Carmen's Music, concert in Kifissia
At the aftermath of the Christmas and New Year’s festivity, the concert, some days before being performed in Kalamata, travels to Kifissia. There can’t be a more beautiful way for an orchestra and its audience to welcome a new year than George Bizet’s Carmen, this ideal mix of French finesse and Spanish passion, timeless melody and orchestral splendor. At the same time, two prominent members of the Athens State Orchestra step away from their regular roles to take center stage as soloists, introducing to the audience two distinct works of their instruments’ repertoire, one very famous (Mendelssohn) and another less known, however equally atmospheric (Weinberg).
In collaboration with the Municipality of Kifissia
Carmen's Music, concert in Chania
At the aftermath of the Christmas and New Year’s festivity, the concert, some days before being performed in Kalamata, travels to Chania. There can’t be a more beautiful way for an orchestra and its audience to welcome a new year than George Bizet’s Carmen, this ideal mix of French finesse and Spanish passion, timeless melody and orchestral splendor. At the same time, two prominent members of the Athens State Orchestra step away from their regular roles to take center stage as soloists, introducing to the audience two distinct works of their instruments’ repertoire, one very famous (Mendelssohn) and another less known, however equally atmospheric (Weinberg).
In collaboration with the Municipality of Chania
Carmen's Music, concert in Chania
At the aftermath of the Christmas and New Year’s festivity, the concert, some days before being performed in Kalamata, returns to Piraeus and Chania. There can’t be a more beautiful way for an orchestra and its audience to welcome a new year than George Bizet’s Carmen, this ideal mix of French finesse and Spanish passion, timeless melody and orchestral splendor. At the same time, two prominent members of the Athens State Orchestra step away from their regular roles to take center stage as soloists, introducing to the audience two distinct works of their instruments’ repertoire, one very famous (Mendelssohn) and another less known, however equally atmospheric (Weinberg).
In collaboration with the Municipality of Chania
Spectrum
The Athens State Orchestra presents a multifaceted documentary-style performance that brings the orchestra’s musicians themselves to the forefront. Under the musical direction of Myrsini Chatzikonstanti and the stage direction of Giannis Kakleas, theater meets musical chronicle. An exceptional actor (Vassilis Haralambopoulos) shares with the audience the journey of the orchestra and its role throughout the centuries, while the orchestra itself unfolds the historical evolution of its sound: from Haydn’s elegance to the bold explorations of the modern era. In addition, the auditory experience is complemented by a live projection of artistic photographs from the rehearsals, captured by the orchestra’s cellist, Ilias Sakalak. A photo exhibition by the artist welcomes the audience in Megaron the Athens Concert Hall's foyer, offering a moving glimpse into the very soul of the people of the State Orchestra.
Prokofiev with Petrin
Timotheos Gavriilidis-Petrin is not only our Orchestra’s leading cellist, but also one of the most talented Greek artists of the younger generation, by already developing a remarkable action at an international level and successfully performing at the most prominent concert halls of the world The internationally ascending English conductor, Finnegan Downie-Dear follows a similar course, as each time he collaborates with the Athens State Orchestra in the last years, he gains the musicians’ increasing admiral and trust by simultaneously leading our audience to a whirlwind of applause, enthusiasm, and genuine musical delight!
A touch of France
A natural consequence of such a successful debut as this of Rodolfo Barráez last year, is the return of the beloved and distinguished Venezuelan conductor to the podium of the Orchestra to perform two monumental romantic French symphonic works: Franck’s Variations and Bizet’s Symphony that always reminds us that Bizet’s composing work was not limited to Carmen! The well-known, beloved pianist, Giorgos – Emmanouil Lazaridis is the evening’s soloist, employing his perfect musical instinct and limitless capacities in performing not only Franck’s work, but also Saint-Saëns’s brilliant piano fantasy Africa. The program is completed by a work by Filippos Tsalachouris, inspired from the figure of the great French novelist, Honoré de Balzac.
Mozart - Requiem
The Athens State Orchestra and Megaron the Athens Concert Hall’s musical proposal for this year’s Passion Week may not be surprising, however this doesn’t render it less charming and attractive; just the opposite! No one can resist one more performance of Mozart’s swan’s song, the “last words” of one of the greatest composers of all times. No one can remain unmoved when listening to Penderecki’s Threnody; a piece of “cinematic” power, evoking both terror and reflection, as an expression of the horror we all feel in the face of the devastation and death wrought by the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima.
Schuman & Bruckner
When talking about the Spanish cellist, Pablo Ferrández, many people refer to a scarce genius of that instrument and this is proven by his numerous international prizes, among which this of the extremely demanding Tchaikovsky competition of Moscow. As he is a young artist at the peak of his career, it is more than expected to be present at one of the key Athens musical events of the artistic year, the Spring Festival. It is equally expected that the experienced and well-established conductor among the music lovers, Lukas Karytinos shall set his particular seal to Bruckner’s Symphony no. 7, a milestone of Romanticism and, beyond any doubt, the most resonant among the composer´s Symphonies at all times.
Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9
On March 26th, 1827, great Ludwig van Beethoven passes away in Vienna. On this day, two hundred years after, Athens honors this landmark music anniversary with the sounds of the most recognizable, the most beloved, imposing and maybe his most revolutionary symphonic work. Conducted by a true “initiated” in Beethoven’s aesthetics, Christoph Poppen , the Athens State Orchestra and its excellent collaborators, bring us at the peak of Beethoven’s Art, to meet the most dramatic, sincere and direct music expression of all aspects of human existence and it’s supreme ideals!
Tchaikovsky - Symphony no. 4
German soloist, Nils Mönkemeyer, has been successfully contributing for years to the broadening of viola repertoire, either by bringing to light forgotten works of the past, or by presenting new ones. That’s also happening in this concert, the premiere of Konstantia Gourzi’s new work. One of the most active and multidimentional conductors of the German music field (and beyond!), Giorgos Ziavras, bends over Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 4 with the detailed and transcending spirit that always characterizes him, promising to lead the Athens State Orchestra to one more stunning performance.