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Maria Farantouri in Ettelbrück - Photo: Arlette Schmit
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2005 being The Great Theodorakis Year, we Luxembourgers could not very well have done without Maria Farantouri giving us at least one opportunity to join in the celebrations.
Luckily Theodorakis’ prime ambassadress had indeed agreed to offer us a concert in Ettelbrück this past April 13th, a concert that turned out to be unique in more ways than one.
Maria made us wait a little – not because she was acting the diva, as has been suggested, but because she had made some last-minute changes in her programme and both herself and her loyal, creative and adaptable companion of ten years, Henning Schmiedt, had to make adjustments to a couple of songs. Maria Farantouri has sincere respect for her public and never offers anything that is less than perfect.
„Chrissoprassino“ (Gold-green)
In fact, making a choice of songs for this concert must have caused considerable headache (and possibly heartache) to Maria. How can one choose from a wealth of more than 1000 „favourite“ songs to give a good survey of Theodorakis’ work and stay within the limits of what is humanly possible in one concert?
When she did come on stage and the lights caught her velvet dress, it shimmered in the subdued green-gold colour of the song of the same name – a single figure, green-gold and muted rusty-red next do the black piano.
The whole concert was dedicated to Guy Wagner whose unique exhibition „Mikis Theodorakis – témoin de notre époque“, Maria had visited the same day in Mersch.
„Nichta Magika“ (Magic Night)
Her first songs were „Anavaptismo – Kyklamino” from „Songs of the Bitter Homeland“.
She did not exactly take us unawares, no, but her „conquest“ of the public must have been one of the swiftest and most thorough ever. The energy and warmth of her personality were virtually palpable from the word go and as soon as she started singing sparks were flying and within seconds we all caught the fire right in our hearts. We were left transfixed, quite a few with a lump in their throats, and we stayed that way all through the concert and, in fact, for a long time after.
During the first part of the concert she sang from, among others, „Ballad of the Dead Brother“, „Ta Lyrika“, „Sun and Time“, „Beatrice“...
The concert was unusual in the sense that it was only Maria and a piano (Henning Schmiedt, of course) – no orchestra, no choir or background singer, not even the group of German musicians that have accompanied her to Luxembourg on several occasions. It was an evening of great simplicity and intimacy. A simple and, for the voice, a merciless setting: no momentary weakness can be covered up by the sounds of various instruments. But even after over 40 years on stage, Maria’s voice has nothing to hide. The warmth, the passion(s), the love – they come flawless and abundant from deep within her Greek soul and settle like balm on our hearts and our own souls.
The first part of her performance climaxed in „Dromi Palii“ (Ancient Roads from „Ballads“) and quite a few eyes glistened n the dark as the full, unrestrained power of her voice „translated“ the Greek words of despair and pain for us. Again this was the moment when even the most self-restrained Luxembourgers helplessly erupt in spontaneous shouts of „Bravo“. It was beautiful to the point of being painful.
The lights going on to indicate the break were cruel, but could not break the atmosphere of a magic night that Maria had created.
„Asma Asmaton“ (Song of Songs)
The second part of the programme did not quite correspond to what was announced on our leaflet – Maria had decided to favour us with a couple of choice surprises.
One of them was Theodorakis’ gift to Cyprus, the dreamy, melancholic „Chrissoprassino Fillo“ (Gold-green Leaf), which was the first song after the break and one of the highlights. This was followed by extracts from „Epitaphios“, „Ta Laïka“, „Petites Cyclades“ and „Lyrikotata“ – „This Summer“, the last poem, Mikis has set into music on verses of his brother Yannis who died only a few months later.
Perhaps one could at certain moments have had the fleeting impression that Maria’s voice showed signs of tiredness or strain. (1) But let there be no misunderstanding: She is still and for ever in a league that most singers (even younger then her) can never even dream of reaching.
The absolute peak was doubtlessly the unannounced „Asma Asmaton“ (Song of Songs from „Mauthausen“), one of the first pieces she ever recorded for Mikis Theodorakis in the 1960s Her voice shaped even the tiniest nuance of love, longing and horror and left me, for one, completely shattered. There were isolated shouts of „Bravo“, but basically her interpretation of „Asma Asmaton“ left us mutely „shocked“.
Guy Wagner was later to say that due to Theodorakis’ great productivity we had heard barely two percent of his work in this concert … yes, indeed – but what exquisitely chosen, sublime two percent!
„Itan glika, i espera“ (The evening was sweet)
With „Adonis“ (also from „Mauthausen“) we could see the end of the concert looming near (already?) and the public expressed its happiness and appreciation by lavish applause and standing ovations, which Maria acknowledged with a look here and a smile there.
Watching her with Henning Schmiedt you see what a perfectly adjusted team they are, for Maria must surely be the mistress of understated sign language!
Maria Farantouri – the most „un-diva“ like diva imaginable – taught us a valuable lesson about how much dignity and beauty there can be in something that is apparently of great simplicity.
She actually asked the public what encore we’d like and agreed to sing about the enchanting „Marina“ (from „Littlke Cyclades") , which she had omitted earlier on in favour of the above mentioned „Petra epano stin petra“ (from „Lyrikotata“). Her voice was to the last full, warm and just the most generous gift for us all straight from heaven.
Of course we did not want to let her go. We never do and somehow her concerts always seem shorter than any others. Her parting words for us were „I will never forget Luxembourg“.
Well, if that is so, DARE we put our hopes in the year 2007, when Luxembourg is once again Cultural Capital of Europe?
Dare we revert to a state of blissful anticipation?
Dare we, Ms Farantouri?
Postscript:
(1) Talking of strain: First of all, Maria Farantouri, Maria Hatzara (2) and Henning Schmiedt had come to Luxembourg in a somewhat roundabout and tiring way from Amsterdam. Then, on the day of the concert, they had rest in the morning in the hotel (a very renowned, expensive place in Echternach in which even the elevator didn’t work!) When they wanted to have lunch around 2 pm, they were refused it because they were „late“. Room service does not exist in this famous place, so they all went to the exhibition in Mersch and then to Ettelbruck, first to find some food, which lost perfectionist Farantouri valuable time for rehearsals. Worse: When they came back to Echternach after the concert in a „bel air“ night, nobody was at the hotel to open the door. They had to wait at least 20 minutes and just when they were calling the police, an angry looking porter appeared who finally let them in. Doesn’t this give a whole new dimension to Maria’s parting words „I will never forget Luxembourg“?
This incredibly embarrassing episode parallels what happened to Mikis Theodorakis himself after his first concert in Luxembourg in 1973. Theodorakis and his group could be seen hungrily roaming the streets of Luxembourg City in the pouring rain – no restaurant would serve them because it was after 10 pm. The Luxembourg mentality has not evolved much in over 30 years, has it?
I feel deeply ashamed.
(2) Maria Hatzara has just got the English version of Maria Farantouri’s website going – it was a huge task to undertake, and the site is a definite „must “ for all fans, to be found under: www.farantouri.gr
Text published in "kulturissimo" - May 2005
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