Psarantonis at Neradje Mosque: STAGES A/LIVE returns to Onassis Channel, on Sunday 20th November at 21:00 EST

Born in 1942 at Anogeia of Crete, Antonis Xylouris was only 5 years old when he firstly held the lyre of his older brother, Nikos, in his hands. He began by playing in a Cretan feast before he turned 13 years old, while his first record was released in 1974.

For half a century, Psarantonis records and releases music relentlessly, having thousands of hours of live performances under his belt, each one being a mystifying experience for the audience, whether they unfold in small venues or international festivals, where the audience stands bedazzled in the presence of a biblical figure that is like no other in the worldwide music circuit. It is no coincidence that he was the first Greek musician to ever play at the legendary All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in 2007. Two years later, he would be invited to the Australian edition of the festival, curated by Nick Cave. Their collaboration also flourished in the studio in 2014, when the two artists joined forces for the soundtrack of the award-winning “Loin des hommes” (“Far from Men”), a film with Viggo Mortensen in the leading role that won three awards at the 2014 Venice Film Festival.