The leading performer of the art Greek song and the sensitive troubadour of the younger generation reveal their musical kinship through the interpretation of their classic hits as well as well-known or "misrecognized" songs that for the first time they "dress" with their own voice: timeless pieces of Theodorakis, Hadjidaki, Little one, Vail, Dala et al. in Tripolitan poetry, Eleftheriou, John, Brecht, Hikmet etc.
Maria Farandouri-Christos Thebeos: the "ideal performer" of Mikis Theodorakis, leading presence in artistic Greek song but also in the corresponding international repertoire (from Kurt Weill to Lucio Dalla) meets the sensitive troubadour of the younger generation, partner of Thanos Mikroutsikos, in a special concert where "the songs and their truth build bridges between past and present and become the occasion for unprecedented interpretative journeys".
On Saturday 7 April, at 8.30 at night, in the Christos Lambrakis Hall – four years after their first collaboration at the Athens Concert Hall with the songs "Love and Death" in music M. Theodorakis – the two great artists reunite on stage to reveal the "common" mark of their musical legacy. To interpret not only selected, their classic hits as well as well-known songs that for the first time "dress up" with their own voice, as well as others, less known – if not "disrecognized" – whose greatness they are trying to highlight in this case.
The performing duo is accompanied by an orchestra consisting of the elite soloists Takis Farazis (piano), Thymio Papadopoulos (crust), Giannis Angelopoulos (drums), Petro Varthakouris (contrabass), Vasso Dimitriou (guitars). The orchestration is by Takis Farazis. The sound is managed by Giorgos Korres and the lighting by Giorgos Kladouris.
The event is a co-production of Megaros Musikis and Cricos Productions.
"Timeless" Songs, inspired, in their entirety, from the catalytic writing of important poets and lyricists, Greeks and foreigners (Nikos Kavadias, Manolis Anagnostakis, Costa Tripoliti, Manos Eleftheriou, Odysseus Ioannou, Bertolt Brecht, Nazim Hikmet et al. So, for example, Maria Farandouri delivers once again with the characteristic, her rich contralto voice "Who is my life", "Funny child" or "Old streets" by Mikis Theodorakis, "Kemal" by Manos Hadjidakis, "Anti-nausea" by Eleni Karaindros and "Eleni" by Thanos Mikroutsikos, however, it also competes with the latter's "Thessaloniki"..
Being the first performer of Brecht in the Greek discography, sings "Mack the knife" from "Pentara's Opera" or "Anna don't cry" from "Brecht's Musical Act" by Th. Little one. While in memory of the recently lost Lucio Dalla – her partner in the past – she performs his famous "Caruzo". Christos Thibeos shares with the Megaros audience his personal hits such as "My Rain", Hamlets of the Moon, "I'm not another" or songs from "Southern Cross" by Thanos Mikroutsikos while performing with passion, power and lyricism in the "Beautiful city" by Mikis Theodorakis.
"The songs and their truth are everything,what unites us with Christos Thebes. The life values that are hidden behind catalytic and deeply philosophical verses, values that have not been lost in time.
Regardless of their age, from their widespread or not recognition, we both try to include these songs in our repertoire" says Maria Farandouri, referring to the concert but also her "musical affinity" with the contemporary songwriter and charismatic performer "on the level of expression, aesthetics and content".
Kinship revealed on stage for the first time the 2008 at the Athens Concert Hall where Christos Thivaios collaborated for the first time with Mikis Theodorakis, performing songs from four of the composer's song cycles – μεταξύ άλλων και από το «Ένας Όμηρος» σε στίχους του Ιρλανδού Μπρεντάν Μπεχάν (in a Greek rendering by Vassilis Rotas). From this circle of his 1966 – first performed by M. Farantouri – six songs will be heard in this concert as well ("September I remember", "I'll send you mother", "Open the window", "I'll give you a piece of gold", "I'm English Young and Lucky" and "Funny Kid").
From the rich work of the composer, the pieces "Passenger" have also been selected, "Given to your night" and "Apostema" from his album "Passenger". 1981 in verses by the important poet-lyricist Kostas Tripolitis, the "Old Streets" (from his album "Balantes". 1975 in poetry Manolis Anagnostakis), "Who owns my life" (from his "Songs of the Struggle". 1974 in poetry by Manos Eleftheriou), "beautiful city" (from his album of the same name 1962, in lyrics by Yiannis Theodorakis), "Someday they will come to tell you" (in lyrics by Lefteris Papadopoulos).
In the concert program, the compositional work of Thanos Mikroutsikos has a leading position. From the era of "Political Songs" (1975) from where you will hear "The most beautiful sea" in lyrics by Nazim Hikmet and "I'm tired of them" in lyrics by Wolf Biermann, from "The Musical Act to Brecht" (1978) ("Anna don't cry") and the "Southern Cross" (1979) in the poetry of Nikos Kavadias ("Bitterness", "Thessaloniki", "Aladdin's Lamp", «Willie»)to the latest "Hamlet of the Moon" (2002) from where the title track as well as "Song Blues" will be heard (f.:K. Tripolitan) and "I'm No Other" (f.: Manos Eleftheriou). Inextricably linked to the style and ethos of the event, and the songs "Kemal" by Manos Hadjidakis (from his "Reflections". 1993, in lyrics by Nikos Gatsos) and “Anti-dizziness (My child, do not sleep)» by Eleni Karaindrou (from his "Great vigilance". 1972). The satirical Brechtian lyrics of the ballad "Mack the knife" set to music by Kurt Weill from "The Quintessential Opera" and the "Alabama song" from the iconic "Rise and Fall of Mahogany City". As well as "Counting time" with music by Lucio Dalla (and lyrics by Dionysis Savvopoulos from his album "The Hotel", 1997) but also his melodic "Caruzo" which Maria Farandouri had recorded for the first time in 1991, in a duet with D. Savvopoulos for the album "17 songs".
Source : culturenow.gr
