THE WILLIAM WALTON MUSIC COMMUNITY OF HYDRA is pleased to announce THE COMMUNITY’S INAUGURAL CONCERT

September 19, 2026 — 8:30 p.m.
ON THE ROOFTOP OF THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVES – MUSEUM OF HYDRA

Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht
SONGS
and
Edith Sitwell and William Walton

FAÇADE

A musical entertainment
featuring
Anna Steiger — mezzo-soprano and narrator
Tim Coleman — narrator
The William Walton Music Society Ensemble
Julian Reynolds and Frank van den Brink — musical direction
Frank van den Brink — creator and producer

FREE ADMISSION

Τhe Songs:
Surabaya Johnny
Bilbao Song
Pirate Jenny

Façade, An Entertainment, a musical work by the poet Edith Sitwell and the composer William Walton, is an exceptionally evocative combination of theater and chamber music, created in the
1920s.
Each of the work’s 21 short movements—with a total duration of approximately 40 minutes—is based on a poem by Sitwell, which is recited rhythmically to the accompaniment of a six-piece ensemble:
flute/piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, trumpet, alto saxophone, cello, and percussion.

Movement titles such as “Tango/Pasodoble,” “Tarantella,” “Country Dance,” “Polka,” and “Valse” hint at the strongly dance-oriented character of much of the music. Cheerful, sparkling, and full of vitality, the work is a quintessential expression of the optimistic and experimental spirit of the “Roaring Twenties,” the frenetic 1920s.

The poetry and music are of high quality, yet at the same time immediately accessible. Façade is thus ideal for an outdoor performance in Hydra and can delight a very wide audience. The stage on the rooftop of the Historical Archives–Museum, with the imposing and beautiful rock as a backdrop, offers an ideal setting for the performance. Approximately 200 spectators will be able to watch the concert from the terrace, while, thanks to discreet sound amplification, the audience at the harbor will also be able to enjoy it.