De Sappho de Mytilène à Elytis

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JOURNEY THROUGH TIME, TO THE GREECE OF OUR DREAMS, SHARING STRONG EMOTIONS THANKS TO THE CONTRALTO VOICE OF ANGELIQUE IONATOS AND NENA VENETSANOU - - In Sappho of Mytilene, each song is short, just like Sappho's poems. The music they inspired in me is polychrome, like those Greek statues that were long believed to be made of white marble when they were actually colored and painted. Sappho's verses compelled me to walk a new path in musical composition: simple, almost spontaneous, where melody took precedence over harmony. - - From the beginning, I envisioned two female voices along with a small instrumental ensemble primarily composed of plucked and bowed strings, percussion, and clarinet. At the premiere in 1991, Nena Venetsanou was by my side; her unforgettable voice remains etched on the album we recorded together. In 2007, I had the joy of sharing the stage and introducing the audience to the young singer and magnificent musician Katerina Fotinaki. She inspired me to revive this show, and I am grateful to her. Angélique Ionatos. - - - - - SOME MUSIC CARRIES THE SOUL; “WORD OF JULY” MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE IT SPEAKS TO THE SOUL AND ADDRESSES THE SOUL. IN THE MAGIC OF REFINEMENT AND SIMPLICITY COMBINED. ISN'T THAT WHAT WE CALL GRACE? “In 1992, I received from Odysseus Elytis a small book with a blue cardboard cover, the title engraved in red. Below the title, a drawing of a mermaid holding a boat in one hand and a fish in the other. Inside the book, accordion-folded family photos of Elytis unfolded, accompanied by phrases like a body shivering with sensations. The poem was titled “Word of July.” One day, I set music to the first paragraph of the poem. But I didn’t know if I was setting the poem or the photo to music. The alchemy was very mysterious. I noticed that these photos, instead of playing a reductive role on the poetic content, only enhanced its power. I found myself projecting my own childhood memories onto the little blue book. “Word of July” echoed in my mind like one of those solemn phrases spoken in childhood that leave adults skeptical: “Word of honor! Word of a child!” Angélique Ionatos.