Friday, May 30, 2008

The opera Alexander the Great of Panagiotis Karousos Impressed Chicago


Greek-Americans of Chicago attended an unforgettable high quality concert on 17 May that presented very successfully the opera Alexander the Great of Greek-Canadian composer Mr. Panagiotis Karousos. The work that first played in French in Montreal, Canada, made its first English presentation and delighted the American public with the dynamism and its intense lyricism. Conductor David Stech directed the American Symphony Orchestra of Chicago and the protagonists from the opera of Chicago.
The concert was honored with the presence of Thessalonica MP Mr. Giorgos Orfanos that came exclusively for the presentation of Alexander the Great and relayed the greetings of Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis and the Greek Parliament for the composer Panagiotis Karousos and the audience. Congratulatory messages were received from Rob Blagojevich, Governor of Illinois, the State Treasurer Alexis Giannoulias, and the Chairman of SAE America Mr. Spyropoulos among others.
The work made a big impression for its epic character and inspiring melody. The composer Panagiotis Karousos was referred to as the Verdi of Greek community of North America. Mythical beings were incarnated with embossed realism through the musical work of Mr. Panagiotis Karousos as were the Olympic Games, Philip, Aristotle and above all Alexander the Great.
The general consul of Greece in Chicago Mr. Anastasios Petrobas presented a medal to composer Mr. Karousos on behalf of the Federation of Greek Associations of Illinois, which organized irreproachably the important for this community concert. The chairman of the Federation “ENOSIS” Mr. Dimitrios Georgakopoulos dedicated the concert to Mr. Georgios Orfanos and welcomed the official guests including the New Democracy MP from Etoloakarnania Mr. Mario Salma, Chris P. Tomaras chairman of PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation, His Excellency the Bishop of Chicago Dimitrios, the chairman of SAE America Theodoros Spyropoulos, the professor Mr. Giorgos Papadantonakis and other chairmen of associations and organisms but also persons of arts and culture that were present.
Chairman of opera was the businessman Mr। Dimitrios Kourkouvis of Athens Constructions that directed the irreproachable assiduity of the program and the event in general. The honored for this subject composer Mr. Panagiotis Karousos opened the concert interpreting the song “Famous Macedonia” (Makedonia Ksakousti). The Macedonian association of Chicago decorated the scene with Macedonian flags and its dancing troop received the audience with Macedonian dress. Alexander the Great, of distinguished composer Panagiotis Karousos, was a splendid event from those that Hellenism of the Diaspora really thirst for, but also with the weight of artistic scope required in order to promote our historical subjects here in America.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Prometheus of Panayoti Karousos in New York


On Sunday, March 30th, 2008 at 6:00PM, the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, Inc. presented "Prometheus," the epic masterpiece of Greek-Canadian neo-classical composer Panayoti Karousos, whose previous presentations during Greek Independence Week had impressed and inspired audiences. The Astoria Symphony, under the direction of Grant Gilman, performed the complex opera to an enthralled crowd.The event begun with Mr. Karousos' world premiere of the bouzouki concerto performed by soloist James Moore.Then followed the opera "Prometheus", one of the composer's most dramatic and lyrical pieces, which is based on Aeschylus' ancient Greek Tragedy "Prometheus Bound". Soloists, Nathan Baer, Abby Powell, Martin Fisher and Mary Mackenzie wowed the crowd with their powerful interpretations of this neo-classical masterpiece with it's highly symbolic and spiritual messages.The story of Prometheus carries great depth of meaning; for one, his punishment for stealing the Fire of Knowledge from the gods for human kind has relevance with today's Olympic Games as the symbolic torch passing of peace and culture from Greece (Hellas) to all peoples of the world.This extraordinary event took place at the Stathakion Center Astoria New York and it was presented in celebration of Greek Independence Day and the Parade to take place on April 6, 2008 on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue.
Thomas S. Saras Editor in Chief
Patrides North American Review Monday, April 28, 2008 www.patrides.com