The Hellenic Project 2022-23 | "The Treasure Of Giannis Papaioannou" and "A Strange Girl" by Dimitris Papadimitriou & Giorgos Blanas

Unknown and unreleased songs by Giannis Papaioanou, entrusted by his family to Dimitris Papadimitriou, will be performed for the first time, curated and orchestrated by Grigoris Vasilas. Moreover, we will listen – in its Greek premiere – to the new song cycle by Dimitris Papadimitriou and Giorgos Blanas entitled “A Strange Girl,” inspired by the unique Marika Ninou and performed by Veronica Davaki with the contribution of Vangelis Korakakis.

The treasure of Giannis Papaioannou

The discovery of the musical treasure by the unique Giannis Papaioannou came about after the commission of a new work by The Hellenic Project to Grigoris Vasilas and its recent presentation. Acting as a connecting link with the family of the great rebetiko composer, he undertook on his own the curation and orchestration of a material largely unknown until today. We will have the pleasure of listening to these unreleased songs from an ensemble of prime musicians in their first-ever performance at the Mikro Pallas Theater.

The Papaioannou Family notes the following on the project: “As a family, we tried to carry on, following in his steps and advice, his moral values and his respect towards all human beings, maintaining a low profile, just like old Giannis. The time has come now and as if he took us by the hand, he led us straight to Dimitris and Grigoris, in this endeavor of new quests, through these unpublished songs that already existed. We believe that the outcome you are about to witness is what you expected in the first place. Truth be told, Dimitris Papadimitriou and Grigoris Vasilas offered us from the depth of their hearts, their passion, and their knowledge this exquisite result you are about to experience.“

Grigoris Vasilas, who curated and orchestrated the unpublished material, comments as follows: “Giannis Papaioannou is one of the Pillars of our Folk Song. The amassed vivacity he projects, as well as his genuine and particularly unique Greekness, position him as one of the main figures who played a decisive role in the shaping of our culture, teaching ethos, values, kindness, and pride through his work. Everything points toward the fact that Giannis Papaioannou was a fair and uncompromising bloke! His songs allow you to approach him and meet him as a person. It is easily discernible that his work is perfectly aligned with his personality and code. He is absolutely pure…His way of playing is especially difficult, his taqsims absolutely singular and out of this world, form-wise speaking. Ripe with images and emotions, they place him in the pantheon not only of the great creators but also the master players of the instrument as well. I thank his family from the depths of my heart for entrusting me with his unpublished work. I thank once again The Hellenic Project and Dimitris Papadimitriou."

"A Strange Girl" by Dimitris Papadimitriou & Giorgos Blanas

The second part of the concert entitled “A Strange Girl” is dedicated to the great Marika Ninou. Composer and initiator of the artistic program Dimitris Papadimitriou notes accordingly: “A personal insight on rebetiko that bears for me the same emotional load as a visit to the homeland or a pilgrimage to the house of my grandparents and great-grandparents. An immersion in the understated wisdom of grass-roots simplicity, a musical study that also carries along the spiritual value of a profound discussion with the other self that co-exists as a specter at the same time with the here and now and almost a century ago.

The lyrics of our treasured writer Giorgos Blanas stand beyond comparison, immaculate, naturally processed, as are the volumes of rocks sculpted by the waves and the wind.
The occasion for all these events presented by The Hellenic Project was this little tribute to this sweet, but so acutely sharp blade, the burning – but not consumed by flames – bush of song, the one who all men fell in love with and all women admired at one point during the rebetiko phase of our lives. The unassailable Marika Ninou, who awakened within us all the women of our lives with just one and only imaginary kiss: her song.”