Varga Veronika – Tales of Anatolia, with featured guest: Sofia Labropoulou, Tamás Smuk

Smyrna, the diverse capital of the Greeks of Anatolia, formed a long-lasting peaceful and flowering microcosm until the first third of the 19th century. To this day, it is an important symbol of Greek cultural memory and identity. Veronika Varga's vocals and historical storytelling will take us on a trip back in time featuring songs written in the 1920s and 1930s and quotes from reflecting the memories of real people. To ensure a faithful journey in the footsteps of the Greek culture of Asia Minor, the performance will feature the songs and iconic instruments of the peoples of Anatolia. Sofia Labropoulou, an acclaimed qanun player who encapsulates the way of life of the entire Middle East and Mediterranean, and Tamás Smuk, who is well known in Hungary for his Eastern percussion play, will take the stage alongside Veronika Varga.

Anatolia, otherwise known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula that has been the location of numerous folk and cultural peaks throughout history, encompassing a special core of Greekness. Smyrna, the diverse capital of the Greeks of Anatikua, formed a long-lasting peaceful and flowering microcosm until the first third of the 19th century. To this day, it is an important symbol of Greek cultural heritage and identity, and occupies a special place in the heart of Greeks – and the entire world, in fact. We can look forward to true stories about the everyday lives and fates of the Anatolian people, as well as songs that express the deep emotions of a uniquely prosperous culture, where the intimate sounds will almost make you feel as though you had lived in this land blessed by a wealth of beauty and that produced both the treasures and the regrets of a paradise lost in equal measure.