An Entire Concert Dedicated to a Greek Composer and a Musical Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
London, Thursday, 23 June 2016. A significant occasion for Greek classical music took place at the renowned Royal College of Music in London, where an entire concert was dedicated to the music of Greek composer Panagiotis Karousos.
The concert took place at the Parry Rooms at 7:00 p.m., following a reception for VIP guests from 6:30 p.m. The event was presented by Fawley Court, with Aida Dellal Hersham, owner of Fawley Court, inviting the composer and the participating artists to London for this special musical occasion.
The concert represented an important milestone in Karousos's international career, presenting an extensive programme devoted exclusively to his compositions, including opera arias, art songs, settings of poetry and chamber music.
The Music of Panagiotis Karousos in the Spotlight
The programme featured music from his operas “Prometheus Bound” and “Olympic Flame”, selections from the Liederabend song cycle, and a number of chamber compositions.
The programme also included settings of poetry by major figures of European and world literature, including Queen Elizabeth I, William Shakespeare, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Alphonse de Lamartine, Rachel Bluwstein and Jorge Luis Borges.
Among the chamber works presented were Piano Trio No. 1 “D’amour”, the Romance for Violin and Piano, and the Divertimento for Cello and Piano.
The selection of poets demonstrated Karousos's interest in connecting Greek musical creation with the broader European literary tradition.
A Musical Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
One of the most distinctive moments of the evening was the setting of the poem “Written on a Wall at Woodstock” by Queen Elizabeth I.
Panagiotis Karousos set the poem to music especially for the occasion and dedicated the resulting song to Queen Elizabeth II in honour of her 90th birthday.
The choice of a poem written by Elizabeth I created a symbolic connection between the two Elizabeths and between Greek musical creation and Britain's long historical and cultural tradition.
The work was performed by soprano Irene Konsta, giving the opening of the concert a particularly ceremonial character.
From Montreal to Buckingham Palace
The 2016 dedication had a much earlier history.
In connection with the premiere of his opera “Prometheus Bound” at Place des Arts in Montreal in 1994, Karousos created a commemorative engraved plaque connected with the historic production.
He subsequently sent the plaque to Buckingham Palace as an artistic gesture of respect and goodwill.
Documentary Evidence – Buckingham Palace, 26 August 1994
The original letter preserved in the composer's archive bears the heading BUCKINGHAM PALACE and is dated 26th August, 1994.
Addressed to Mr. Panayiotis Karousos, the letter states that the Queen appreciated his message of good wishes and considered it kind of him to send the laminated plaque which he had made.
The letter is signed by Philippa de Rothschild, Lady-in-Waiting, on behalf of the Queen.
This original Buckingham Palace correspondence provides tangible documentary evidence of a communication between the Greek composer and the Royal Household more than two decades before the London concert.
The 2016 event therefore acquired an additional historical dimension: in 1994 Karousos had sent an artistic tribute to Buckingham Palace; in 2016 he returned to Britain to present an entire concert devoted to his own music and to dedicate a new composition to Queen Elizabeth II for her 90th birthday.
The Artists of the Historic Concert
The principal participating artists were:
- Irene Konsta, soprano
- Vasilis Asimakopoulos, bass
- Monika Dhamo, violin
- Mirela Ruci, cello
- Paraskevi Kleisoura, piano
Irene Konsta performed Deianira's aria from “Olympic Flame” and the song dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II, based on Elizabeth I's poem.
Vasilis Asimakopoulos performed the Prometheus aria from “Prometheus Bound” and Shakespeare's Sonnet 109, O, never say that I was false of heart.
The two vocal soloists also performed the duet “Hyllus & Makaria” from “Olympic Flame” and selections from the Liederabend cycle.
The chamber programme was completed by the instrumental performances, with Piano Trio No. 1 “D’amour” among the featured works.
Distinguished and Honoured Guests
The evening brought together distinguished figures from British music, diplomacy and culture.
Among the notable attendees was Lily Harriss, then Director of Development & Alumni Engagement at the Royal College of Music, who congratulated the composer on the presentation of his works at the institution.
Also present was Brigitte Duchesne, Counsellor – Public Diplomacy at the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom.
Particular significance was attached to congratulations conveyed to the composer on behalf of HRH The Prince of Wales, who at the time was President of the Royal College of Music and is today King Charles III.
Among the honoured guests was also the photographer of Queen Elizabeth II, adding further symbolic significance to an evening in which a new musical tribute had been dedicated to the Queen.
Honours Presented to the Artists
The concert was also associated with the presentation of honorary distinctions to the participating artists in recognition of their contribution to the high-level classical music event.
The distinctions were presented on behalf of Ioannis Maronitis, President of UNESCO Piraeus and Islands.
The participating artists honoured were Irene Konsta, Vasilis Asimakopoulos, Monika Dhamo, Mirela Ruci and Paraskevi Kleisoura.
Standing Ovation at the Royal College of Music
The concert concluded amid enthusiastic applause and a standing ovation from the audience.
For Panagiotis Karousos, the evening represented far more than another presentation of his compositions. His music had become the focus of an entire concert at one of Britain's leading musical institutions.
For the composer, the occasion represented a great honour and significant recognition of his compositional career.
The event also acquired an important historical dimension because of its connection with the Buckingham Palace correspondence of 1994.
From the engraved tribute connected with “Prometheus Bound” that was sent to Buckingham Palace, to the setting of a poem by Elizabeth I in honour of Elizabeth II, and finally to an entire concert devoted to his music at the Royal College of Music, the story forms a remarkable artistic journey connecting Greek musical creation with British cultural and Royal tradition.
The evening of 23 June 2016 therefore stands as a distinctive milestone in the career of Panagiotis Karousos: an entire concert of his music at the Royal College of Music in London, before an distinguished audience and in the presence of notable representatives of British and international cultural and diplomatic life.
It was a celebration not only of the composer's music, but also of the enduring cultural dialogue between Greece and Britain through classical music, poetry and art.
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