Summer Nostos Festival comes back for the fourth consecutive year; the festival’s name comes from a Greek word for “homecoming”, the root of the word nostalgia: “the inexhaustible desire to return to all things familiar”. The festival takes place at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) on June 17-24, and its multiple events aim to give everyone a chance to relive the carefree summers of their childhood. Most of the events are addressed to people of all ages and admission is free for all!
Classical & Symphonic Music
As ever, the SNFCC is the place for all lovers of classical and symphonic music: the Armonia Atenea Orchestra will give a concert with baroque renditions of Beatle’s and Elvis’ hits; Composer Philippos Tsalahouris will present his opus “Standing Requiem for the poet Anna Akhmatova”; the American Contemporary Music Ensemble will present a selection from John Cage’s Fontana Mix; American pianist Simone Dinnerstein will perform J. S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations; other important productions include performances by Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, Achilleas Wastor and a live documentary with the Kronos Quartet; the Toronto-based singing group Choir! Choir! Choir! will unite the voices of all members of the audience to celebrate World Refugee Day.
Pop & Rock music
Legendary John Cale and his band will perform a song set spanning his half-century career; British songwriter and singer Kate Stables presents her musical project This Is The Kit; Avey Tare and Panda Bear will perform their breakthrough 2004 album Sung Tongs; Brazilian songwriter and singer Seu Jorge will perform a special tribute to David Bowie with the Athens State Orchestra; Theater of War present a dramatic reading and re-enactment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final sermon; also, two of Greece’s most popular acts, famous singer Anna Vissi and pop-rock band Onirama will give you a taste of Greece’s contemporary pop scene! Also the Greek electronic music pioneers Stereo Nova reunite twenty years after their last project.
World music
Electronic music is fused with ethnic elements in four exciting performances by representatives from African’s vibrant electronic scene : producer Bampa Pana and MC Makavelli from Tanzania; Rudeboyz producers and DJ’s from South Africa; and Otim Alpha as well as DJ Kampire from Uganda. Folk music and many of its sub-genres (neo-folk, electro-folk, Afro-folk) will be performed by several artists: The Barr Brothers from Canada, Alexi Murdoch and also Lianne La Havas from the UK, Lebanese Yasmine Hamdan and South-African Bongeziwe Mabandla. In Petrakis, Lopez and Chemirani’s performance, Cretan music meets melodies from medieval Europe and Persian musical tradition. Evelyne Glennie will perform the percussion music she composes despite her hearing loss.
Dance
The renowned American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company (ABT), a classical ensemble of outstanding potential, will curate a series of choreographies extending from classical masterpieces to contemporary works, while Monica Bill Barnes & Company will present a two-women show in Happy Hour. Konstantinos Rigos, one of Greece’s most famous choreographers, will presents his production, The Rite of Spring, while the Greek National Opera’s Dance School collaborates with ABT Studio Company in Lamento; the productions Seeking Bliss and BASTET give a taste from Greece’s vibrant contemporary dance scene. The interactive performance Passing Through invites everyone to a game of creative walking.
Circus
Clowns and physical comedy, juggling, hula-hoop shows, magic tricks: the dazzling word of circus delights audiences of all ages, but holds a special place in the heart of children. Accomplished performers, such as the hoop artist Anna Jack, the juggler Grant Goldie and the magician Mark Mitton, will be entertaining visitors throughout the festival with events like the Circus Outdoors and Comedy Circus. Some these experienced performers will also be teaching skills and secrets of their job at the Circus Workshop held daily!
Children’s activities
Summer is, of course, children’s favourite season, and no one ever forgets the summers of their childhood! Children’s activities therefore hold a special place in the festival’s programme. These include educational activities, such as the Nostos University for Kids project and a Robotics workshop, fun activities, like Painting the World and traditional Karagiozis shows and also a great number of sports activities, from climbing and fencing to rowing and badminton. A lot of the athletic activities are of course addressed to people of all ages.
Lectures & other events
The 7th SNF International Conference on Philanthropy will be taking place on the sidelines of the Festival, exploring one of the most discussed and debated concepts of our times, that of “Disruption”. Also, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, in collaboration with the SNF, will host a workshop to examine how ideological division and partisanship are pulling at the fabric of democracy around the world. Furthermore, in response to the choice of disruption as the theme of this year’s conference, the visual arts component of Summer Nostos Festival disrupts or interrupts its regular programme with selected videos and films by distinguished international artists that tackle the very notion of disruption in a variety of ways, addressing sociopolitical concerns as well as universal existential issues.
N.M.
