MOIROLÓI delves into the traditional Greek lament of the same name - an exclusive musical form originating from the mountains of Epirus in Northern Greece. This genre becomes a poignant exploration of grief, its lyrical narratives addressing both the deceased and those who stay behind. 

In a harmonious fusion, moirolói is combined with various forms of musical lament of the so-called “western art music”, offering a transcultural approach to the universal themes of grief and the haunting echoes of mortality. 

The musical concept contrasts the polyphonic epirotica lamenti, moirolói being part of this genre, and monophonic elements of the baroque and renaissance art music, such as pieces by John Dowland and Henry Purcell. 

A group of five soloists from Greece performs in versatile ensembles vocal as well as instrumental variants of moirolói, whereas two singers and a continuo group, all of them being based in the NRW area, perform the baroque and renaissance music. 

An ingenious arrangement within the room makes all musicians merge to one versatile body of sound and allows the audience to immerse in the sound.

The brutalist architecture of the St. Gertrud church in Cologne – a place of cultural communication – offers unique spatial and acoustic conditions for an unforgettable concert experience.

How does death sound, not for the dead, but for the living? 

MOIROLÓI is a purely musical narrative focusing on lamentation and funeral rituals. One of the monumental European musical masterpieces, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem (KV 626) crosses paths with the 19th-century dirges of Epirus.

The ”unfamiliar match” of these two musical worlds, combined with elements from the English Renaissance, early Baroque (Doland, Purcell, Handel), and the Byzantine melos, creates a transcendental sound experience that transforms the ritual of death into a celebration of life. MOIROLÓI draws inspiration from Danse Macabre, the ceremonial texts of the Christian Orthodox Funeral Service, and ancient Greek dirges in modern instrumental and vocal arrangements, which can still be heard in the mountains of Epirus.

Under the baton of Yorgos Ziavras, musicians from different cultural backgrounds join their forces. Greek musicians specializing in traditional folk music, a chorus of singers from across Europe, and instrumentalists hailing from Greece and abroad, all come together to form the orchestra.

CREDITS

Conductor: Yorgos Ziavras 

Performers:

Sopranos Nina Koufochristou, Marianna Nomikou, Dimitra Kotidou
Mezzo-sopranos Artemis Bogri, Elena Marangou, Maarja Purga
Tenors Alexandros-Andreas Hazapis, Andreas Karaoulis, Leon Wepner
Basses George Iatrou, Guillem Batllori Pagès, Christos Rammopoulos

Voice Yorgos Merantzas 

Concertmaster Katerina Hadjinikolaou
Violin I Veronique de Raedemaeker, Eudjen Zhibaj, Zoe Pouri, Vassilis Soukas                                                         

Violin II Kostas Panagiotidis, Angeliki Kasda, Nicolas Beis, Julia Selalmazidi
Viola Stelios Papanastassis, Mischa Smirnov, Elias Sdoukos
Cello Dimitris Travlos, Rebekka Stephan
Double bass Nikos Tsoukalas
Violone Dimitris Tigas
Clarinet Ι Konstantinos Tzekos
Clarinet ΙΙ Till Müller
Bassoon Ι Yannis Evangelatos
Bassoon ΙΙ Dimitris Dakovanos
Trumpet I Dimitris Gogas
Trumpet ΙΙ Katja Lasser
Trombone Ι Andreas-Rolandos Theodorou
Trombone ΙΙ Julia Fischer
Trombone ΙΙΙ Masafumi Sakamoto
Percussion (soloist) Marinos Tranoudakis
Lute Ptolemeos Armaos
Organ Patricia Langermantel

Guests: Savvas Siatras, Polyphonic ensemble Chaonia