Constellation of stars set to shine at Sydney’s Greek festival


The 38th Greek Festival of Sydney features a full programme of events over eight weeks during which artists from the Greek community in Australia, and Greece will be showcasing their work  to the community and the general public.

On the music front, the two most outstanding names are Maria Farandouri and Giota Negka.

Ms Negka is considered the top female voice in Greek popular music and is coming to Australia for the first time. She will be giving a concert at The Factory on Wednesday, 26 February and she will be performing again at Darling Harbour on Sunday, 1 March.

Considered Miki Thedoraki’s muse, this is not the first time Maria Farandouri  has been in the Antipodes, but it is expected to be one of her most memorable appearances here. She will be performing with the Israeli tenor, Assaf Kacholi, to present the Theodarakis production The Ballad of Mauthausen. Other Songs of Humanity will feature a selection of Theodorakis’ most beautiful songs and will include the poetry by Seferis, Elytis, Cavafy and Lorca.

The concert will take place at the City Recital Hall in Sydney on Wednesday, 29 April and Thursday, 30 April. The event will be in honour of the great composer who turns 95 later this year.

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The big two-day festival at will be held at Darling Harbour’s Tumbalong Park in on Saturday, 29 February: 3pm-10pm and Sunday, 1 March: 10am-10pm. It will incorporate a large number of events that will include dance, music, as well as kiosks, competitions and plenty more for young and old.

Before the main acts, dozens will showcase their creative spirit through a variety of performances in the form of theatre, concerts, cinema, book launches and essay presentations and more.

Highlights will include the theatrical presentation of The Lady of Ro by a Greek theatre group; the Aristophanes play Wealth, the presentation of the book The Glebe Point Road Blues by Vrasidas Karalis, the screening of the Costa-Gavras film Adults in the Room, with a Question and Answer session by Yanis Varoufakis author of the book about the Greek economic bailout in 2015 on which the film is based; and many other festival events.

“The establishment of the festival and its acceptance by the public at large illustrates Australia’s multicultural diversity. In its 38th year we are presented with an excellent mix of events and talents from the Greek community and Greece to continue in this way the tradition that the festivals provide a high quality,” said the president of the Greek Community of Sydney.

The president of the Greek Festival of Sydney’s organising committee and the vice-president of the community, Ourania Karteri said: “The festival offers an opportunity for everyone regardless of their origin to come and enjoy the richness of Greek culture. It also demonstrates the contribution of the contribution of the Greek Australian community to Australia’s prosperity in every sector.

“Our main celebrations in the festival will take place for the 16th year in a row at Darling Harbour where tens of thousands of people are expected to come,” said Ms Karteri.

The festival is an initiative of the Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales and is sponsored by the New South Wales government with a $100,000 grant. And for yet another year the festival’s largest private-sector sponsor is Delphi Bank.

Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour is easily accessible by private or public transport (trains, buses, ferries or light rail). Be aware though that there may be traffic delays in reaching the inner-city venue.

For more details about the festival and the festival programme visit the festival website at : www.greekfestivalofsydney.com.au

Themis Kallos is a member of the community and member of organising committee of the Greek Festival of Sydney and is Programme Manager for the SBS Greek radio station which is broadcast daily on 1107AM

The star of Greek demotic music Giota Negka who will be coming to Australia for the first time will one of the star acts at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour and will be performing on Sunday night.

 

Maria Farandouri and Israeli tenor will star in Miki Theodorakis’ The Ballad of Mauthausen and Other Songs of Humanity which is a selection of Theodorakis’ most beautiful songs and will include the poetry by Seferis, Elytis, Cavafy and Lorca.
A scene from the Costa-Gavras film Adults in the Room based on the book about the Greek economic meltdown by Yanis Varoufakis. The film will be screened at Event Cinemas on George Street on 28 February at 6.30pm. The author will then take part in a Question and Answer session after the screening of the film.
Writer Vrasidas Karalis will be presenting his book of poetry and prose The Glebe Point Road Blues as part of the festival in Sydney.
A scene from the play The Lady of Ro which will be performed by a theatre group from Greece during the Greek Festival of Sydney.