"When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools."

King Lear
William Shakespeare

NAXOS FESTIVAL 2008
ART AND MADNESS

For 2008, Naxos Festival has chosen as thematic axis of its program the relation between art and madness. For more than a century, the wide public has been "familiarizing" itself with this cultural bond, relation through theatrical texts, cinematographic work - but also through developing artistic perception of figurative creations, that acquire aesthetic autonomy.
Through the exhibition Psychotopia, the coexistence of international artists with modern artistic currents, the festival becomes, for the eighth time, a place for multicultural meetings and special productions, revealing Naxos island a perfect place for vacation, with a regenerating cultural atmosphere.
All the events are hosted at Bazeos Tower, a 17th century monument, in the hinterland of Naxos. A Junoesque environment, which embraces, inspires and underlines performers and events, continues to designate itself throughout Greece, as one of the best, for the eighth consecutive year.

Naxos Festival, editorial

Psychotopia
Presentations and representations of the inner stage
From the 19th of July until the 4th of September, a thematic exhibition, at Bazeos Tower.  Every day: 10:00 – 17:00. The art of people with psychiatric issues as there are recognized and expressed equally in the modern, open structure of our post-modern society.
Next to the work of the great Greek sculptor Yannoulis Chalepas (1851–1938), that comes from the National Gallery - Museum Alexandros Soutzos, and the «crazy works» of the modern German professional artist Klaus Pfeiffer who lives and works at Naxos island, works are also presented from: Amaleia Bandera, Vasso Kalaitzi,  Dimitris Zahos, Dimitra Laios, Dimitris Rakogiannis, Peter Tezapsidis, Theodor Tzadarmas that work in the Unit of Cultural Communication of Psychiatric Hospital Thessaloniki.  Works of the French painters Thiery Bombardier, Yasmina Braham, Suzanne Guillot and Vianney Jacquot, that come from the Centre Hospitalier Sud Francilien, in Paris are also presented. The collection of the pharmaceutical company Lundbeck Hellas with works from Manos Tennes, John Papadakis, John Pachis, George Melatos, Thomas Bertolis and more, supplements the ‘anthology’ of Greek art brut where, beyond the author’s grief, the spontaneity, inventiveness and expressive force, the most clean-cut landscape of human soul emerges. A deep revealing glance, the artistic action video of Katerina Koskina, Art Historian, from Atelier du Maison Blanche, in Paris.
Curator: Pavlos Bassiliadis, psychiatrist-painter. Planning-organisation: Mario Vazaios, cultural manager. Organized by AEON in collaboration with the Scientific Company “Psychology-art”. Under the aegis of Greek Psychiatric Company and Greek Psychological Company.

Grand sponsor: LUNDBECK HELLAS S.A
Sponsor: KARAVIAS & ASSOCIATES

Sat. 19/7 20:30
Opening for the art exhibition Psychotopia. Speakers : Nikos Tzavaras, professor of Psychiatry and Chairman of Greek Psychiatric Company, Klimis Navridis, professor of Psychology in the Athens University and Chairman of Greek Psychological Company, Pavlos Bassiliadis, psychiatrist-painter, doctor of Aristotelian University Thessalonica and Stelios Krassanakis, psychiatrist-dramatotherapist-artistic director of Naxos Festival.

Sat. 26/7   21:30
«Every Crazy Boy» concert by Elli Paspalas. The melodious adventure of madness, music, and love through the songs of Greek and foreign composers (Hadjidakis, Tsitsanis, Kalantzopoulos, Piovani, Waits, Lennon, e.t.c.). Piano, Stavros Lantsias.
One of the foremost artists of the Greek “fine-singing” scene, the great performer sustains pure elements of European culture, while her New York education provides her with an outstanding technique and efficiency to express current musical trends.


Mon. 28/7   21:30   First performance 
“La vague de la folie” (Τhe Wave of Madness) theatrical performance. There has been an uncanny turn in the infatuation of as of lately. The infatuation of the public with Camille Claudel has lately been undisputable to ignore.  Even though her story seemed tend towards to oblivion, plenty of people have been entranced by the discord in her psyche, a split between her dream for ineffable love and her crave for sculpture. Performed by the great French actress Jany Gastaldi. Dramaturgical procession, Michel Archimbaud. Direction, Sophie Loucachevsky. Video, Fred Koenig. Under the aegis of French Embassy and the support of the French Institute of Athens.

 


Thur. 31/7  21:30
Recital by Elena Frolova, voice-guitar. Madness in Russian Poetry and Music. Elena Frolova has set to music 46 Russian and foreign poets such as Marina Tsvetaeva, Anna Akhmatova, Joseph Brodsky, Federico G.Lorca, Constantine Cavafis, Paul Verlaine. Apart from guitar, she plays the gusli, an old Russian instrument that dates back to the 10th century. The past  few years her fame has spread to the howl world because apart from her concerts in Russia Ukraine, she has sang also in France ,Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Israel, U.S.A., Mexico . It will be her first show in Greece.

Sun. 3 & Mon. 4/8  21:30                                                  
«Shreber’s Nervous Illness» by Caryl Churchill. A play based on the memoirs of Judge Shreber, which were used by Sigmund Freud in his theory on paranoia. A theatrical performance that explores the scenic representations of mental disease through the use of corporeal codes and experiential practices beyond stereotypes, introducing an innovative theatrical language “approaching dream and the event”. Dramaturgical procession-direction: Stelios Krassanakis. Decor-costumes: Nickos Alexiou. Staring: Kostas Zaharakis, John Kourkoumelis. Translated by Αdonis Galeos. Sound designer: Spyros Aravositas. At the role of judge the voice of Vassilis Papavassiliou.  Voices of rays: group 6. A production of Naxos Festival.

Sat. 9/8   20:30   “Come to meet the music” this is a night for our little friends, with the indigenous musician from Naxos Alexandros Kalogeras. Participation Evanthia Kourmouli actress,  Iwona Glinka, flute, Dimitris Margaritis, violin, Kathleen Kalogera, viola, Mamolis Epitropakis, violoncello, Alexandros Kalogeras, piano, presentation.

Sun. 10 & Mon. 11/8  21:30                                
“January 3, 1889” A postscript to Symphony n.4, opus 59 by Philippos Tsalahouris, on the last days of “logic” in the life of the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche. Musical Theatre performance, based on the diaries, the notebooks and the correspondence, along with other references to the events that plunged this eloquent-versatile and sparkling mind in the darkness of silence. Piano, Philippos Tsalahouris. Computer, Giorgis Sakelariou. Performed by the actors: Akis Liris, Evanthia Kourmouli.

Tue. 12/8    21:30
«The Deep Purple Sky» by Loula Anagnostakis. Theatrical performance. Acted by Reni Pittaki. Directed by: Nikos Hatzopoulos. Costumes: Aggelos Mentis. Production of “Athens Festival”.
The remote, utopian, ironic heroine of Loula Anagnostakis gazes from atop her own personal story as it interweaves with History on the borderline between of two centuries. In a meta-dramatic landscape, incarcerated in the State Prison of Korydallos, among the oppositional pair of the dead communist husband and the son, she narrates her “wonderful. And somewhat dangerous” days, in black, even if distorted due to alcohol, humour. Two great ladies of the Greek theatre, Loula Anagnostakis and Reni Pittaki after their meeting for the Athens Festival travel to Naxos.

Sat. 16/8   21:30
Gig, with “Heimerinous Kolimvites” (The Winter Swimmers). The Lost One, a taunting and subversive comment by the popular music group, in perfect accord to the climate of the festival. Αrgiris Bakirtzis (song), Κostas Vomvolos (accordion, kanun) Mihalis Siganides (contrabass, mandolin, voice), Theodore Relos (saxophone, clarinet), Κostas Sideris (guitar, tzuras, voice), George Tamkatzoglou (guitar, voice), Haris Papadopoulos (bouzouki).

Fri. 22/8   21:30
 “Exercices of promptitude” Direction - chorographie Petros Gallias. Performers: Panagiotis Argiropoulos, Pavlos Stathakis, Nondas Damopoulos, and Petros Gallias. The show is dedicated to the great dancer of the 20th century Vaslav Nijinsky (1889-1950), who managed to give a modern perception to the art of dance, although his short and gusty course, Before he sank into his manic-depression.

Sun. 24/8  21:30 
The theatrical play “Stories with echo”, from «Playback Psy» team. Interactive theatrical play which is “written” by the audience each time performed and thus differs. It’s about rendering spectators’ simple stories into theatrical action, a function based on the reciprocal mental deposit of the spectators and the artists of team. Direction modulation: Lambros Giotis, Music : Katerina Elositou, actors: Meletis Ilias, Chris Theoharopoulos, Antony Iordanou, Vera Lardi.

Ticket sales:

• Bazeos Tower, 12th km. Chora-Ayiassos road, tel. 22850 31402
• Cafe Citron, Chora, paralia, tel. 22850 22227
• Distillery Vallindras, Chalki, tel. 22850 31220
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Production: Αeon Cultural Non-Profit Organization.
72 Pratinou street, 11634 Athens. Email: aeongr@otenet.gr
Tel.+33 210 7258741, fax +33 210 7258766
Art director: Stelios Krassanakis. Production executive: Mario Vazaios.
Communication: Elli –Anna Peristeraki.

Supported by: Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Mercantile Marine, the Aegean and Island Policy and the Greek Organization of Tourism.

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