ATHENS — The deep bond between Greece and the United States — augmented by shared paths through the tragic events of the 20th century and enriched by a robust Greek-American diaspora — arguably predates the foundation of the modern Greek state. America’s founding fathers, steeped in classical education, drew profound inspiration from the democratic legacy of Ancient Greece. In turn, the success and enlightened ideology of the American War of Independence inspired the Greek Revolution of 1821, in which a handful of Greek fighters achieved a geopolitical miracle against the formidable Ottoman Empire, leading to the foundation of modern Greece in 1830.
Honoring this shared legacy, the Athens State Orchestra, one of Greece’s leading cultural institutions, dedicated a program to the upcoming United States semiquincentennial. Titled “New World and Nostos: 250 Years of American Independence,” the concert took place April 17 at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron) led by Portuguese conductor Dinis Sousa.
The program opened with Nostos III (2025), which was commissioned by the orchestra from Greek composer Christos Samaras. Educated in Vienna and Berlin, the emeritus professor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki intended to expand the meaning of nostos — one of Western art’s archetypal themes of homecoming and nostalgia. Rather than limiting it to the longing of an exile for their homeland, Samaras broadens the concept to encompass the cultural memory of a nation towards its archetypal symbols: its songs, rhythms, and dances. This redefined nostos acts as an internal resistance against the alienation and extinction of traditional life.
Across its four sections and roughly 10 minutes, the work utilizes the full orchestra and an extended percussion section to depict the “noise of the world” — the modern elements threatening to erase the past. The jarring use of bells, brass, and a piercing whistle creates a palpable sense of fragmentation, uncertainty, and disintegration. These sharp edges are brilliantly contrasted with elegiac string passages and rhythmic motifs that recall traditional dances. These soothing, familiar sounds serve to revive the joie de vivre of the people, utilizing the vitality of tradition to push back against the fraught elements of the present. Ultimately, the piece culminates in a comprehensive orchestral climax in which the disparate elements seem to find reconciliation, no longer sounding harsh or fractured.
Following the Samaras was Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1, featuring young Greek soloist Manos Kitsikopoulos. The pianist favored an elegant, lyrical approach over sheer volume or aggressive dynamic contrasts. He was confident and consistent in his refined vision, though the orchestra occasionally struggled to match his balance, cohesion, and sensitive phrasing. Highlighting his delicate approach to Beethoven through stark stylistic contrast, Kitsikopoulos returned to the stage to offer an exquisite encore, Astor Piazzolla’s Oblivion. (This author had the pleasure of attending Kitsikopoulos’ U.S. debut in December 2025, when he delivered an impressive centennial tribute to Manos Hadjidakis at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan.)
Following the intermission, the orchestra pivoted to two emblematic works of American repertoire, beginning with Samuel Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915. Sousa offered a thoughtful reading, extracting moments of hushed intimacy from the orchestra to capture the piece’s nostalgic atmosphere and suspended sense of time. However, it was difficult to focus on anything other than the captivating performance of soprano Eleni Calenos, who went far beyond the excellence of her technique and the inherent beauty of her voice.
Dressed in a simple white gown, Calenos seemed entirely insulated from her surroundings, submerged deep within the world of James Agee’s poetry. She appeared united with the very essence of the poetic persona, differentiating the finest musical and emotional details of the narrative’s rich contrasts. Visibly moved to tears towards the work’s conclusion, Calenos uniquely expressed the music’s deep nostalgia and existential melancholy, delivering a rare vocal performance of profound emotional depth and intimacy.
It was the first appearance with the orchestra for Calenos, who recently settled in Athens after a career in the U.S. that followed her studies at Queens College. (Coincidentally, she also performed at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Manhattan in December 2023, singing arias for the Maria Callas centennial on the very spot where Callas was baptized 103 years ago). Backstage, Calenos was congratulated by Samaras — a heartfelt reunion from their days at the Thessaloniki Conservatory, where Samaras taught while Calenos was a cello student.
The soprano departed the day after the concert to join Opera Montana for the title role in their upcoming production of Puccini’s Tosca. While one hopes Calenos will soon have the opportunity to present her interpretation of Barber’s work for American audiences, it is equally timely for the Greek public to experience her elective affinity for verismo, preferably in the title roles of Tosca or Madama Butterfly, which she has performed across the United States.
If the first work belonged to the composer, the second to the pianist, and the third to the soprano, the final piece squarely belonged to the conductor and the orchestra: Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. As he did with Barber, Sousa demonstrated a fine, deep perspective of the score. He confidently led a sensitive and detailed account, taking the orchestra through the various rhythms and moods with the strings and woodwinds excelling in expressing the ballet’s vivid emotions.
Concertmaster Apollon Grammatikopoulos delivered an excellent solo in the Copland. Principal clarinetist Spyros Mourikis commanded attention throughout the evening with his expressive, lyrical solos. Just as Barber’s piece relies on poetic memory and the innocence of American youth, the traditional elements and deeply nostalgic atmosphere of Copland’s masterpiece brought the concert’s theme full circle, perfectly resolving the transatlantic nostos of the evening.
