A Night at Meteora… in the Heart of Athens

The Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron (IMMM) is «transported» for one night to the Church of St. Panteleimon on 113 Acharnon St. in Athens, Greece in order to reveal the lost work of the Abbot and composer Parthenios.

What you will experience: Two centuries later, leading musicologist Ioannis Arvanitis, after years of tedious research, “unlocked” the musical manuscript of Parthenios, allowing us to hear again the 64 compositions of Parthenios. On May 7, this “lost” music will cease to be buried in the manuscript and will become a living prayer.

Melodies between Heaven and Earth: The professional Ensemble ROMEIKO, under the musical direction and vocal guidance of Yorgos Bilalis, Protopsaltes and researcher, revives with scientific fidelity the sounds that were silenced for centuries in the monastery manuscript. The Parthenios’ melodies —from the moving Akathist Hymn to the rare Gospel Pasapnoaria— revive in a performance that unites the past with the present: human voices entangled with the rhythmic pulse of the talanton and kopanos and the sounds of singing bowls and bells abolish the boundaries of time, bringing the mysticism of Meteora before your eyes.

A Publishing Event: This presentation will feature the two monumental volumes of Parthenios’ Complete Psaltic Works (650 pages), which will be accompanied by 8 hours of sound recording, definitively closing a 200-year cycle of oblivion.

An encounter with history:
Come witness a world premiere performance in the redress of a historical injustice. A night where history awakens and Parthenios chants again. Meet the man who kept the musical tradition of Meteora alive and immerse yourself in the serenity of his uplifting melodies.

We are expecting you for an evening of high devotion and culture!