Austrian-Greek Tribute to Mikis Theodorakis - Reference to Franz Schubert
Archaeological Museum of Patras
Saturday 24 August 2025, Time: 8:30pm
Admission free
On the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2025), and in frame of the Austrian-Greek Music Summer 2025, an initiative of the Austrian Embassy in Athens, the 2nd Golfo Festival in collaboration with the Centre for Music - Culture "Hellenikon Idyllion", and the Theatre Laboratory of Drama & Speech (ESPLo) of the Department of Theatre Studies - University of Patras, organize in Patras, Akrata, and Selianitika three concerts - tributes to Mikis Theodorakis, with three parallel musical references to Franz Schubert.
The Vienna-based FRESCO Quartet, joining with the Greek cellist Lucia Loulaki, will present some brilliant compositions by Mikis Theodorakis, Franz Schubert, and Werner Schulze.
The troubadour Yannis Karamanos completes the homage to Mikis Theodorakis, performing with his guitar some well-known and beloved songs of the honored Greek composer.
THE PROGRAM
Saturday, 23 August 2025, Time: 20.30
PATRA, Archaeological Museum (Amphitheatre)
Mikis Theodorakis (1925–2021)
— String Quartet No 3 - "Epoca Nocturna" - 1948, 8΄
— String Quartet No 2 - "The Cemetery" - 1946, 8΄
— "Selected Songs", Yannis Karamanos, 20΄
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Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
— String Quintet in C major D 956 - 1828, 55΄
Sunday, 24 August 2025, Time: 20.30
ΑΚRΑΤΑ, Church of St. Charalambos (Courtyard area)
(Program repetition)
Tuesday, 26 August 2025, Time: 20:30
SELIANITIKA, Music-Culture Centre "Hellenikon Idyllion"
Mikis Theodorakis (1925–2021)
— String Quartet No 3 - "Epoca Nocturna" - 1948, 8΄
Werner Schulze (1952-)
— String Quartet a-d-e-g, 2023, 7΄
Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
— String Quintet in C major D 956 - 1828, 55΄
The Composers
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was an Austrian composer of the Romantic period. Born in Vienna, he showed musical talent at an early age and received a solid education. Despite his short life, he composed over 600 songs, numerous symphonies, chamber music, piano works and masses. He is particularly well known for his song cycles such as "Die schöne Müllerin" and "Winterreise". Schubert lived in modest circumstances and only achieved greater recognition after his death. His music is characterised by deep emotional expressiveness and harmonic innovation, making him one of the most important composers of his time. His String Quintet in C major, D. 956, is a monumental work of chamber music and one of the last pieces the composer completed.
MIKIS THEODORAKIS
Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2021) was a Greek composer, writer and politician. He was a resistance fighter against National Socialism during World War II. He was subsequently imprisoned and tortured during the Greek Civil War and during the period of the Junta of the Colonels (1967). Theodorakis composed, among other things, four string quartets. “The Cemetery” (1946), as well as “Epoca Nocturna” (1948), refer to the events of World War II and are therefore in a dark mood. However, these works, by the then 21-year-old composer, also contain many familiar Greek motifs, the expressiveness of which characterizes Theodorakis' music as much as anything else.
WERNER SCHULZE
Composer, musician, author, scientist, university professor (University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, founder and director of the International Centre for Harmonics). Schulze's compositions include works for orchestra - including four symphonies - as well as chamber music, solo and study works and music for (mostly his own) poetry. Some of these works can be assigned to one of three focal points: 1. Gesamt- kunstwerke of a philosophical-theological nature, which are summarised under the generic terms Philosophy on Stage and Theology on Stage; 2. works associated with Greek antiquity (text, music, performance concept): Socrates, anchibasíe, Oidipus Tyrannos, Trygaios, Prometheus Desmotes; 3. dance-music-language works, partly in cooperation with the Jakarta/Indonesia-based theatre-dance-music ensemble TEATER TETAS, whose artistic director he was from 2011-2017. Awards: 5 competition successes, 6 promotion and appreciation awards in composition, 2 in science and 1 in performing arts.
 | FRESCO Quartet The members of the FRESCO Quartet found each other in 2020 during their chamber music studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. The individual personalities, specialisms and cultural roots of the members complement each other musically to form a richly textured and colorful fresco. After dedications to Austrian composers and recording projects were followed by performances in several concert halls in Vienna and on international tours. |
 | Leslie Wan-Yu Chou - Violin The violinist Leslie Wan-Yu Chou, originally from Taiwan, completed her diploma and a master's degree in chamber music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. She is a versatile musician both in chamber music and orchestral playing and has performed on renowned stages in Europe and the USA. In addition to her passion for classical music, she also devotes herself to participating in film music productions and concerts with contemporary music. Since 2021 she has been teaching at grammar schools in Vienna. |
 | I-Ping Cheng - Violin I-Ping Cheng was born in Taiwan and received her first violin lessons at the age of four. At the age of 14, she won first prize at the national competition in Taiwan. In 2018, she completed her studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. As a versatile musician, she is active both as a soloist chamber music and in the orchestra. She currently plays regularly in the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, in the Vienna Volksoper and in the orchestra of the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien. Her performances have taken her to major concert venues and festivals in Austria, Germany, Spain, England, Slovenia and Taiwan. |
 | Loredana Apetrei - Viola Loredana Apetrei was born in Romania in 1993 and studied viola and chamber music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Over the years Loredana has performed several times as a soloist with orchestras as well as chamber musician. She has performed throughout Austria and Europe with the Selini Quartet and has won prizes at important international competitions (Szymanowski Competition Poland, Prague Spring, Ysaye Competition Belgium). She is a member of several chamber music ensembles and plays projects with professional orchestras (Vienna Symphony Orchestra and others). She has been teaching at the Amadeus International School since 2022. |
 | Stefan Teufert - Violoncello Stefan Teufert after various studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (violoncello, chamber music, historical performance practice), Stefan has specialized in chamber music. Together with illustrious colleagues he performs in major concert halls in Austria and throughout Europe. He has attended numerous masterclasses and has won prizes at national and international competitions. Stefan teaches in Wiener Neustadt and is the organizer of the concert cycle “Variacello”. |
 | Loukia Loulaki - VioloncelloLoukia Loulaki was born in Athens. She studied violoncello as a scholarship holder at the Athens Conversatorium where she graduated at the age of 16 with the highest honors. A scholarship enabled her to take postgraduate courses with Natalia Gutman at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole (Italy). In 2010, supported by a scholarship from the Onassis Foundation she continued her studies at the Music and Arts Private University of Vienna for the master's program, which she completed with the highest honors. In 2021 she also finished the chamber music studies at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Loukia has often performed as a soloist with orchestra: /Athens State Orchestra, State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, Orchestra of Colors, Orchestra Ciudad de Granada Orchestra, Vienna Young Philharmonic Orchestra, Paneuropean Philharmonia, Greek Radio Orchestra ERT. She is a prizewinner of the Prague Spring Competition (Czech Republic), mdw Great Talent Award (Austria), Ysaye International Music Competition/ (Belgium) and the Szymanowski International Music Competition (Poland). She has given solo and chamber music concerts throughout Europe, China, Japan, Brazil and Peru, partly as a member of the Selini Quartet, which has been Austria's official Cultural Ambassador. Since 2020 she has been teaching a masterclass for cello and chamber music in Athens. |
 | Yannis Karamanos - Singer, Kitharist Originally from Aegio, he studied Law in Athens, while at the same time he attended classical guitar lessons. He devoted himself to music, which he made his main profession, collaborating for many years with the great composer Yannis Spanos, but also with other great artists on a smaller scale. His musical path has always been intertwined with the guitar, which is now part of his body... |
