After a short summer break, the University of Cyprus’ annual Cultural Festival returns this September and October. The Michalis Pieris Cultural Centre in the old town reopens its doors on September 3, welcoming back artists, the university community, and the culture-loving public.

“This year’s programme presents a multifaceted selection of artistic events bound by aesthetic coherence presenting different forms of art, and bringing together more than 250 contributors from Cyprus and abroad,” say organisers.

“Axiothea welcomes established artists as well as young creators from countries that span a wide geographical area: France, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Turkey, Cuba, Spain, Slovenia, and, of course, Cyprus at the centre of this world of creativity,” they add.

Concerts and recitals will take place spanning diverse musical genres from classical to traditional music, from jazz, contemporary, and world music influenced by the musical heritage of distant nations, to sacred melodies that carry the weight of rituals and ineffable rites.

Internationally-renowned artists will perform for the first time in Cyprus at the festival, among them acclaimed French double bassist Kham Meslien, rising Slovenian ensemble Širom, and Markus Stockhausen with his ensemble from Germany.

Opening the second part of the festival is a performance that presents the cultural heritage of the Kokkinochoria region through song, dance and folk poetry. The Kimon Gymnastic Club of Xylotymbou celebrates 100 years since its founding and marks the occasion with traditional Cypriot dances, songs and poems.

Short lyrical love songs will be recited, along with poetic dialogues incorporating folkloric elements, as well as narrative ballads conveying historical events – such as the drowning of a dozen people in the Liopetri river on the day of the Kataklysmos (The Flood) Festival of 1919.

On Friday, a shadow theatre performance will continue the art established in Cyprus by the late Karagiozis performer Christodoulos Pafios and his son Achilleas, from Chlorakas by presenting a classical comedy. Karagiozis and the Riddles of Grand Vizier’s Daughter will entertain audiences with this historical Cypriot art form and share an overview of the history and development of shadow theatre as it evolved in Greece and Cyprus.

On September 9, the Confucius frm UCy will present something a little different – the Chinese science fiction film The Wandering Earth II.

Until early October, a dozen more productions will step onto the floor of the majestic Michalis Pieris Cultural Centre, bringing rhythms, dances and melodies from near and far.

28th Cultural Festival of the University of Cyprus

Annual festival with cultural performances from Cyprus and abroad. September 3-October 10. Michalis Pieris Cultural Centre UCY, Nicosia. Tel: 22-894531-2, www.ucy.ac.cy