Greek singer performs for Kavafis’ 150th birthday

ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News

Dalaras performed Alexandros Karazos’ works based on Kavafis’ poems.

World-famous Greek singer George Dalaras gave a concert at Istanbul’s Zorlu Center PSM on Oct. 27 in honor of immortal Greek poet Konstaninos Kavafis’ 150th birthday, making an appearance after many years of problems over his politics.

Dalaras performed Greek composer Alexandros Karazos’ works, which were written based on Kavafis’ poems.

Because of past difficulties due to his views on Cyprus, Dalaras refused to answer political questions from the Turkish media at the concert. Dalaras is one of a number of foreign artists and intellectuals who have been denied appearances in Turkey due to their alleged political views. He caused a public stir after a right-wing journal labeled him a “Turco-phobic Greek” on its front cover in 2007 when the Fener Greek Patriarchate invited him to Istanbul to give a concert.

The Istanbul Governor’s Office then canceled Dalaras’s concert on security grounds.

Before the concert, speaking to Hürriyet Daily News about the Kavafis Project, Dalaras said: “I feel really emotional. I am very pleased to have an opportunity to be here every time for a different musical event. The poems of Kavafis deserve to be performed on the stage not because of they are entertaining but they are carrying messages. Kavafis was a great poet with profound knowledge of the history of our country as well as humanity and the world. His poems are full of philosophy.”

Dalaras said the concert had great importance for him. “First of all, Kavafis is a global poet; his poems have been translated into many other languages all around the world. The other reason is that I have long followed my composer friend Alexandros Kaozas, who composes these works. They are very impressive for me.”