Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra – Zoi Tsokanou – Simos Papanas
Works by Bartók and Vivaldi, featuring TSSO’s famed strings

The Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra and its famed string instruments are featured in this year’s Athens & Epidaurus Festival, presenting two remarkable works.

Rich in contrasts, Béla Bartók’s Divertimento for String Orchestra will kick off the evening programme, combining neoclassical style with avant-garde modernism, and highlighting the dialogue of string instruments with imaginative expression, dynamic juxtapositions and surprising shifts in rhythm that have been established since the time of the concerti grossi.

Antonio Vivaldi’s timeless masterpiece The Four Seasons will dominate the second part of the evening. This work comprises the first four out of twelve concertos composed by Vivaldi for violin, string orchestra and continuo. The so-called “red priest” was inspired to compose one separate concerto for every season of the year. He also composed an equivalent sonnet for each concerto’s sheet music. The elegant and brilliant end result is hailed as one of the best-known works in the history of music. Vivaldi highlights the beauty of violin as few composers have managed to do, having been a major violin teacher and a violin virtuoso himself. Simos Papanas, concertmaster of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, will perform as violin soloist.

 

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

Divertimento for String Orchestra, Sz.113, BB.118

Allegro non troppo

Molto adagio

Allegro assai

Conductor Zoi Tsokanou

 

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

The Four Seasons, 4 concertos for violin and string orchestra, Op. 8

Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, “Spring” (La primavera)

Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 8, RV 315, Summer” (L'estate)

Concerto No. 3 in F major, Op. 8, RV 293, “Autumn” (L'autunno)

Concerto No. 4 in F minor, Op. 8, RV 297, “Winter” (L'inverno)

Conductor / Soloist Simos Papanas violin




The Athens & Epidaurus Festival will be realised in compliance with the special directives issued by the Ministry of Health, with consideration for public health and a sense of responsibility towards the public and artists.

Audiences are kindly requested to arrive at the venue 90’ prior to the start of the performance, to avoid inconvenience, in compliance with the health authorities’ instructions.

All seats (upper and lower tier) are numbered.

All tickets are strictly personal and non-transferable.

During ticket purchase, the name of the person using the specific ticket must be submitted.

Please read about the special protection measures adopted by the Festival with regard to COVID-19