Antonis Kalogiannis to perform at the Athens Concert Hall tonight
The seasoned singer Antonis Kalogiannis stood up straight in a crisp white shirt – his favorite color – was serious and chose his words carefully at a news conference at the Athens Concert Hall last week ahead of a virtually sold-out performance at the prestigious venue tonight. Kalogiannis will be joined by Maria Farandouri and Georges Moustaki as part of the venue’s «Bridges» series. The concert is co-sponsored by Kinisi Politon, a non-profit association that promotes the values of civil society for a solution to the Cyprus problem. The 67-year-old singer made his recording debut in 1970, four years after having begun performing, when poetry stood as an important aspect of songwriting. Kalogiannis will present Mikis Theodorakis’s «Epiphania Averof,» whose lyrics were provided by the Nobel Prize-winning poet Giorgos Seferis, as well as other material. «Epiphania Averof» was no random choice, nor is it any act of conceit, as is often the case among aging Greek singers who begin to sense the passage of time. Kalogiannis first performed this Theodorakis composition in 1970, in Paris, joined by Yves Montand as the narrator. But for years he felt a desire to perform «Epiphania Averof» again. «That’s because this work has never become as well known as it should have in Greece,» Kalogiannis told the news conference. Reflecting his passion for poetry, Kalogiannis will also perform songs featuring lyrics by other celebrated Greek poets – including Costas Varnalis, Tassos Leivaditis and Nikos Gatsos – as well as music from his career’s post-Theodorakis era. Responding to a question on whether he considered his career as still active, Kalogiannis quipped, «It’s just the clocks that continue to tick,» while adding that his shows are limited to small venues. «I don’t need to tell you that the club circuit is full of trouble, noise, flower throwing, plate breaking and dodgy figures.» Athens Concert Hall, 1 Kokkali & Vas. Sofias, tel 210.728.2333.
