With the theme of “Friendship”, the Molyvos International Music Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, from August 9 to 19, 2024, dedicating its theme to the beauty of human connection and all the friendships and collaborations that made the festival possible over the years.
The Opening Events, co-organized with the North Aegean Region and the Lesvos Antiquities Authority, concluded with great success and turnout at various historic locations on the island, such as the Castle of Mytilene in the Saplitza Medieval Warehouses, the Ottoman Castle of Sigri, the Archaeological Site of the Sanctuary of Messon, and the Roman Aqueduct of Moria. Proving the power of friendship to unite people and cultures, a large international audience enjoyed exceptional musical performances by two outstanding young Greek violinists, Ioannis Nikolis and Evangelia Koutsodimou, at the Saplitza Warehouses at the Castle of Mytilene, and Turkish artists Umut Saglam (cello) and Orkun Pala (violin), along with pianists Kyveli and Danae Dörken at the Castle of Sigri, where the Mayor of Ayvalik, Mr. Mesut Ergin, addressed the audience. The President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, honored the festival with her presence, attending the exceptional Trio Storioni at the Sanctuary of Messon, while the rising Czech cellist Vilem Vlcek closed the Opening Events at the iconic Aqueduct of Moria, alongside Dutch pianist Bart van de Roer.
The main festival concerts began on August 16 in the fully booked, beautifully lit seaside park of the Delfinia Hotel, illuminated by Avdeliodis’ lighting. The festival hosted both returning favorites and new, talented musicians from around the world. Representing the Greek government, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Iason Fotilas, attended the Festival. Highlights included stellar performances by renowned soloist Antje Weithaas, charismatic clarinetist Sebastian Manz, award-winning guitarist Petrit Çeku, and sought-after tenor Simon Bode, who, together with Kyveli Dörken on the piano, performed the festival’s central piece, Schubert’s “Die Bürgschaft (The Pledge), based on Schiller’s poem.
One of the festival’s most special moments was the world premiere of the piece “On Love and Friendship,” composed by Greek composer Loukas Thanos specifically for the festival and the musicians it was written for. Danae Papamatthaiou-Matschke (violin), Rosanne Philippens (violin), Tomoko Akasaka (viola), Senja Rummukainen (cello), Marko Bechtas (double bass), and Kyveli Dörken (piano) brought the composer’s vision to life on stage, receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Enriching its anniversary program, the festival organized an interesting symposium on August 17, titled: “Can the Aristotelian Ideal of Friendship Exist Beyond the Individual?”, exploring the concept of Aristotelian friendship. This discussion highlighted Lesvos’ connection to the philosopher, who spent significant time in Assos and Atarneus in Asia Minor, near Molyvos, and later in Eresos. Anthony Bossis, a clinical psychologist, professor of psychiatry at New York University, and religious studies professor at the University of Ottawa, drew from experimental clinical research conducted at NYU with terminally ill patients, underscoring the importance of friendship and love in the transition from life to death. Astrophysicist Stamatios Krimigis, President of the Academy of Athens and Head Emeritus of the Space Department of Applied Physics at Johns Hopkins, offered a different perspective on friendship, presenting the Voyager mission and the messages of friendship that humanity symbolically chose to send with it. Vivi Kefala, Professor of International Relations at the Department of Mediterranean Studies at the University of the Aegean and Director of the Center for Mediterranean-Middle Eastern Policy and Cultural Studies, highlighted the chronic failure of humanity to forge bonds of friendship between different nations. The symposium was moderated by Chloe Balla, Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Crete.
At the Young People’s Concert on August 18, children had the opportunity to meet the festival musicians and interact with the musical instruments. Musicians, volunteers, parents, teachers, and children from different backgrounds united under the sounds of strings and piano, dancing together to the Sicilienne. As always, the spontaneous Molyvos Musical Moments (MMM) delighted locals and visitors alike in the picturesque alleys of the traditional settlement, the beaches, the harbor, and other locations around Molyvos. A memorable MMM moment on the beach was when an elderly local passerby excitedly shouted, “BRAVO, it’s been 55 years since we’ve heard music like this. Bravo, bravo, bravo!”