Tous des oiseaux

On June 14, 2019, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus will be inundated with the colours and rhythms of renowned Greek composer Eleni Karaindrou. At the Athens Festival, 31 years after her legendary previous concert in Odeon of Herodes Atticus (1988), Eleni will present a rich music programme in two parts.

Part A includes her new work for the international ECM New Series release Tous des oiseaux which has met with great success. The album, with a cover created by outstanding painter Christos Bokoros, includes two works, the music for the play Tous des oiseaux written and directed by Wajdi Mouawad, artistic director of the National Theatre La Colline in Paris and the music for the film by Iranian director Payman Maadi, Bomb, a love story. This music received a nomination at the 12^th Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Part B features beloved pieces from her work with Theo Angelopoulos, Tonia Marketaki, Margarethe von Trotta, Christophoros Christophis, Jules Dassin and Antonis Antypas. Eleni Karaindrou will play the piano, surrounded by leading soloists amongst which: David Lynch (tenor saxophone), Vangelis Christopoulos (oboe), Stella Gadedi Iflute), Alexandros Botinis (violoncello), Giannis Evangelatos (bassoon), Ilias Skordilis (clarinet), Kostas Siskos (French horn), Dinos Hadjiiordanou (accordion), Aris Dimitriadis mandolin. There will be the participation of Socratis Sinopoulos, (lyra and lute virtuoso), along with Nikos Paraoulakis (ney), Stephanos Dorbarakis (kanonaki) and Giorgos Kontogiannis (percussion and Cretan lyra).

A string ensemble with Iro Seira as concertino forms the core of the compositions and has taken part both in their recording and also in the composer’s concert in the National Theatre La Colline in Paris last December.

Savina Giannatou is singing in both part A and B of the programme, re-interpreting Eleni’s work.

Manfred Eicher is the artistic director of the concert and Antonis Antypas is the stage director. Giorgos Karyotis, who has been Eleni’s permanent collaborator for 30 years, is the sound engineer. Lighting is done by Periklis Mathielis.

The leading Greek composer, who belongs to ECM’s team of musicians along with Socratis Sinopoulos and Savina Giannatou, dedicates her concert to Manfred Eicher on the occasion of the 50-year anniversary since the founding of ECM.