8th International Festival of the Aegean 2012 - Press Release

400 musicians, dancers & actors to take center stage at 8th Annual International Festival of the Aegean, July 9-22, in Syros, Greece

The International Festival of the Aegean begins its eight season on the Island of Syros, Greece, on July 9, and continues through July 22, 2012, announced Peter Tiboris, Festival Founder and General Director.

More than 400 artists will perform at the Festival, including 19 choirs from the USA, Canada, France, and Greece; guest conductors; dancers; actors from Great Britain and the USA; a piano trio from New Zealand; and solo artists from throughout Europe, the United States, and Mexico.

Mr. Tiboris said: "This is going to be an extraordinary Festival with a wide range of music, and performances from the worlds of theater, ballet, and music—and everything in between. World-class artists will be appearing in many roles, not only as on-stage performers but also in artistic development. We have stretched the Festival to another amazing level."

The International Festival of the Aegean was named “Best Summer Festival in Greater Greece for 2011” by the Union of Greek Theatre and Music Critics of Athens, Greece. The award will be presented to Mr. Tiboris and the Island of Syros by Mayor Yiannis Dekavalles on Monday, July 9, opening night.

Also on opening night, Mr. Tiboris will conduct the Symphony Orchestra of the National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Tirana, Albania (Zhani Ciko, General Director) in two Beethoven works, the “Emperor” Concerto with pianist Dimitris Sgouros, and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, July 10, 12, and 14, Richard Strauss’ opera Salome will be given a rare performance in Greece. In the title role will be the Finnish-Canadian soprano Eilana Lappalainen, who has sung the demanding role throughout the world from Japan, to New York, and to Tel Aviv. Other artists performing leading roles are Peter Svensson, Tenor, as Herod; Graciela Araya, Mezzo-soprano, as Herodias; Anooshah Golesorki, Baritone, as Jochanaan; Keith Ikaia-Purdy, Tenor, as Narraboth; and Maria, Ratkova, Soprano, as the Page of Herodias. The opera will be conducted by  Wiktor Bockman of Zurich, Switzerland; and directed by Dirk Schattner of Hamburg, Germany. Lighting is by Jens Huebner.

On July 11, a Symphony and Choral Evening will take place featuring Pergolesi's Stabat Mater conducted by Francis Bardot, of Paris, France; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 conducted by Mr. Tiboris.

The Third Annual Sunset Concert Music Series at St. Nicholas Church will take place at 6 p.m. on July 13. The four choruses performing are Yellow Rose Singers, San Antonio, TX, Gary L. Mabry, Director; Choeur d'Enfants d'Ile-de-France, Paris, Francis Bardot, Director; Ambitus Choir, Athens, Greece, Katerina Vasilikou, Director; and Corfu Island Children's Choir & Corfu Mixed Chorus, Greece, Christina Kalliaridou, Director. This concert is free and open to the public.

On July 13, the New Zealand Chamber Soloists (Lara Hall, Violin; James Tennant, Cello; Katherine Austin, Piano) will make their Festival Debut in Beethoven's Triple Concerto conducted by Mr. Tiboris. He will also conduct Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony.

A new program, “One Hour Rush Concert,” will be inaugurated on July 14 from 6-7 p.m. The works to be performed by New Zealand Chamber Soloists are Mozart’s Trio in B-flat major, K.502; Kalomiri’s Violin Sonata (In commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of his death); and Psathas’ Three Island Songs. This concert will be free and open to the public.

On July 15 in Miaoulli Plateia at 10 p.m., the Second Annual "Under the Stars" concert will be performed. British composer and conductor John Rutter leads a chorus of 350 voices in his Magnificat. He also will conduct the world premiere of his new work, Fanfare. Following, Zhani Ciko, General Director of the Symphony Orchestra of the National Theater of Opera and Ballet, Tirana, Albania, will conduct Nikola Zoraqi’s Festival Overture and Thoma Gaqi’s Albanian Dance (with tambour). Peter Tiboris will conduct Ravel's Bolero which will be danced by Maria Kousouni, principal dancer of the Greek National Opera (Renato Zanella, Choreographer); and the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (“Choral”) featuring all of the choirs.

Pianist Christos Papageorgeou will make his Festival debut on July 16 performing a solo piano recital "Stylistic Variations on a Song by Mikis Theodorakis" based  on the themes and variations of the music of Mikis Theodorakis. This concert is free and open to the public.

On  Tuesday, July 17, Aquila Theater of New York City returns to the Festival for a performance of Euripides’ Heracles, with a cast from the USA and Great Britain.

On July 19 Principals, soloists and chorus dancers of the Greek National Opera Ballet will perform a new work to music by Johann Strauss II, “Alles Walzer” (Everyone's Waltzing); as well as Brian Eno/Laurie Anderson/John Hassel’s “Empty Places;” Minkus’ Don Quixote pas de deux; Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet pas de deux; and J. Strauss II’s Blue Danube pas de deux. All works are choreographed by Renato Zanella.

The Greek Opera Studio, founded by Eilana Lappalainen, Artistic Director, will spotlight young artists performing excerpts and scenes from the operatic music of Puccini and Mozart, among others, on July 20.

The final performances at the Festival, on July 21 and 21, will be repeats of the ballet program of July 19.

Starting on May 15th 2012, tickets will be available for the Festival of the Aegean at the Apollo Opera Theater on a daily basis (22810 85192) and through http://www.ticketservices.gr

Following are a listing of choruses participating in the festival, followed by a day-to-day schedule of the events at the Festival: