On Saturday, November 2, the work of C. P. Cavafy will spring back to life through the melodies of Dimitris Papadimitriou, like an “old habit” or “a teen love hard to get over” in every corner of the Onassis Stegi Main Stage.

“Cavafy is set to music. Not easy to impossible if you are not an Egyptian. Difficult even if you are. But it is set to music. In the sense that at some point you may feel him smiling at you – somewhat sardonically… Only if he likes something about you will the wily Alexandrian slowly clean his lenses – a secret sign that by polishing them meticulously, he will let your reflection reflect blurredly onto his legendary round, little glasses. This is what it means to ‘set Cavafy to music’,” says the composer.

The work of Dimitris Papadimitriou, «…an Alexandrian writing on an Alexandrian», was written and first presented at the official opening of the iconic Library of Alexandria in October 2002. Subsequently, it was performed in major venues around the world, including Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center in New York (with Rolando Villazón, among others), the Salle de Conférences II at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris with the same performers, the Athens Concert Hall, the Herodesion and many other venues. Last May, it was applauded on the packed Main Stage of the Onassis Stegi with the great composer’s artistic signature, in a version for an eleven-piece chamber orchestra.

SINGING AND PERFORMING
Music & stage direction: Dimitris Papadimitriou
Singers and Performers:  Giota Nega, Artemis Bogri, Babis Velissarios, Veronica Davaki, Aimilianos Stamatakis, Κonstantinos Markoulakis

The Musicians: Sergiu Nastasa (violin), Otilia Alitei (violin), Michalis Vrettas (violin), Chrysostomos Karantoniou (guitar), Yorgos Goumenakis (mandolin), Yorgos Arnis (double bass), Dimitris Kontos (percussiοn), Artemis Vavtsika (accordion), Apostolis Margazis (piano), Kostis Theos (cello), Lilian Esipova (harp), Nicole Peppa (clarinet), Dimitris Vamvas (oboe)

Orchestral Arrangement: Tassos Rosopoulos
Set Design: Paris Mexis