The music of the Americas

The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra will honour three important composers in two concerts this week under the name Music from the American Continent.

Joining the orchestra will be baritone Tassos Apostolou and conductor Lisa Xanthopoulou.

Apostolou studied classical singing at the class of the bass F. Voutsinos. He has sung as a soloist with the Greek National Opera, the Opera of Thessaloniki, and with the State Orchestra of Athens.

Xanthopoulou studied piano, advanced music theory and choral conducting at the State Conservatory and the Music College of Thessaloniki and has received awards at international conducting competitions.

Audiences in Limassol on Thursday, and in Nicosia on Friday will enjoy some of the finest 20th century classical music of the Americas. This will include Villa-Lobos’ hauntingly beautiful Bachiana Brazileira no. 5, which combines sensuous dance rhythms with the influence of Brazilian song. Aaron Copland’s hugely popular sets of Old American songs from 1950 and 1952 are a celebratory tribute to America’s highly diverse song heritage, including minstrel songs, ballads and hymns. Audience members will get a feel for Buenos Aires with the Astor Piazzolla’s Sinfonietta for chamber orchestra and Tangazo.

Music from the American Continent
Performance by the Cyprus Symphony Orchesta with soloist Tassos Apostolou and Lisa Xanthopoulou. March 10. Rialto theatre, Limassol. 8.30pm. €12/7/5/3. Tel: 22-463144
March 11. Pallas Theatre, Nicosia. 8.30pm. €12/7/5/3. Tel: 22-463144

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.