The Ministry of National Defense organized a musical event at the Athens Concert Hall, on the occasion of the celebration of the national anniversary of March 25, 1821. The “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society of Corfu participated in it, under the direction of chief musician Sokratis Anthi, with works related to the Greek Revolution, with soloist Christoforos Stamboglis, the Air Force band, under the musical direction of conductor Alexandros Litsardopoulos, EPOP performers Sofia Zova and Angelos Musicakas, the Vrilissi municipal choir and the mixed choir “Melodoi”.
As announced by the present Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias, the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society of Corfu will open today’s military parade in front of the President of the Republic in Athens.
In his greeting, Nikos Dendias made a special reference to the Corfu Philharmonics which “were not just carriers of culture and culture. They contributed with their own activity to the cultivation of patriotic consciousness”, as he said and broadcasts the Athens News Agency,
At the same time, he commented that “perhaps none of the numerous visitors to Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos have noticed that in Corfu, for example, the litanies of Saint Spyridon are not performed by the Metropolis. And this is not done for reasons of lack of piety. They are made by the municipality of Corfu and in the name of the Corfu people to highlight the sense of the national role and the preservation of orthodoxy played by Agios Spyridon, Agios Gerasimos, Agios Dionysios, for half a millennium.
Reflecting on the past of the Corfu philharmonics, Mr. Dendias said the following: “The first Corfu band was created, the Old Philharmonic, in 1840. However, it was forbidden to wear a blue and white uniform. So he wears a blue and red uniform to this day. But history took its revenge. Iptanissos joined Greece. A huge success in the context of the Great Idea, perhaps the most beautiful story of the Romantic period.
And so, in 1890, in the now Greek island of Iptanesa, a second Philharmonic is created, the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society, which now confidently wears the blue and white uniform and appears for the first time in the litany of Saint Spyridon, exactly one year later, in 1891 and plays the national anthem at the opening ceremony of the 1896 Olympic Games.’
“The commemoration of March 25, 1821 is not a mere manifestation of a debt, a typical anniversary procedure. To play the role it should, it must constitute an opportunity for historical as well as national introspection. For our past, for the past of Hellenism, for our present, but also for our future. Because reflecting on the events of yesterday helps us to draw inspiration for tomorrow. To copy, to borrow if we want value codes, to imitate if required behaviors, in order to ensure the national existence”, he concluded.
The event, which took place last night, was also attended by the former president of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Cyprus Vasilios Palmas, the Bishop of Stavropigiou Alexios, as a representative of the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, the Member of Parliament Angelos Syrigos, as a representative of the President of the Parliament, the MPs Nikolaos Vlahakos, Georgios Vrettakos, Zoi Rapti and Pavlos Sarakis, the Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defense Antonios Oikonomou, the head of the General Directorate of Defense General Dimitrios Houpis, the head of the General Directorate of Military Operations Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the head of the General Directorate of Defense Vice-Admiral Dimitrios – Elefthethe river Kataras, the Chief of the General Staff of the General Staff of the National Guard of the Republic of Cyprus Lieutenant General George Tsitsikostas, the Chief of the Coast Guard – Hellenic Coast Guard Vice Admiral Georgios Alexandrakis, the Chief of the Hellenic Police Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios, the Chief of Fire osvestic Corps lieutenant general Theodoros Vagias, representatives of the regional and local self-government, Associations of Apostrats etc.
The event was presented by the actor Renos Charalambidis.
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