Nicosia International Festival opens with outdoor piano recital

The opening of the 4th Nicosia International Festival will take place tonight at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre with a piano concert by the 25 Cypriot musicians who won a Guinness World record in July, followed by the performance One One by Thanasis Deligiannis & I/O. Due to the fact that the first concert will take place outside the theatre, and for the safety of the attendees, Miki Theodoraki Street will be closed to vehicles from 8.30pm to 9pm.

The festival continues its collaboration with the Onassis Stegi and begins its fourth edition with a unique musical journey. The title of the performance One One refers to the name of a fictional Greek country nightclub. A band, a singer, a waiter and a security camera bring the show to life, interacting with each other and the audience. The music is a blend of 70s to 90s Greek culture mixed with improvised parts, electronic music and field recordings while capitalising on the heavily amplified aesthetic of that era – a quirky Greek traditional feast in the open air.

“Drawing on my personal experiences and aural impressions of them,” says Thanasis Deligiannis, “I was drawn to the celebrations of the 1980s. In One One, the deconstruction of the elements that make up the event that is a celebration creates the opportunity to reassemble these constituent parts in a new way. Through this reconstruction, the original questions are reformulated. The sonic enrichment offered by this re-composition frees musical expression, creating a new set of conditions within the space that is both familiar and unfamiliar”.

Deligiannis’ performance travels to Cyprus to open the festival following performances in Athens, Utrecht, Amsterdam and The Hague. The festival’s programme will continue with several performances and noteworthy productions including some for children, plays, dance acts, music and projects by young Cypriot artists under 30.

One One

Performance by Thanasis Deligiannis. Opening of the 4^th Nicosia International Festival. September 26. Nicosia Municipal Theatre, Nicosia. 8.30pm. www.soldouttickets.com.cy. Tel: 22-797979