Enchanting music performances coming up at Kypria

Four magical music performances are coming up in this year’s ongoing Kypria International Festival, bringing all genres of music from all over the world. Coming up on Sunday in Limassol and Monday in Nicosia are two evenings all about Swing and Bepop.

The Miaris Jazz Trio collaborates with Ofer Landsberg from Israel in a musical proposal where jazz standards meet the new arrangements and compositions of the well-established guitarist. The list of jazz standards was created during the 30s, a number of successful compositions that all orchestras and performers have in their repertoire.

“During the 40s jazz language changed,” say organisers. “Bands grew smaller, a new playing language developed, great soloists appeared and with them the bebop period of jazz, known as the music of musicians. Miaris Jazz Τrio, with new arrangements and fresh compositions by Landsberg, and with a novel way of performing, give a new shape and a new sound to these songs.

A few days later on, September 23 in Nicosia and September 24 in Limassol, another performance will take place, travelling through Italian-Greek sounds. Encardia in collaboration with Anna Cinzia Villani and Claudia Giannotta will present traditional songs in Grico, uniquely performed by themselves and their guests from the Salento Valley. Traditional rhythms and choreographies from the Italian South are combined with contemporary music, new songs and covers, always influenced by the musical tradition of this special region of Italy.

Encardia is a unique music collective created in 2003 by Kostas Konstantatos and is influenced by the musical tradition and culture of the Greek speaking areas of the Italian South, as well as the whole of the Mediterranean region. Up to now Encardia has performed about 3,000 times all over Greece and Europe, released seven digital albums and created an award-winning documentary regarding their relationship with the music and the communities of the Italian South.

Villani and Giannotta grew up amidst the musical culture of the Greek speaking communities of Apulia in the Italian South. Till today they are still searching and recording everything the older generations remember in those areas. Their relationship with Encardia started in 2008 at the Notte della Taranta festival in the village of Melpignano and since then they closely follow each other’s progress while collaborating in many musical gatherings.

Towards the end of September, a unique concert by the ERT Contemporary Music Orchestra will present the Magic of Cinema Music. Conductor Giorgos Aravidis will lead a concert with music from the world cinema. Musical themes from legendary old and new films will come to life through the iconic music of Enio Moricone, Henry Mancini, Nino Rota, Nikola Piovani and other great composers. The concert will first take place on September 28 at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre and then at Pattihio Municipal Theatre on September 29.

Come October and Kypria Festival has another music night scheduled, an evening of love. Historia de un Amor on October 7 and 8 presents love stories narrated in this elegy of love by three distinguished Cypriot artists – Vakia Stavrou, Manolis Neophytou and Nikolas Efthymiou. The three artists have as a common characteristic the passion and the wish for the elusive ideal – what a love verse usually praises.

The songs of Carlos Gardel, Manos Hadjidakis, Edith Piaf, Carlos Eleta Almaran and other composers’ that the three artists will present, talk about the ‘folly’ of love, dreaming, fantasy but also about disappointment and that bittersweet feeling of nostalgia. Manolis Neophytou will also perform some of his piano arrangements on the same subject matter from Greek and foreign films, dressing this festival evening in even more art.

From Swing to Bepop

Live jazz and more by Miaris Jazz Trio collaborates and Ofer Landsberg. September 19. Rialto Theatre, Limassol. September 20. Pallas Theatre, Nicosia. 8.30pm. €8-15. Tickets: www.tickethour.com. Tel: 7777-7040

Encardia vs Salento New Generation

Traditional songs in Grico by Encardia in collaboration with Anna Cinzia Villani and Claudia Giannotta. September 23. Nicosia Municipal Theatre, Nicosia. September 24. Pattihio Municipal Theatre, Limassol. 8.30pm. €8-15. Tickets: www.tickethour.com. Tel: 7777-7040

The Magic of Cinema Music

Unique concert by the ERT Contemporary Music Orchestra present the world of cinema music. September 28. Nicosia Municipal Theatre. September 29. Pattihio Municipal Theatre. 8.30pm. €8-15. Tickets: www.tickethour.com. Tel: 7777-7040

Historia de un Amor

Beloved love tales and songs by Vakia Stavrou, Manolis Neophytou and Nikolas Efthymiou. October 7. Nicosia Municipal Theatre. October 8. Pattihio Municipal Theatre. 8.30pm. €8-15. Tickets: www.tickethour.com. Tel: 7777-7040