HELBI

The Severacek Children’s Choir from the Czech Republic enchanted the audience at the Athens Concert Hall on March 23. Czech Ambassador Jana Bulenova held the Spring Concert in aid of the first cancer hospital for children in Greece, to be built by the Elpida Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, headed by Marianna Vardinoyianni. The program included traditional Czech and Slovak songs, classical pieces and songs by Mikis Theodorakis to poetry by Odysseas Elytis in Greek, to the accompaniment of the bouzouki. The highlight of the evening was a world premiere performance of a piece composed by Leo Cottakis especially for the choir, whose angelic voices were accompanied by a church organ, a wind quintet, bells and drums. The audience was deeply moved by the children’s recitation, in Czech and Greek, of the Lord’s Prayer. The children, their choirmaster, Petr Palka, and the musicians received a standing ovation. Distinguished guests included the Deputy Culture Minister Katerina Mazacova, with her Greek counterpart Giorgos Orfanos. After the concert, the Czech Ambassador thanked Katerina Katsambe for her part in organizing the evening, and Nicholas and Matti Egon who held a reception for 400 people in the foyer after the show. (Photos K. Kostakis).