Papadimitriou, Cavafy at Alexandria Library opening
The music of Dimitris Papadimitriou is to close the official cultural events marking the opening of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt on October 16 and 17, originally scheduled for last April but postponed because of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Papaconstantinou has composed music to Constantine Cavafy’s poetry especially for the concert in Athens on October 4, to be repeated at the close of the library’s official opening, which is to be attended by President Costis Stephanopoulos. The only Greek member of the library’s board is Marianna Vardinoyianni, a UNESCO goodwill ambassador. The concert will be the only cultural event during the celebrations, which include official ceremonies, tours, speeches and films. Dimitris Papadimitriou is a young composer with a deep love for popular songs and a musical training that allows him to compose symphonic music in the same original vein. His compositions will be played by the symphony orchestra of the Greek state media (ERT), conducted by Andreas Pylarionos. Narrator will be Alexis Kostalas, with the participation of actors Antonis Loudaros and Constantine Markoulakis. In the first part of the program, popular singers including Dimitris Mitropanos, Manolis Lidakis, Gerasimos Andreatos, Alkinoos Ioannidis and Irene Karayianni will be interpreting songs to 13 poems by Cavafy, presented for the first time, composed by Papadimitriou, who is a native of the Egyptian port city. In the second part of the program, Eleftheria Arvanitaki will be singing «Songs for the Months.» The third and final part includes some of the composers most popular songs. Proceeds from the concert will go to the Alexandria Library. At a press conference yesterday, the composer said he had been working with Cavafy’s poems for 15 years, including some that the Alexandrine poet had never published. «Every intellectual achievement belongs to culture,» he said.
