On Clean Monday, March 3, we welcome Lent and spring with a grand traditional festival at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center with a large traditional celebration! ERTWorld will be there to broadcast it live at 12:00 p.m. and in rerun at 12:00 a.m.

From 12:00 to 15:00, ethnomusicologist Lambros Liavas curates and presents a panorama of Greek musical and dance traditions on the Great Lawn, inviting everyone to partake in the ritual of the traditional festive gathering.

With in-depth knowledge of Greece’s traditional music, gained through academic research and travels to every corner of the country, Lambros Liavas shows us how to send off the Carnival period in the age-old way. Carnival mimic dances blend with kalamatiana, kangelia, and tsamika, Epirotic pogonisia, Macedonian syrta, Thracian zonaradika, Constantinopolitan hasapika, Smyrnaic karsilamades, Cretan pentozalia, and island balos dances.

Setting the tone is the dynamic ensemble led by Alexandros Arkadopoulos (clarinet and flute) and Giannis Pavlopoulos (violin and vocals). Joining them is Thanos Stavridis, a master on the accordion, while Tasos Valkanis adds a festive Macedonian brass flavor with his trumpet. Also taking part are Iordanis Kouzinopoulos on the laouto (lute) and vocals, and Manousos Klapakis on percussion. Six exceptional singers of the younger generation—graduates of the NKUA Postgraduate Program “Ethnomusicology and Musical Practice”—accompany them: Sevastiani Vletsi, Emmeleia Damanaki, Marianthi-Ippolyti Katsari, Chrysi Tzavla, Dimitra Tsagkaraki, and Varvara Tsiviki.

The event also features Pontic lyra player Ilias Avramidis, as well as Cretan lyra player Manolis Bountalakis.

The dance troupes of the Folk Society “Xoropaideia” (directed by Vasilis Karfis and Maria Ziaka) and the Pontic Association “Argonafte Komninoi” (led by Kostas Savvinidis) invite us all to join hands and dance in their circles!

The event is available on ERTFLIX and ERTFLIX International.