The golden voice of Greece, Alkistis Protopsalti, returns to perform in Bucharest, at Sala Radio, on March 30. Musician and composer Alkistis Protopsalti is internationally recognized for her fulminant career of almost 5 decades: 28 albums, all Gold or Platinum Discs, hundreds of live shows, absolutely legendary collaborations. Her popularity also propelled her into the political arena, as for a short period she held the position of Secretary of State in the Ministry of Tourism in Greece. Tickets, with prices starting from 180 lei, are available on VIVA.
The music. A huge presence of the Greek music scene, with a career spanning nearly 5 decades, Alkistis Protopsalti has released 28 albums, all Gold or Platinum, and collaborated with world leading artists and orchestras such as the Prague Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Goran Bregović, Mario Reyes (Gypsy Kings) or Tito Puente. Among the songs with swhich he conquered her fans is the well-known folk song Venzinadiko, a nostalgic evocation of the people and places of homonymous neighborhood in Piraeus, Ederlezi, the Greek version, recorded with Goran Bregović, of his song with No Smoking Orchestra for the soundtrack "Time of the Gypsies" (1988) directed by Emir Kusturica, or Ta Laika. Alkistis Protopsalti fascinates with her strong timbre, expressive interpretation and the unparalleled intensity of her live shows. She developed a unique, strongly "colorful" musical style, combining elements of traditional Greek music with current pop-rock influences, but she also experimented with many other genres, evidenced by covers such as Ola Auta Pou Fovamai (Nickelback – How you remind me) or Pame Havai (Tanya Stephens – It's a Pity). "I like to try new things, I don't like to get too comfortable with what I know, and I don't like to repeat myself all the time," she admits.
Political career. Her popularity also propelled her into the political arena: for a short time, the Great Dame of the Greek Song served as Secretary of State in the Ministry of Tourism, during the cabinet of the first female Prime Minister in the country's history, Vassiliki Thanou. However, Alkistis Protopsalti admits that music is her true passion and that politics is not something to consider in the long term “I have music in my blood, not politics. For me, my life, my dream, my soul is music".
Global stages. She performed at the Closing Ceremony of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, as well as at the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics National Games in the same city in 2011. “Carrying the Olympic Flame was a unique experience that moved me deeply. I literally wanted to fly!", says the artist. Alkistis Protopsalti also carried the flame of Greek music in some of the most exclusivist performance halls in the world, including the iconic Radio City Music Hall and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, or the spectacular Forbidden City in Beijing (few artists can boast of a performance like this one – among them the Greek composer and pianist Yanni, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras).
Promoting Greece. An ardent promoter of Hellenism, Alkistis Protopsalti passionately believes that Greek music can fascinate anyone, despite the fact that the language is not popular worldwide: "My dream is to transmit the Greek language and culture through my songs, through the music of our great composers Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hadjidakis, Stavros Xarchakos, Nikos Antipas, Stephanos Korkolis and many others. It gives me great joy to be able to spread the Greek language in places that do not know how to speak Greek". After touring Australia, USA, UK, Egypt, Belgium, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain, Israel, Canada, Cuba, Cyprus, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Sweden and China, one thing she found amazing is the way Hellenism "penetrates" souls. "It's like a Trojan horse, but a good one. It inspires people to visit Greece, sparking their interest in the Greek language and ancient Greece.”
Back to Romania. It is not the first time Alkistis Protopsalti performs for the Romanian public - she has always been appreciated here, and her concerts, such as the one held in July 2013, at the "Bucharest International Jazz Competition & Festival" festival, were a real success. This year, her world tour includes, apart from Bucharest, cities such as London, Brussels, New York, Chicago, Baltimore or Boston. On March 30, 2023, at Sala Radio, Alkistis Protopsalti, together with her talented stage colleagues, will offer to the Romanian public a perfect way to explore the music and culture of Greece with the most beautiful songs from her vast repertoire. Tickets, starting from 180 lei, are available on VIVA. The event is organized by No Sound.
