Echoes of Epirus: Conductor reflects on music, mortality and the power of moirologia

Conductor Yorgos Ziavras embarked on a musical odyssey 11 years ago, departing Greece in pursuit of a classical music career. His departure underscores a lamentable reality: Greece's lack of investment in cultural education. However, despite this neglect, the melodies of its musical heritage are a profound source of inspiration, even for the classical repertoire.

On April 28, the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in southern Athens will host a transcendent musical experience, as Cologne-based music collective and orchestra CoGNiMUS Collektiv, under Ziavras' baton, presents "Moiroloi | A Lament for the Living."

In an exclusive interview with Kathimerini English Edition, Ziavras reflects on his journey into the world of music, the formation of his ensembles and the significance of his upcoming performance.<...