A Musical Embrace – Halali to Fengari

The Hellenic Centre, London | 23 October 2025

Presented by the Cultural Section of the Cyprus High Commission in collaboration with The Hellenic Centre

Music became poetry, and poetry became home, in an evening where memory, melody, and emotion intertwined. A Musical Embrace – Halali to Fengari brought together audiences from across the Greek and Cypriot communities — and friends of Cyprus — for a concert that celebrated shared cultural roots and the universal language of song.

Under the warm lights of The Hellenic Centre, Demetris Mesimeris, Freideriki Tombazou, Giorgos Demetriou, Michalis Messios, and Andreas Karvelas transported the audience on a journey through the musical landscapes of Cyprus and Greece. From the haunting beauty of traditional Cypriot folk songs and the lyrical worlds of Karagiorgis, Alkaios, and Theodorakis, to a heartfelt farewell to the late Dionysis Savvopoulos with the timeless Zeibekiko (Me aeroplana kai vaporia) — the evening unfolded like a tapestry of voices and memories.

The concert reflected the power of music to unite, heal, and inspire — echoing the lyrical soul of Cyprus, where poetry meets song and every note carries a story.

Guests and dignitaries, including members of the Cypriot and Hellenic communities, shared in the celebration before gathering at the bar for a warm wine reception — an embrace of friendship that continued long after the last note faded.

Photography by Stavri Kleanthous and Giorgos Othonos captured the essence of the evening — a harmony of artistry, emotion, and light.