Love, Art and Death: Spanish Poetry and Music

The award-winning Cypriot soprano Mariza Anastasiadi and the well-known guitarist Socratis Leptos present a special event with Spanish music and poetry, at Technopolis 20 garden, on Friday, 15 July 2022, at 8pm, entitled ‘Love, Art and Death’.

The poet Federico Garcia Lorca states that the artist must hear only the call that emerges through three powerful voices: the voice of Love, Art and Death.

These three voices are a focal point between the poetic, theatrical, research and musical work of this exceptional personality of the 20th century. At the same time, he summarizes the cultural and artistic identity of the primitive Spanish culture to which he belonged and to the praise of which he dedicated his work.

The speed and hyper-excitement that occupy social structures today, forces them to a leveling oversimplification of ideas and concepts under the influence of which it is easy to overlook the multiple social and emotional aspects of Love, Art and Death.

Art becomes self-promotion, Death everyday life and Love something trivial.

The programme that will be presented, explores in a poetic mood these three elements and their various aspects through the life and culture of the Iberian world. Among the auspicious and often enigmatic verses in the works of Manuel De Falla, Villa Lobos, F.G. Lorca, the depth, the diversity & the indivisibility of "Love, Art and Death" are evident.

Entrance: €12 / €7 (students)

Reservations are necessary.

Reservations, Tickets & Information: 70002420

A few words about the musicians

Award-winning Cypriot soprano Mariza Anastasiades recently received prizes of various Competitions Worldwide.

In September 2021, Mariza Anastasiades performed in the Kypria International Festival, where she had her debut with Cyprus Symphony Orchestra, with the leading role of Bonadea in the Contemporary Opera of Andy Skordis ‘‘Argos Sidiros’’.

In December 2021, she performed in Vienna the role of Mother in the Christmas Opera ‘‘Amahl and the night Visitors’’, a Kyrenia Opera Production conducted by Constantinos Yiannoudes.

Ms. Anastasiades has collaborated with orchestras and conductors from the Metropolitan Opera New York – Gregory Buchalter; with the Varna International Orchestra, where she sang the role of Lauretta from “Gianni Schicchi” 2019.  In 2017/18 she was part of the OpernFest Prague, where she collaborated with Richard Hein, conductor of the Prague State Opera House (Národní Divadlo). Mariza also sang with the Danube Symphony Orchestra – in Budapest, June 2017. In 2018 she performed the role of Drusilla from “L’ incoronazione di Poppea” with the Larissa Symphony Orchestra – under the baton of Christos Ktistakis.

From a very young age she has taken part in specialized master classes regarding vocal techniques, interpretation aspects, with conductors, opera singers and vocal coaches such as Barbara Frittoli, Marco Balderi, Vitalba Mosca (Italy), Claudia Visca (Vienna), Sona Ghazarian (Vienna), Andrea Rost (Germany), Kassandra Dimopoulou, Aris Christofellis (Greece).

Ms Anastasiades studied Classical Singing and Opera in Austria (Conservatory of Vienna) and in Cyprus (M.Mus University of Nicosia), specializing in Italian Bel Canto repertory and vocal technique (MMus, Bmus).

Future engagements include a series of concerts with the Danube Symphony Orchestra in RaM Colosseum in Budapest in May 2022, and with Baroque Ensemble Marquise at the Royal Palace of Gödöllö in August 2022.

Socrates Leptos began his music studies at the Contemporary Conservatory of Cyprus where he was awarded the Guitar Diploma. He continued his studies at the New England Conservatory in Boston where he studied with Robert Paul Sullivan, Eliot Fisk and David Leisner. In 2000 he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study at Yale University under Ben Verdery. In 2009 he was awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Peabody Institute.

During his studies, Mr. Leptos won three awards and gave various performances in Boston, New York, Chicago, Baltimore, Brookline, and New Haven. He participated in masterclasses with Manuel Barrueco, Sharon Isbin, Jorge Morel, Paul O’dette, David Tannenbaum, Gordon Crosskey, and John Duarte.

Mr. Leptos has recorded music for radio and television. He has collaborated with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra and artists like Nena Venetsanou, Alkistis Protopsalti, Alexia, Vakia Stavrou and Paul Di’ Anno. He is a founding member of the Cyprus Guitar Trio and the Duo Claritar. A versatile musician, Mr. Leptos is also a member of popular music bands Arrayan Path and Arda and the Stolen Moon with whom he released ten full-length studio recordings.

Mr. Leptos has taught guitar and theory at both preparatory and university levels. His students have been successful in competitions and have contributed greatly to the Cyprus music scene. Mr. Leptos has presented lectures and masterclasses in Cyprus and the United States.