The first part of the 27th Cultural Festival of the University of Nicosia is currently taking place at the charming Axiothea Mansion in old Nicosia, presenting a series of remarkable cultural productions. Four more performances will take place in July before the festival wraps up for the summer and prepares for its autumn edition.
On Tuesday, the Strovolos Municipality – European University of Cyprus Symphony Band will take the floor along with professors and students from six European universities in Greece, Italy and Portugal to present the European Winds II concert. The repertoire of the evening will include works by Cypriot, Greek, European and American composers for soloists and large wind ensembles, most of which will be performed for the first time in Cyprus.
Two days later the multi-talented violinist and composer Machiko Ozawa, based in New York for more than a decade, will arrive at Axiothea for the first time to present, together with Cypriot pianist Rami Sarieddine, her latest solo album, Mi Oblivion Vol. 3.
On July 7, a performance for children and adults will take place with the popular folk Cypriot figure, Karagiozis. The classical comedy of traditional Greek shadow theatre is adapted to modern-day reality and aesthetics and is presented with a fresh outlook by puppeteer Babis Kostidakis and his assistant Christina Markou.
The final production of the season is a theatre performance by ETHAL presenting arguably the most popular Greek comedy of manners Fiakas by Demosthenes Misitzis. On July 13, the performance will be presented in front of Nicosia audiences in Greek. Although written in 1870 as a satire of the excesses and obsession with everything foreign in Constantinople’s society at the end of 19th century, Fiakas remains relevant even today, more than 150 years since its creation.
27th Cultural Festival of the University of Cyprus
Two-month-long festival with performances. Until July 13. Axiothea Mansion, Nicosia. 8.30pm. €10. Tel: 22-894531
