It’s time for the last article before the summer break, because I too will soon need to retreat to a beach to clear my head and return in a few weeks, hopefully well-rested. Autumn and winter are anticipated to be quite busy with activities, and I need to ensure I’m ready to respond to everything that’s coming!

So, in today’s article, I’ll talk about two things. First, if you haven’t seen or heard, a great musician, Sir Roger Norrington, has passed away. He was a magnificent conductor with a brilliant career, full of accurate interpretations, without many frills or exaggerations, without decisions that cast doubt on the persuasiveness of the performance. All his recordings are a masterclass in how each work, especially those from the classical repertoire, should be interpreted correctly and in the spirit of the composer. Why, after all, resort to extreme solutions to impress? The score and the composer themselves impress the music lover; you just need to serve them properly. That’s what he did throughout his years, and he gave us great interpretations, with depth and wisdom. We will certainly continue to listen to and enjoy them. Farewell, maestro…

The second thing I want to mention is the excellent work being done in some regional institutions. A few days ago, I went to Corinth to meet with the President of the Board of Directors of the Kalogeropouleio Foundation, Ms. Maria Christara. You can see their activities here https://fondationkaloy.com/. Many things impressed me from our discussions, but I particularly focus on the dedication that characterizes the actions and plans of the Foundation’s people. This is a foundation whose purpose is to help the cultural development of the region at all costs, and it does so in an admirable way. Some of what we discussed will be implemented soon, and others are even more long-term. But with people like those I met there, you can certainly make long-term plans because you see that they are here to stay. These kinds of institutions, with their services and what they offer, are truly invaluable. Because they simply insist on bringing life to what is often a barren landscape, which perhaps didn’t know it was missing this kind of entertainment and cultivation, or might think it’s close to an urban center like Athens (which it is, but that’s not a panacea). During my visit, I saw infrastructure, I saw potential, and I saw prospects. This is not a given, but it is positive and optimistic when you see it right in front of you. Such institutions deserve our attention and support to the best of our ability.

I’ll leave you here for now and look forward to seeing you in the first week of September, when we’ll have much to discuss for the new season. I hear that classicalmusic.gr has many new and exciting things in the pipeline, and this column is also preparing surprises because I want us to get to know each other outside of this space and have a two-way relationship. For starters, I can tell you that sometime in October, we’ll arrange to meet one evening and chat over a glass of wine (what else? You’ve already realized that all of us at classicalmusic.gr are lovers of the vine…). Until then, have a good time and get some rest.