Shοuld You Wish Send Me Some Flowers…

Major Sponsor of the Greek National Opera

The GNO Alternative Stage presents a great tribute to the multifaceted work of the great composer Yannis Constantinidis—Kostas Giannidis (1903-1984) on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his death. Four concert programmes make up the tribute to the work of the great composer Yannis Constantinidis - Kostas Giannidis, who lived between two musical worlds and between two identities. These programmes will be presented on the Greek National Opera Alternative Stage at the SNFCC on 10, 15, 16, 22, and 23 November 2024. The curator and one in charge of presenting the tribute's concerts is the professor of Ethnomusicology Lambros Liavas, who took over the responsibility of preserving the composer's archive, currently housed at the Department of Music Studies of the School of Philosophy of the NKUA, from the composer himself.

Yannis Constantinidis (Izmir 1903 – Athens 1984) was a unique composer known for his dual yet not split approach to music, as he served equally consistently in both art-sophisticated classical music and popular “light” singing (under the alias Kostas Yannidis), establishing himself as a renowned creator in both genres. And it is definitely not a coincidence that much of his "flexibility," his ability to navigate different music genres and styles, stems from the musical heritage of the multicultural bourgeois environment in Izmir.

The Tribute to Yannis Constantinidis – Kostas Giannidis presents some of the most representative aspects of his significant work, featuring select performers, through four concerts: The Works for Voice and Piano, featuring Tassis Christoyannis and Thanasis Apostolopoulos (10/11), Shοuld You Wish Send Me Some Flowers… featuring songs by Kostas Giannidis transcribed for a  period orchestra and performed by Eleni Voudouraki, Angelos Papadimitriou, and Fenia Papadodima (15,22/11), The Works for A Capella Four-voice Mixed Choir performed by the Mixed Choir of the Department of Music Studies of the School of Philosophy of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and POLIS Ensemble (16/11), and The Works for Piano performed by Theodore Tzovanakisa and Eftychia Veniota with Nelly Semitecolo participating as a special guest (23/11).

• Shοuld You Wish Send Me Some Flowers… 
  

  Songs by Kostas Yannidis transcribed for a period orchestra

  15, 22 November 2024 / Starts at: 20.30
  Transcription: Giannis Loupakis
  Conductor: Nicolas Vassiliou
  
  Performers: Eleni Voudouraki, Angelos Papadimitriou, Fenia Papadodima
  
  With the participation of: Angelos Politis clarinet, Konstantinos Pangiotidis violin Ι, Vanessa Athanasiou violin ΙΙ, Elli Filippou cello, Yorgos Arnis double bass, Kostas Argyropoulos percussion, Konstantinos Zigeridis accordion, Christos Sakellaridis piano

This is how life is, my dear one; life is always like that

And those who do not live life bitterly regret it…

The second concert of the tribute, Should You Wish Send Me Some Flowers..., encourages audiences to recall enduring melodies (refrains) that have stood the test of time through a selection of Kostas Yannidis’ most beloved songs. Resisting being labeled as “retro,” these songs come back with their enduring power and truth to be discovered by younger generations.

“Yannidis” carved out a flourishing career in music theatre and “light” singing, which lasted for thirty years until the early 60s. He wrote music for over fifty operettas, revues, musical comedies, ethographies, and films, as well as many popular songs that were performed by the most significant artists of the time (Sofia Vembo, Danai Stratigopoulou, Nikos Gounaris, Petros Kyriakos, Anna and Maria Kalouta, Kakia Mendri, Stella Greka, Nana Mouschouri and more).

Kostas Yannidis’ songs transcribed for a period orchestra by Giannis Loupakis will be performed by Eleni Voudouraki, Angelos Papadimitriou, and Fenia Papadodima, alongside an eight-member instrumental ensemble conducted by Nicolas Vassiliou. In this special concert, the heroes of Yannidis’ songs will dance the Hesitation Waltz, Waltz-Musette, tango, swing, Charleston, samba, rumba, and bolero.