Musical Settings across Borders

Thursday, August 25, 18:30–19:00 • Aula Auditorium, 203

Stamatia GEROTHANASI (soprano)

Athanasios TRIKOUPIS (piano)

The majority of Greek composers came into contact with the western European art music mainly while they lived abroad. Greece, a newly founded state, as a former part of the Ottoman Empire, needed more time to be integrated into the West and become a conveyor of the European culture. Many Greek composers set to music Italian, French, and German poetry during their stay in central Europe. Conversely, distinguished European composers, due to their contact with Greek expatriates, were inspired by the philhellenic spirit, and set to music European poetry that promoted worldwide the philhellenic movement. Clear examples of both categories are presented in the song recital.

Program

• Benedict Randhartinger (1802–1893), Maid of Athens (poem by Lord Byron; first performance)
• Nicolo Metaxa Zani (1824–1907), Oh! Di me Diva ed arbitra: Romanza, op. 23 (poem by Filippo Luzi; first performance)
• Giorgio Lambiri (1833–1889), La Preghiera di Gioas, op. 67 (poem by Metastasio)
• Mario Foscarina (1850–1921), Sérénade Italienne (poem by Paul Bourget; first performance)
• Demetrio Androni (1865–1918), Sul Mare: Canzone quasi Barcarola (poem by Demetrio Androni)
• Emile Riadis (1880–1935), “L’Orpheline” (Trois Chansons Macédoniennes no. 2; poem by Emile Riadis)
• George Metaxa (1889–1956), Der Tod (poem by Friedrich Hölderlin; first performance)