva and the club’s president, Stavros Kyriakides. The ten pianists and orchestra feature young Cypriot musicians who have already made big waves in the international classical music scene.
Entitled Medieval Cyprus the concert is in three movements; all of which have been given their names from Medieval Cyprus. Kolossi Castle – War & Peace, Karmi & Bellapais – From Dawn to Sunset and Petra tou Romiou – Adonis & Aphrodite.
“The programme will be in two parts. In part one, the ten pianos without the orchestra will perform two Cypriot and two Greek traditional dances. Part two sees the pianists joined by the orchestra to perform the concerto. Each of the pieces captures the rich history of the island which was particularly colourful during the medieval period,” explained Savva. If you miss your chance to attend the one-off performance, ask the Steinway Club for a free recording.
The Kypria Festival also brings the Oxford Philomusica to our shores. Founded by Marios Papadopoulos, the orchestra has established a global reputation for seemless performances. They have been broadcast to over 400 million people world-wide and Papadopoulos himself is known for his artistic integrity, exciting directions and visionary interpretations.
The Czech Republic is also being represented at Kypria. With composers such as Dvorak and Schumann, Czech’s rich musical history has never been in dispute. Under the direction of Kypros Markou, The Moravian Philarmonic Orchestra will perform their varied repertoire on two dates in Nicosia this September, accompanied by soloists Vassilis Varvaresos and Nicos Pittas.
Staying faithful to its eclectic vision, Kypria will stage a one-off world music performance. You can experience instruments as weird and wonderful as the zarb, rabab, laouto, santour and udu in an ethnic music performance by Huun-Huur-Tu Labyrinth and Ross Daly.
When Emperor Maximillian I moved his court from Innsbruck to Vienna in 1498 he gave instructions that there were to be six boys among his musicians and The Vienna Boys Choir was born. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Heinrich Isaac both worked with the choir, and composers Franz Schubert and Jacobus Gallus were themselves choristers.
Today, there are around 100 members between the ages of ten and fourteen giving around 300 concerts a year The choir’s repertoire ranges from medieval to pop, contemporary and experimental. On their travels, the choir have collated an impressive range of world music, which they try to incorporate in their performances. One of the educational goals is to introduce the boys to as many different styles of music as possible. Says Gerald Wirth, “We do not claim to play authentic world music; we create something from the original sources that is our own. We want to be faithful to the source in the sense that we treat it with respect.” This September you can see the choir perform on three dates in Limassol, Nicosia and Larnaca.
Also touring these cities in September is Inaki Urlezaga and Ballet Concierto for a series of breathtaking sequences set to beautiful pieces by Chopin, Debussy and Offenbach. Representing their history through their national dance, the State Dance Ensemble of Armenia will also be touring the island.
Their passionate stage presence has prompted praise form all over the world, promoting the famous Arab artist Fakhri Barudji’s words, “Throughout my long life I have witnessed a myriad of dance performances but what I have seen today by the Armenian dancers surpasses all performances I have seen before.”
Italy is represented at Kypria by the singer actress, Milva. She entered the world’s music arena with her recording of Edith Piaf’s Milford, has starred in film with Gina Lolobrigida; and has become one of the world’s finest performers of Brecht, working with Vangelis and Mikis Theordorakis.
As far as theatre goes The Cretan Theatre will perform Erofili, The National Theatre of Northern Greece stages Ouzeri Tsitsanis and Sophocles’ ancient Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex is to reach our shores with Yiorgos Ntalaras directed by and starring with Yiorgos Kimoulis.
With these 12 eclectic and quality performances, on 26 different nights, not to mention the outdoor exhibition in Ledra, essentially, Kypria 2005 has returned with a veritable feast of artistic excellence. Indulge and enjoy.
National Theatre of Northern Greece
Yiorgos Skambardonis’ Ouzeri Tsitsanis: Director Sotiris Hatzakis
September 6 Pattichion Amphitheatre, Larnaca 20.30
September 7 Makarios III Amphitheatre, Nicosia 20.30
£12
The Moravian Philarmonic Orchestra of the Czech Republic
Conducted by Kypros Markou
September 12/14 Strovolos Municipal Theatre 20.30
£10/£12
Erofili
September 13 Makarios III Amphitheatre, Nicosia 20.30
September 14 Kourion Ancient Theatre Limassol 20.30
£15
Concert For Ten Pianos and Orchestra
The Steinway Club,Cyprus
September 19 Strovolos Municipal Theatre
£10/£15
To Eastern Shores
An ethnic music performance with Huun-Huur- Tu Labyrinth and Ross Daly
September 20 Skali amphitheatre, Aglanjia
£10
Inaki Urlezaga Ballet Consortium
September 18/19 Rialto Theatre, Limassol 20.30
September 20 Larnaca Municipal theatre 20.30
September 21 Strovolos Municipal Theatre 20.30
£10/£12
Thanos Mikroutsikos- Milva
Participating Christos Thievos
September 23 Makarios III Amphitheatre Nicosia 20.30
September 24 Municipal Garden Theatre Limassol 20.30
£15
Oxford Philomusica
Conducted by Marios Papadopoulos, soloist Cyprien Katsaris
September 26 Strovolos Municipal theatre Nicosia 20.30
September 27 Patticheon Municipal Theatre Limassol 20.30
£15
The Vienna Boys Choir
September 29 Ancient Odeon Paphos
September 30 Larnaca Municipal Theatre 20.30
October 2 Strovolos Municipal Theatre Nicosia 20.30
October 3 Rialto Theatre Limassol 20.30
£6/£12
Sophocles Oedipus Rex
Music Goran Bregovic Direction Yiorgos Kimoulis
September 30 Makarios III Amphitheatre Nicosia 20.30
October 2 Kourion Ancient Theatre 20.30
£15
State Dance Ensemble of Armenia
October 4 Strovolos Municipal Theatre Nicosia 20.30
October 5 Patticheon Municipal Theatre Limassol 20.30
October 6 Larnaca Municipal Theatre 20.30
£5/£8
Earth From Above
An aerial Portrait of Ou
r Planet
By Yann arthus-Bertrand
September 16-November 16 Eleftheria Square and Ledra Street
Inaki Urlezaga
Ballet Concertium
September 18-19 Rialto Theatre Limassol 8.30pm
September 20 Larnaca Municipal Theatre 8.30pm
September 21 Strovolos Municipal Theatre 8.30pm
£10/£12
