by Marios Joannou Elia
Oratorio for the 50th dark anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus
Monday 22 July 2024 – Lemesos Garden Theatre, 21:00
The event will be broadcast live on RIK 1, RIK HD and RIK SAT
Produced by the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus for the Official Opening Ceremony of the AHEPA World Congress, with the support of the Deputy Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cyprus and in collaboration with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation.
Marios Joannou Elia: ‘The bells will ring again’
Oratorio for soprano and tenor, chanter and narrator, mixed choir, Byzantine choir, symphony orchestra, traditional instruments, ecclesiastical items, electronic sounds and rifle unit.
The juxtaposition between the Golgotha of Cyprus and the Holy Week of Christ’s Passion, comprising Holy Wednesday and Thursday (Betrayal and Crucifixion), Good Friday (Entombment and Mourning), and Holy Saturday (Resurrection and Redemption), serves as the thematic backdrop for this commemorative work, delineated into seven sections. In this conceptualization, noble messages advocating for justice, peace, and freedom are interwoven, underscoring human values as the focal point.
Parts of the Oratorio:
1. Hymn and Lament for Cyprus
2. Bloodshed (Cry and Wail My Homeland) – The Betrayal
3. Crown of Thorns – The Crucifixion
4. Cleansing the Bones with Wine and Tears – The Burial
5. Small Town (Who Will Sound the Trumpet of Duty?)
6. Message (Fight Always for Light, for the Good of Mankind)
7. The Bells Will Ring Again – The Resurrection
Myrsini Margariti, soprano
Yiannis Dionysiou, solo singer
Varnavas Kyriazis & Andreas Koukides, narration
Cyprus Symphony Orchestra with the participation of
members of the Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra
Petros Stylianou, conductor
Angeliki Kyriakou, young soprano
ARIS Choir of Limassol – Solon Kladas, choirmaster
Costas Tsourakis, baritone chanter
Chorus of Psalters of the Holy Archbishopric of Cyprus “Saint John Damascene”
Byzantine Choir of the Holy Metropolis of Trimythous “Saint Spyridon”
Guard of Honor of the National Guard
Marios Joannou Elia, artistic director
