Nikos Kypourgos and friends at the Athens Concert Hall
“Kipotheatro» (The Garden Theater) is the title of composer Nikos Kypourgos’s two musical performances at the Athens Concert Hall, tomorrow and Wednesday. At a recent press conference, Kypourgos stressed the warm atmosphere during rehearsals since participating singers are not merely colleagues, but old friends. «I feel that everybody’s powers are coming together,» he said. These singers include Maria Farandouri, Savina Yiannatou, Lizeta Kalimeri, Alkinoos Ioannidis, as well as Dimitris Maragopoulos, who has undertaken the production of the Gefyres (Bridges) musical series which «Kipotheatro» is part of. Kypourgos’s performance includes several musical themes he has composed for theatrical plays like «To Sklavi,» «Alice in Wonderland,» «Beauty and the Beast» and «Lilipoupoli,» the legendary radio show through which most of the singers and musicians now performing in «Kipotheatro» met. It also includes scores from Greek and foreign films, including «Black Out,» «To Pethameno Liker» (The Dead Liqueur) and «Passeurs de Reves.» While fondly recalling the days of the «Lilipoupoli» production, Maragopoulos stressed the importance of Gefyres for paying tribute to the work of Michalis Grigoriou, Lena Platonos and Nikos Kypourgos, three composers who have shaped so-called authentic Greek music. Talking about the composer’s work, Farandouri referred to his refusal to stick to a specific musical style and to his choice of wandering through and experimenting with different kinds of music. «Kipotheatro» will also include appearances by other artists, namely Chronis Aidonidis, Doros Dimosthenous, the Bulgarian Camea Quarteto, the Larissa Conservatory children’s choir, the gifted 12-year-old Albanian singer Nicola Floki, the Giro-Giro band and the Filippos Nakas Conservatory youth band which will, in fact, welcome the guests at the foyer. Athens Concert Hall, 1 Kokkali & Vas. Sofias, tel 210.728.2000 or www.megaron.gr.
