Christmas Gala Concert in Limassol

Charismatic young pianist to bring classic sounds of the season finds ELENI PHILIPPOU

A festive concert of popular classical music and young talent will take over the Pattihio Municipal Theatre in Limassol this week as the Limassol Municipality Symphony Orchestra presents its Christmas Gala concert on Tuesday for the second year in a row.

The concert will be held under the musical and artistic direction of maestro Francis Guy and will bring together the musicians of the Symphony Orchestra and a charismatic 15-year-old pianist. Last month, Anna Avramidou was the Grand Prix Winner of the 6th International Franz Liszt Competition for Young Pianists in Weimar, Germany. This month, she is back in her homeland to perform Edvard Grieg’s legendary Concerto for Piano and Orchestra on Limassol’s big stage.

Despite her young years, she already has noteworthy accomplishments under her belt. She is the winner of several competitions, has participated in music festivals and has performed alongside the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Vienna Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Commandaria Orchestra and the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. Anna’s past performances have also included a piano recital at the Cyprus Wine Museum and an appearance at the inauguration of Eleftheria Square in 2021.

This Christmas, she will join the Limassol Municipality Symphony Orchestra for a special festive programme. The concert will begin with Troika from Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kijé film suite and will be followed by Aram Khachaturian’s splendid waltz from the powerful Masquerade ballet. An important place in the programme is given to the Waltz of Hope, by Cypriot composer Stelios Pisis. Also part of the evening’s repertoire is the beloved second waltz from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake as well as the splendid Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka by Johann Strauss II.

The musical evenings will continue at Pattihio Theatre on Friday and Saturday as the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Limassol Municipality presents its annual Christmas concert titled Thoughts of Love. Their performance will also include Cypriot soprano Aliki Chrysochou, the Diastasis Vocal Ensembles and its children’s choir. Friday’s concert will commence at 8.30pm while Saturday’s concert will take place at 7pm. All of the proceeds raised from both performances will be donated to the Social Market of the Limassol Municipality.

Christmas Gala concert

With the Limassol Municipality Symphony Orchestra and 15-year-old pianist Anna Avramidou. December 19. Pattihio Municipal Theatre, Limassol. 8.30pm. €10-15. www.pattihio.com.cy

Thoughts of Love

Christmas concert of the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Limassol Municipality with guest performances. December 22 (8.30pm) and 23 (7pm). Pattihio Municipal Theatre, Limassol. www.pattihio.com.cy