The Pharos Trust continues the Cyprus Artists Series with a Voice and Piano recital of Russian music by Margarita Elia (Soprano) and Manolis Neophytou (Piano).  The recital is taking place on Wednesday 27 February 2008 at Casteliotissa Hall, Paphos Gate, Nicosia at 8:30pm. The programme will include songs and solo piano works by Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Balakirev, Vlasov, Rimsky-Korsakov and the world premiere of three songs by Russian composer, Stanislav Prokudin.

 The Pharos Trust’s Cyprus Artists Series is presented concurrently with its internationally established annual Concert and Recital Series. The series, is dedicated to the promotion and support of leading musicians of Cypriot ancestry, as well as musicians residing and pursuing a career in Cyprus. In keeping with its mission to promote artistic excellence and cultural dialogue, the Trust aspires to offer Cyprus audiences the opportunity to experience fine performances, while developing an active network of Cypriot musicians. The Series will also be committed to the promotion of Cypriot composers and will feature premieres of commissioned new works.

 Soprano Margarita Elia began singing lessons at the age of 15. She later continued her education at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary. Upon her graduation, she received a MMus degree in Singing Performance and Education. She also studied classical voice with Karola Agay and award winner opera singer Magda Nador in Budapest, as well as with New York City Opera soloist Arlene Randazzo in London.

 As a soloist, Ms. Elia has collaborated with numerous orchestras, such as  the Szolnok Philharmonic Orchestra in Hungary, the Bulgarian State Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Kibbutz Orchestra, the Haifa Symphony Orchestra in Israel, the Cyprus State Orchestra, the Failoni Orchestra and the Moscow Virtuosi. She has also participated as a soloist in festivals of chamber music in P. R. Korea, Hungary and Cyprus and has given numerous concerts in Italy, Israel, P.R. Korea, Romania, Hungary, Cyprus and the U.K.

 Her performances embrace music of a variety of styles including opera, art song and oratorio,  ranging from the medieval to contemporary, and she has been the soloist in world premiere performances of contemporary works composed by Cypriot composers. Her operatic appearances include the role of the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Magic Flute, the roles of the Fire and Nightingale in Ravel’s opera L’ enfant et les sortileges and the title role of Donizetti’s Caterina Cornaro.

 Recent appearances include a Russian Gala with the Moscow Virtuosi under Vladimir Spivakov, the Cyprus premiere of Igor Stravinsky’s Les Noces under Notis Georgio and a concert dedicated to Maria Callas with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. Margarita is also a singing professor at the European University Cyprus

 Manolis Neophytou (piano) started taking piano lessons at a young age with Dr. Nefen Michaelides and later with Prof. R.Kehrer at the Central Special State Music School of the ex-Soviet Union, where he obtained his leaving certificate with distinction. With a scholarship from the Nicolas Economou Foundation, he obtained a BA of Music from the Moscow Tchaikovsky State Conservatoire, where he studied with I. Plotnikova and A. Sevidov. He continued his studies at the Ecole Normale A.Kortot in Paris, with a scholarship from Albert Roussel foundation. In 2004, he won the scholarship of the Greek State Institution of Scholarships, which enabled him to further his studies with a MA of Music from University of London, where he studied with A.Zolinsky. Under the supervision of A.Ivashkin at the University of London, he is currently completing his PhD on Russian Piano Traditions.

 Manolis Neophytou is a winner of various national and international piano competitions, including the first prize at the Music Festival of Mediterranean Countries in Palermo, the second prize at the Greek National Piano Competition in Thessaloniki and the fourth prize at the International Competition of Senigallia, and after winning the national competitions, he represented Cyprus three times at the Eurovision Classical Contest - Brussels-1992, Warsaw-1994 and Lisbon-1996. Manolis Neophytou performed the soundtrack of Alessia de Ninno’s documentary film “Judy and Donatello”, which was awarded the first prize at the National Film Theatre Awards in London, 2005. As a soloist, he has collaborated with various symphonic and chamber orchestras, such as The State Orchestra of Chestahova in Poland, the Russian State Orchestra of Rostov, the Chamber Orchestra of Palermo, the State Orchestra of Thessaloniki, the Goldsmiths Symphonic orchestra in London and the Cyprus State Orchestra. He has also given numerous recitals in Russia, South Africa, Korea, Poland, Italy, France, Greece, Cyprus, Ireland and the U.K. In 2006, Manolis Neophytou released his first personal CD with piano music “Homage to Greek Music”. 

PROGRAMME

S. Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943)
“Ne poj krasavitsa” (Oh, Never sing to me again) Op. 4, No. 4
“Vesennije vodi” (Spring Waters) Op. 14, No. 11
“Zdes khorosho” (How fair this spot) Op. 21, No. 7
“Otryvok iz” (Loneliness) Op. 2, No. 6
“Krisolov” (The pied piper) Op. 38, No. 4
“O, net, molju, ne ukhodi!” (Oh, no, I beg you forsake me not) Op. 4, No. 1

S. Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30
(Excerpt arranged for solo piano by Manolis Neophytou)

P. I. Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893)
“Sred' shumnovo bala” (Amidst the noisy ball) Op. 38, No. 3
“Khotel by V Edinoe Slovo” (Just a word)
Serenade Op. 65, No. 6

M. Balakirev (1837 – 1910)
“Pridi ko mnje” (Come to me)

A. Vlasov (1911 – 1986)
The fountains of the Bachtchisarai Palace

N. Rimsky – Korsakov (1844- 1908)
Flight of the bumblebee

S. Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943)
Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2

Stanislav Prokudin (b. 1970)
Three poems by Russian poets (World Premiere)
“Na lune” (On the moon) (Osip Mandelshtam) )
“Velikan” (The Giant) (Vladimir Nabokov)
“I vot mnie prisnilos” (I had a dream) (Nikolai Gumiliov)
 

Ticket Prices:

Adults: €15

Friends and Supporters of the Pharos Trust: €10

Concessions: €10
 

Tickets available:

The Pharos Trust (22 663 871) and at Castelliotissa Hall the night of the performance.