Threatening message disrupts concert for Capodistrias

There was alarm at the Ionian Academy on Saturday evening, shortly before the start of the concert “Music & Education for a New State”, when those preparing the event received an anonymous message claiming that four “gas devices” were inside the building.

The message arrived shortly before 8pm and, according to initial information, the sender signed it “FA Corfu”. Despite its unusual content and the initial assessment by many that it was probably a hoax, the warning could not be ignored. The organisers informed the dean of the Ionian University and the police, and people already in the auditorium and other areas of the Ionian Academy began to leave.

The concert was scheduled to begin at 8pm in the “Georgios Grammatikakis” Ceremonial Hall. Organised by the Corfu Initiative to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ioannis Capodistrias, the programme features a brass ensemble performing works dedicated to Greece’s first Governor, under the title “Music & Education for a New State”.

The programme is of particular interest as it includes works by Giorgos Peroulis, Spyros Alamanos, Kostas Savanis, Leonidas Rafailovits, Thanasis Vourgidis, Giorgos Lambiris, Spyros Katsouris and Spyridon Rouvas, all focusing on Capodistrias, his life, his work or his death. Three of the works — “Dies Fatalis” by Spyros Alamanos, “Nafplion – Elegy for Ioannis Capodistrias” by Thanasis Vourgidis, and “Unfulfilled Debt” by Spyros Katsouris — were due to receive their world premieres.

The concert is conducted by Spyros Rouvas, with a large ensemble featuring trumpets, French horns, trombones, euphonium, tuba and percussion. The soloists are soprano Despina Mouratidi and baritone Pantelis Kontos, while Spyros Vergis provides the narration. The programme was also due to include an introductory talk by musicologist Gerasimos Martinis.

The event is being held under the auspices of the Holy Metropolis of Corfu and the Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands, with the support of Ionian University and the educational authorities of the Ionian Islands.

However, shortly before the scheduled start, the music inevitably took a back seat. After the police were notified, the prescribed security protocol was put into effect, and police officers began a thorough search of the Ionian Academy to determine whether there was anything that could confirm the contents of the message.

At the same time, the investigation is also focusing on the origin of the message and the identity of the sender, who used the signature “FA Corfu”.

A little later, once the search had been completed with a specially trained dog, the alarm was called off and the audience returned to the hall for the concert.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS