‘I Sing for My Island’: Olga Venetsianou at Mon Repos tonight

Olga Venetsianou returns tonight, Monday 21 September, to the stage of the Rena Vlachopoulou Theatre in Mon Repos with a concert dedicated to her home island. The concert, entitled “I Sing for My Island”, begins at 8:30pm and is organised by the Gastouri “Omonia” Philharmonic Society.

The organisers describe the evening as a “journey of love and memory”, centred on Corfu and bringing together Venetsianou’s distinctive blend of popular and art-song repertoire with the sound of the island’s philharmonic tradition.

The performers

At the heart of the concert is Olga Venetsianou, accompanied by Spyros Pagiatis on piano and Filippos Peristeris on bouzouki. Musical direction is by “Omonia” conductor Spiros Rallis, who is also responsible for the Philharmonic’s Music Association.

The participation of “Omonia” gives the concert a distinctly Corfiot character. The Gastouri Philharmonic Society was founded in 1898 and this year celebrates 128 years since its establishment. Just last August, it held an anniversary concert in Gastouri to mark the 128th anniversary of its founding, also conducted by Spyros Rallis, announcing the Mon Repos appearance as its next major engagement.

From Corfu to the Athens stage

Olga Venetsianou has a close connection with Corfu and has returned to the island repeatedly for concerts. She became more widely known to the public through Dream Show 1, while her career in music had a rather unusual starting point: before pursuing music professionally, she had made a name for herself in karate.

Over her long career on the live music scene, she has performed alongside artists including Marinella, Antonis Remos, Mary Linda, Pitsa Papadopoulou, Katerina Kouka, Kostas Makedonas, Evridiki, Christos Dantis, Sofia Vossou and Alexia. She has also taken part in concert productions by composers and creators such as Stamatis Kraounakis and Giorgos Hatzinasios. Since 2017, she has also maintained a regular concert collaboration with Giorgos Theofanous.

Her first solo recording, “Pes Mou Na Meino Edo” (“Tell Me to Stay Here”), was released in 2007, with lyrics by Eleana Vrahali and music by Nikos Antipas. Other releases followed, including “Bora”, “Boreis”, “Hameni s’ Ena Oneiro”, “Agapes Anammenes” and “Leo Akoma Nai”. Her collaboration with Giorgos Theofanous also produced “To S’ Agapo Einai Fotia” (“I Love You Is Fire”), which was associated with the television series “Mavro Rodo”.

A concert supporting two music institutions

Tonight’s event also has a charitable dimension. According to the Gastouri Philharmonic Society, proceeds will go towards supporting the Corfu Music School and the Music Schools of the Gastouri Philharmonic Society, linking the concert to music education for young people on the island.

General admission is €15. Advance tickets are available at Saltino Café, 2 Georgiou Theotoki Street, on the Annunziata pedestrian street opposite Eurobank, as well as at the Philharmonic Society’s premises in Gastouri.

ELENI KORONAKI