Psarantonis at Neradje Mosque: STAGES A/LIVE returns to Onassis Channel, on Sunday 20th November at 21:00 EST

A concert like no other is coming to Onassis YouTube Channel. On Sunday 20 November at 21:00, the soul of Cretan traditional music electrifies the Neradje Mosque – otherwise the Rethymno Odeon – with a mystifying concert. Psarantonis will take us on journey to a world beyond borders and boundaries, beyond time and place.

Photo: Alexandros Avramidis

From the top of Psiloritis to Neradje Mosque in Rethymno

The outstanding songwriter, gatekeeper of Cretan traditional music and its idiosyncratic renewer, conquers the peak of Psiloritis in the company of his lyre, and offers us one of the most precious concerts at Neradje Mosque in Rethymno, in the framework of STAGES A/LIVE.

Echoing the words of Manos Hadjidakis, Psarantonis sealed the first place as “the prime lyre player in Greece” before scaling the mountain peaks of Crete and the depths of a timeless space in Rethymno. Nick Cave later remarked that he would forever be “a genuine proponent of world music.” He has been called “the howl of the Gods” by some of the biggest festival organizers around the world. Yet, what seems to hold the greatest importance is what himself has to say: “Tradition lasts forever. Without roots, there are neither leaves nor fruits. Tradition is the art of the people, their faith.”

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Psarantonis does not rest on his laurels, neither does he show any signs of “slowing down.”

Born in 1942 at Anogeia of Crete, Antonis Xylouris was only 5 years old when he firstly held the lyre of his older brother, Nikos, in his hands. He began by playing in a Cretan feast before he turned 13 years old, while his first record was released in 1974.

For half a century, Psarantonis records and releases music relentlessly, having thousands of hours of live performances under his belt, each one being a mystifying experience for the audience, whether they unfold in small venues or international festivals, where the audience stands bedazzled in the presence of a biblical figure that is like no other in the worldwide music circuit. It is no coincidence that he was the first Greek musician to ever play at the legendary All Tomorrow’s Parties festival in 2007. Two years later, he would be invited to the Australian edition of the festival, curated by Nick Cave. Their collaboration also flourished in the studio in 2014, when the two artists joined forces for the soundtrack of the award-winning “Loin des hommes” (“Far from Men”), a film with Viggo Mortensen in the leading role that won three awards at the 2014 Venice Film Festival.

Watch the video on the Onassis Youtube Channel

Backstage Photos

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Photo: Alexandros Avramidis

A few words on Neradje Mosque (Rethymno Odeon)

The Gazi Hüseyin Pasha Mosque or Neradje Mosque, as it is more commonly known, is one of the most recognizable monuments of Rethymno. The space, with its impressive lintel and imposing minaret, was originally built in 1601 as Santa Maria, until its conversion into a mosque in 1646. As of 1957, when the monument began to operate as a unique cultural space in the area, it belongs to the Rethymno Fine Arts Promotion Association. Since its foundation in 1930 and until today, the Association has been identified with the teaching and promotion of music in the area of Rethymno. In 1981, it was awarded by the Academy of Athens for its incessant contributions in the fields of Music, Theater, and intellectual growth at large.

The Rethymno Odeon operates as a main branch of the Hellenic Conservatory of Music & Arts, having educated more than 6,000 students. Today, the Association maintains the Cretan monument in such a manner that remains fully accessible, aiming to facilitate its preservation and restoration. In this context, the Rethymno Odeon organizes concerts and lectures, while hosting at the same time important local cultural events.