Spyridon Samaras was the most internationally respected Greek composer of his time, yet it is only in recent years that some of his major works have been edited or orchestrated for performance. Tigra is a major case in point, a ravishing love story set in medieval Venice, and a product of Samaras’s operatic maturity. With its innovative harmonic language set to an Italian text, musical Orientalism and Franco-Italian influences it helped pave the way for the emerging Greek National School. It has been faithfully orchestrated by Byron Fidetzis. Epinikeia is reminiscent of Samaras’s famous Olympic Anthem of 1896, while Chitarrata is a youthful work composed in Paris.

Artists

Lenia Safiopoulou (soprano), Marissia Paplexiou (mezzo-soprano), Varvara Tsambali (mezzo-soprano), Maria Vlachopoulou (mezzo-soprano), Angelo Simos (tenor), Dionysios Sourbis (baritone), Dimitri Kavrakos (bass), Sofia Metropolitan Golden Voices Mixed and Children's Choir, Sofia Amadeuss Orchestra, Fretted String Ensemble of the Corfu Music School, Pazardzhik Symphony Orchhestra, Byron Fidetzis