SELECTIVE PRESS REVIEW

“APOGEVMATINI” – K. ANDREOU

(From the broadcast of the performance by CYBC 1 and CYBC 2)

“The Limassol Lyrical Stage presented a truly Greek work with beauty and grace at the celebrations of Theofania at the TV Channel of CyBC.  Ioli Mousteri who is never tired of creating and her associates, deserve warm congratulations.  Thanks to them we enjoyed a magnificent spectacle of a romantic and unforgettable old times.  Having seen this, I really feel like expressing in public my satisfaction and the euphoria that Sakellarides’s beautiful music has filled my soul together with Stelios Argiris …The “psila to metopo” by the excellent Panayiotis Theodorou, as well as the duet by Chr. Sergiou – M. Nikita rouse the excitement of the audience.  The contribution of the BUDAPEST BALLET under the administration of the choreographer Georgia Fasouliotou and of the dance group ELXI, was very important.  The choir was of the finest quality………….”

“APOGEVMATINI” – ALKIS ANDREOU

"The contribution of the Limassol Lyrical Stage – Cyprus towards the artistic activities of the island, expressed in a wide variety of ways, is widely known.  The performance of “Vaftistikos” is only a small example….As long as there is quality in the artistic life of the island, even as an exception, there are still hopes for a better future in arts.  The Lyrical Stage is the star leading to this future…….."

“O FILELEPTHEROS” A.O. EVRIVIADES Larnaca

"A remarkable production that impressed me.  Everything was so beautiful so much so that I had in the beginning I had a hard time in believing that this was really a Cypriot production…..The whole performance could be compared with anything that Greece has to offer or any other European country in this music field."

NIKOS DROUKALIS Musician – Athens

"…..The spectacle I watched was thrilling and had nothing to envy from the best performance of the said work that we have seen in Athens.  I would say that in some parts the ideas were pioneering setting the standard high.  As a Greek music lover, I would like to congratulate the Lyrical Stage for this achievement, which forms an example of the high cultural level of Cyprus."

FOR THE PERFORMANCE AT THE THEATRE OF VAFTISTIKOS

NIKOS LEKAKOS – ATHENS

"...This was a different vaftistikos from all that we have seen in Greece, modern, reminiscent of musical, full of fresh ideas, effects, acrobatics, dance routines and stereophonic fidelity with absolute synchronisation of movement and song….The magical hand of the director Ioli Mousteri, has taken us to a world of dreams, fantasy and surprises…Well done to all the contributors of the show.  Well done to Cyprus that surpassed the expectations of a classical Greek operetta, by giving it a new lease of life and by literally transforming the same to a modern multispectacle without altering the romantic flair of its era."

PENTELI FESTIVAL – ATHENS

NOTE BY MALVA KARAVAKOU Piano teacher and CHARALAMBOS YOVANOS Musician – ATHENS

" "O VAFTISTIKOS” at the megaron in Doukissis Plakentias in Penteli-Athens, performed by the Cyprus Lyrical Stage, swept the audience off their feet from the very first note of the well known operetta.  The operetta was performed with plenty of fantasy and sensitivity both in acoustics and director – wise.  The heroine of the play was played by Ioli Mousteri, who emerges magnificently through the arched facade of the Megaro, so much so that one does not know whether he is watching the exciting soprano from Cyprus or the “charming godmother of the play, the Duchess of Plakentia herself!  And the evening runs through a dream and reality, full of melodies, colours, dance and song.  The performance was full of pioneering ideas, beautiful dance routines in intercalary music motives as is the norm in the Viennese operetta, directed by Ioli Mousteri in a masterly manner……Antonis Lapithiotis is an excellent actor, Panayiotis Theodorou in his robust bearing and his beautiful melodical voice.  We are grateful to the organiser of the Penteli Festival, the well known pianist Linda Leousi that discovered this “musical source of music” consisting of about 60 members of the Lyrical Stage led by Ioli Mousteri, all of whom have participated in this event."