July 2025
9 Wed 21:00 (50’)
ILAND - Ody Icon & Alejjos
Associate Artist Residence Scheme 2025
Every person is an island. A crack in time, a pause that makes space for new beginnings.
A singular topography in the archipelago of human experience.
ILAND, a music performance by Cypriot artist ody icon, in collaboration with music producer Alejjo and video artist Diyala Muir, premieres on the stage of Rialto Theatre on July 9th in the frame of the Rialto’s Associate Artist Residence Scheme 2025.
Inspired by the unique geography and layered history of Cyprus, and drawing from the thought of pioneering philosopher Gilles Deleuze, ILAND explores the idea of the island not as a place surrounded by sea, but as a possibility for connection.
We are islands drifting in the same archipelago — each carrying its own fractures, silences, and hopes. Its own nature, its own cute gestures. Its own language. And within this distance, the need to build bridges arises — not from lack, but from love.
ILAND is more than a musical experience. Through electronic soundscapes, folk and traditional songs, spoken word, and animation, it becomes a journey toward community. Where love is not a slogan but a form of resistance to estrangement — an opening to the shared. A hymn to the possibility of coexistence.
ILAND is dedicated to the Palestinian people and to all those who struggle for freedom, autonomy, and a life of dignity.
Concept – Idea – Artistic Direction: ody icon
Music production: Alejjos
Animation – Video Art: Diyala Muir
Text - Dramaturgy: ody icon
Light design: Vasilis Petinaris
Costume design: Froso Christou
On stage: ody icon, Alejjos
12 Sat 21:00 (120’)
MONIKA
The radiant and unique singer-songwriter Monika, who has gained significant recognition both in Greece and internationally, returns to the stage of Rialto on Saturday, July 12 with an all-English acoustic concert. This special performance will include everything we have loved about her since her first appearance in the music scene. She will present a different kind of show, accompanied by five musicians and her beautiful songs.
Monika will be joined by a string section (cello, violin), an acoustic guitar, and two exceptional vocalists, while she herself will play the guitar, saxophone, and piano. The program will feature both new and older beloved songs from her previous albums, presented in new arrangements. Starting from "Avatar" and stopping at various tracks from her most recent album, "Proud," as well as selections from her three other English-language releases, Monika will offer us, with her smile, talent, and generous stage presence, two full hours of wonderful music, emotion, and sharing. Because above all, her deepest desire is to share her musical journey with the audience and to offer peace and support.
Monika stated: "The most beautiful journey is the one that is gifted to you through a song. Whether you close your eyes and let the melody carry you away, or you look around, feel moved, sing or dance, or keep the rhythm with your hands alongside your loved ones, you always gain the most precious gift of any journey—change. And afterward, everything is clearer. More beautiful. Meaningful."
With her wonderful melodies prevailing above all, and lyrics that capture with poetic tenderness all the emotions, thoughts, and messages she wants to convey, Monika promises us a cinematic journey full of emotion and rhythm. She invites us all to meet there "to travel far through music and songs, and to return even slightly changed and more real."
Performing musicians: Aris Zervas - cello Stametella Spinoula – violin, Giorgos Kapis - acoustic guitar, Leto Abatzi, Katerina Sousoula - vocals
Takis Spyropoulos: sound engineer | Panagiotis Tsevrenis: lighting
Management/Production: Prospero / Katerina Stamataki
Press Contact: Chara Zouma / Zuma Communications
14 Mon 21:00 (70’)
Eleonora Roussou – Hará*
As suggested by its name, album “Hará” (Joy) is a collection of instrumental compositions and songs inspired by human emotions - their structure, their capacity, their effectiveness. A colourful palette of genres are fused together - jazz soul, classical, Easter Mediterranean, Balkan, pop and latin music - to depict the diversity of each emotion. The creative impetus of this project is transparency sharing and openness, so these compositions are a moving amalgamation of life lived so far.
Hará has performed at important music festivals of Cyprus, such as the Jazz and World Music Showcase, the ΑγλανJazz Festival, the Wincraft Wind Festival (Katydata) and at the 6th Nicosia International Festival in January 2025, where the full album was presented. The digital album is available on Bandcamp.
Musicians:
Elias Ioannou – trumpet, Thomas Lumley - tenor saxophone
Odysseas Toumazou – Guitar, Christos Yerolatsitis – Piano, Andreas Rodosthenous – Bass, Omiros Miltiadous – Drums, Rodos Panagiotou – Percussion,
Eleonora Roussou - Voice, Flute, Compositions, Arrangements
Free Entrance
16 Wed 21:00 (75’)
Cyprus, the Beloved of the Mediterranean
Michalis Kouloumis*
Under the artistic direction of acclaimed violinist and composer Michalis Kouloumis, five accomplished Cypriot musicians from the folk and jazz scenes have collaborated to reinterpret traditional Cypriot folk music, alongside original compositions by Kouloumis.
Featuring:
Michalis Kouloumis – violin, viola, voice
Kyriakos Markoullis – lute, pithkiavlin, voice
Petroula Erodotou – voice, percussion
Ermis Michael – jazz guitar
Christos Yerolatsitis – piano, keyboard
Andreas Rodosthenous – fretless bass
Free entrance
18 Fri 21:00 (120’)
Giorgos Papageorgiou and Polkar*
With humour, heart and a wild mix of styles, Giorgos Papageorgiou and his band Polkar take the stage at the Rialto’s World Music Festival with a refreshingly entertaining and offbeat concert.
Expect a high-energy mix of original songs and unexpected covers that blend various genres in equal measure.
Polkar consists of musicians:
Giorgos Papageorgiou: vocals, ukulele
Giannis Kyratsos: guitars
Giorgos Avramidis: trumpet
Giannis Bellos: bass
Alexis Archontis: drums
Tasos Korkovelos: keys, programming
Free Entrance
19 Sat 10:30 (90’) 4+
Kamila kamilari na pame sta Varosia (On Stage)
An activity for children and their parents
Learning, singing and illustrating traditional children’s songs of my homeland: an activity designed for children and their parents, aiming to encourage creative expression through music and art, and to inspire children to further explore the cultural heritage of their land in a playful and educational manner.
Accompanied by the music group ANTAMA and educator Anna Aristidou, children will discover traditional musical instruments through interactive music games. Participants will also have the chance to creatively express their impressions of this musical journey using their imagination. Visual artist and facilitator Irene Zenonos will then invite children and their parents to illustrate scenes inspired by these traditional songs.
In Greek.
For registrations, please contact 77777745 / ntiac@rialto.com.cy.
Free entrance
All July performances are part of the 20th Cyprus Rialto World Music Festival.
*The concerts will take place at the SEK Parking Area (behind the Rialto Theatre).