Παρασκευή 27 Μαρτίου 2015

Porphyra, a Grecian Rock Opera post cards


You can get your tickets now from the Carnegie Hall website- www.Carnegiehall.org.
You can also help financially support the project and receive plenty of exclusive VIP perks and gifts over at our crowd funding campaign at Crowdzu (www.crowdzu.com). This money will help with our theater and production expenses, rehearsals, costumes, props and marketing.
And for all things Porphyra head over to our website www.porphyraband.com.

A MESAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERATION OF HELLENIC SOCIETIES OF GREATER NEW YORK MR. PETROS GALATOULAS

On this day, a great debt jolts within our thoughts, from within our souls and hearts, and through our minds and conscience. But this debt is not just a national obligation; it is a priviledge as well. One that belongs to the Greeks, who have built new Parthenons for centuries.
1821 and all its battles to the very end are not in the past. It is the present and the future. Those lessons have always been great messages, that the soft winds have taken them within their wings, and passed them on from generation to generation and from our thoughts and hearts, and laid them into our desires and hopes of today.
These messages, within the spirit of our national anniversary, inspire us to maintain the lights of our ethnic revival, to brighten the path of our race’s fate and our nation’s ideals. The ideals of our religion and nation with the strong belief of Kolokotronis and the prayers of Kanaris. To drive us to our path of duty and obligation.
The crisis that our nation is facing today has many similarities to 1821, and these transcending messages are necessary to guide us. Let us embrace unity, competitiveness, cohesiveness, and national solidarity, so that the difficult winter is followed by a nicer spring, away from the financial slavery that foreign powers, cheerleaders of globalization, are forcing upon us.
A great fire developed from the flame of March 25, which then lightened, not just the enslaved Greeks, but all enslaved peoples of those times as well. Our nation today has yet another great challenge, to lighten up another flame, not just to free ourselves, but also help free other European nations that are also enslaved under today’s world of impoverishment.
It is everybody’s duty to affirm to the graves of our fallen, that Greece will never die. Let us send a reminder that our Nation has gone through difficult periods throughout history, but when it needed to defend its freedom, its land, and its human dignity, we knew very well how to unite and revive ourselves from our ashes.
We, as Greeks, who live in this beautiful and strong country, have to be proud for the heroes of 1821, and always celebrate on 5th Avenue our great fame and achievements of those who spilled blood then, so that we can be free today.
Finally, let us cultivate the talents of our fighters of 1821, laity and clergy, whilst elevating our Greek and Christian strengths, our national beliefs, our virtues and ethnic values, and block the teachings of intolerance and division that are created and forced amongst us by our enemies. Let us always maintain our Greekness, for all Greeks and Greece itself. Our guide will be our knowledge of History; our belief, the belief in God and country; our compass, the virtues of our race; and our objective, the fate of our nation.
God bless our nation.
God bless the heroes of 1821.
God bless our Greek American Community.
And may God protect Greece and the United States of America.
President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, Mr. Petros Galatoulas

The 2015 Greek Independence Day Parade Grand Marshal Governor Andrew Mark Cuomo


The Grand Marshal Gala is held on the Saturday before the parade in one
of the great Manhattan Hotels.
At the Gala the Federation honors the
Grand Marshals of the parade and the Grand benefactors.
The Pre-Parade Gala is held the Saturday a week before the Parade at
the Terrace on the Park in Queens.
At the Pre-Parade Gala the Federation honors
all the Valunteers of the parde
Governor Andrew Mark Cuomo
The Bowling Green Flag raising cerimony is held the Friday before
the Parade at the Bowling Green Park in Lower Manhattan

The Grand Marshal Gala

Philip Christopher
Chairman

March 28, 2015

7:00 pm

@

NEW YORK HILTON MIDTOWN

1335 AVENUE OF THE AMERICASNEW YORKNEW YORK10019USA

Πέμπτη 26 Μαρτίου 2015

“Porphyra, a Grecian Rock Opera” Debuts at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Theater on Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 8:00pm


Porphyra, a Grecian Rock Opera arose out of the simple concept to combine Greek History and Folk Music with Hard Rock and Melodic Metal.

“Poet you will sing about the day
We pledged our hearts my love and I
To the glorious empire of Greece
For what is man’s soul of culture deprived?”

The preceding excerpt is taken from Porphyra’s crowning epic “988AD- In the Time of Basil II Emperor of Byzantium”, enthusiastically labeled as “Byzantine Rock” by the press.

This is the story of Grand Prince Vladimir of the Kievan Rus and Princess Anna Porphyrogenita of Constantinople. They meet and fall in love in the tumultuous year of 988 AD. Following Vladimir and his nation’s conversion to Greek Orthodox Christianity, the balance of power shifts, ushering a second Golden Age for Byzantium and a new civilization for young Russia. Our hero, Vladimir was the first King of the Rus, ancestor of the Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians. Princess Anna was instrumental in making Kiev a powerful artistic and religious Byzantine Center.

Many films and books have been written to glorify the tiny and culturally dynamic nation of Greece. But never has there been a Rock Opera that has captured its ever evolving history like ours. From Alexander the Great to the apogee of Byzantium, the electric guitar in joyous harmony with bouzouki and violin will take you on an epic journey through our cross starred lovers dreams and ambitions. As the world focuses again on Greece unfortunately due to its economical collapse rather than its cultural legacy, it is a perfect time to revisit that glorious, happier past once again.

Porphyra, a Grecian Rock Opera, is based on Billy Chrissochos’ band Porphyra’s epic album “Faith, Struggle, Victory”. It also features new musical compositions, Greek folk songs, Belly Dancing numbers choreographed by the Dena Stevens Shazadi Dance Project, actors and a 12 piece Rock orchestra.

This is a sexy, fun, historical romp through the Greek, Russian and greater Mediterranean world through music. Our industry showcase will debut at Carnegie Halls’ Zankel Theater Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 8:00pm. This is the first Greek inspired Rock Opera of its kind for Carnegie Hall and a major step towards taking our unique musical to Broadway.

You can get your tickets now from the Carnegie Hall website- www.Carnegiehall.org.
You can also help financially support the project and receive plenty of exclusive VIP perks and gifts over at our crowd funding campaign at Crowdzu (www.crowdzu.com). This money will help with our theater and production expenses, rehearsals, costumes, props and marketing.
And for all things Porphyra head over to our website www.porphyraband.com.

Κυριακή 22 Μαρτίου 2015

Opera artists preformed in P. Karousos works in USA



Hellenic American Center of the Arts
Artists performed P. Karousos works in USA

Soprano:
Mary Elizabeth Mackenzie 
Susan Nelson
Marti Pia 

Mezzo:
Elspeth Davis
Jessica Klein
Francesca Lunghi 
Abby Powell

Baritone:
Martin Fisher 
Robert Maril
Brad Jungwirth

Tenor:
Heath Harris
Micah Dingler 
Byron Singleton

Bass:
Nathan Baer
Michael Cavalieri
Eric Keller

Alto:
Kristina Pappademos

Conductors:
Silas Nathaniel Huff
Grant Gilman
David Stech
Dr. Sheila Schonbrun, chorus master

Orchestras:
Symphony Orchestra of Astoria - Silas Nathaniel Huff, director
East Coast Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Grant Gilman
American Symphony Orchestra of Chicago - David Stech, director
District of Columbia Symphony Orchestra conducted by Grant Gilman
American Symphony Orchestra – Grant Gilman, director


Choir:
Queensborough Chorus – Dr. Sheila Schonbrun, chorus master

Musicians soloists:
Gregory Briggler, trombone - Eunjin Choi, piano - Veronica Parrales, cello - Leo Adamov, violin - Natalie Dalschaert, piano - Manon Shaw Trent,  cello - Robin Lorentz, violin - YinJia Lin, piano

Opera artists preformed in P. Karousos works in Canada



Hellenic American Center of the Arts
Artists presented in P. Karousos works in Canada

Soprano:
Chantal Parent 
Dolores Tjart
Jennifer Razor
Lambroula Maria Pappas
Leila Chalfoun
Lorraine Fontaine
Natalie Petrarca 
Pénélope Dale
Susan Eyton Jones

Mezzo:
AnnaMaria Popescu 
Johanne Patry
Sophie Laganière
Anna Mizera
Julie Beaulieu
Anne Julien

Tenor:
Aldeo Jean
Donald Lavergne
Gaetan Sauvageau 
John Jay Hebert
Michel Corbeil 
Stewart Granger

Baritone:
Réal Robitaille
Andrew Love


Bass:
Joseph Rouleau
Jean Clément Bergeron
Daniel Bonato
Alastair Smyth
Pierre Dufourd
Jacques Corman

Choirs:
* Place des Arts Choir: Sopranos: Solange Lessard, Louise Beaudry, Angele Trudeau, Marie Arpin,  Marie Dugal, Andreanne De Repentigny. Altos: Madeleine Soucy, Francoise Tardif, Celine Chaput.
Tenors: Micheal Weber, Pierre Latour. Basses: Alain major, Jimmy Miron.
* Choeur du Tres Saint Redempteur – Aldeo Jean, chorus master
* Chœur Chanterelle du College Laval Inc. – Frederic Vogel, chorus master

* Montreal Hellenic Community Choir – Petros Plarinos, chorus master

* Byzantin Choir of Montreal – Constantin Lagouros, chorus master
* Russian choir of Montreal – Olena Ilvakhina, chorus Master
* L’Ensemble Choral St-Eustache – Pierre Turcotte, chorus master
* McGill Faculty Medieval Choir - Voix Médiévales – Dr. John Baboukis, director
* Ensemble Vocal Redemptor, Chorus Master: Aldéo Jean


Conductors: André Gauthier, Luc Chaput, Victor Cheng, Theodora Stathopoulou

Orchestras:
* Sneak Peak Symphony Orchestra conducted by Victor Cheng
* Orchestre Symphonique des Jeunes Laval-Laurentides - André Gauthier, director

* Orchestre Symphonique de la Monteregie - Luc Chaput, director

* FACE Symphony Orchestra - Theodora Stathopoulou, director

Pianists:
Claudette Denys, Nathalie Joncas, Hugh Cawker, Pierre Mclean, Stephane Aubin, Olivier Gaudin, Jean-Luc Clauzier

Musicians
David Bouchard, cello - Alexandre Dugué, violin - Benoit Loiselle, cello - Philippe Prevost, violin - Philippe Fleming, cello, William Larivière, cello - Karine Bouchard, violin 

Artists preformed in P. Karousos works mainly in Greece



Hellenic American Center of the Arts
Greek artists preformed in Karousos works 

Soprano:
Athina Dimitrakopoulou
Alexandra Mattheoudakis
Eleni Bouki-Agiomirgianakis
Eleni Panagiotopoulou
Irene Konsta
Kiriakoula Tsaggaratou
Maria Lyberakou
Marimel Chrysi
Nansy Papakonstantinou
Vanessa Kalkanis
Lina Orfanos

Mezzo:
Fotini Athanasakis
Ifigenia Ioannou-Ralli
Tatiana Maggina
Victoria Mayfatova
Zoe Apiranthitou

Tenor:
Anastasios Stellas
Christos Delizonas
Giorgos Tzouvaras
Giorgos Zografos

Baritone:
Giorgos Mattheakakis
Ilias Tiliakos
Zafiris Koutelieris

Bass:
Sotiris Sideris
Theodoros Moraitis
Vasileios Asimakopoulos

Pianists:
Alexandros Makris
Gulnora Tulyaganova
Marilina Tzelepi-Pateras
Petros Bouras
Spyros Souladakis
Victoria Kiazimi
Vivi Kleisoura

Violin:
Andreas Haniotis
Genadios Bikof
Efi Christodoulou
Triantafilos Vavatsikos

Viola:
Elleni Liggri
Rania Zetta

Cello:
Evgenios Bensis
Mirela Routsi
Maria Mazaraki-Ainianos
Ria Athanasiou
Spyros Parginos
Spyros Heimarios

Flute:
Danae Kioupouroglou
Zacharias Tarpagos

Oboe:
Georgia Kostantopoulou
Dimitrios Sideris

Conductors:
Eleftherios Kalkanis
Rafail Pilarinos

Saxophone:
Stathis Mavromatis

Tuba:
Panagiotis Kamvisidis

Athens String Quartet: 
Brunilda Malo, Monika Dhamo, Alketa Tzaho, Mirela Ruci

Hellenic Orchestra:
Violins: Efi Christodoulou, Brunilda Malo, Monika Dhamo, Stavroula Menti, Christina Valder, Katia Kaminski, Paraskevi Kourkoumeli, Stella Ziopoulou, Maria Orfanou-Heimariou, Bledar Skenderi, Triantafilos Vavatsikos
Violas: Eleni Liggri, Rania Zetta, Alketa Tzaho, Biliana Zaharinova
Cello: Mirela Routsi, Spyros Heimarios, Alexander Tsefa, Maria Mazaraki-Ainianos
Contrabass: Anastasia Siachou, Dimitris Aslanidis, Elli Dadira
Flutes: Nadia Lidiridi, Zacharias Tarpagos, Reni Tsalapatis, Danae Kioupouroglou
Oboe: Georgia Kostantopoulou, Dimitrios Sideris
Clarinets: Thanasis Katerinakis, Panagiotis Markou
Tuba: Panagiotis Kamvisidis

Symphony Orchestra of Athens
conducted by Eleftherios Kalkanis