Interview with Kaiti Romanou

Description:

In this interview with Kaiti Romanou, published in the newspaper Η Καθημερινή on 12 July 1977, Yorgos Sicilianos discusses the state of ballet in Greece, highlighting the lack of professional opportunities for trained dancers. He points out that while there are many ballet schools, there are few professional outlets, with the Greek National Opera Ballet being one of the few exceptions. Sicilianos notes that many talented dancers either leave for opportunities abroad or remain in amateur settings. He expresses concern about this trend and calls for the creation of more private and professional dance groups, suggesting that modern expressive dance forms could be more culturally resonant and sustainable than traditional ballet.

Sicilianos also speaks about his work, Parabole, explaining its origins from music he composed for the play Medea. He highlights the importance of creating music specifically for dance, arguing that such compositions should inherently support the choreography and the dramatic narrative. Sicilianos believes in close collaboration between composers and choreographers to enhance the artistic quality and relevance of dance performances. He concludes by advocating for stronger institutional support for dance in Greece, including commissioning new works and developing the ballet capabilities within the Greek National Opera to meet contemporary audience expectations.

The text of the interview was planned to be printed in the Benaki Museum’s publication Για τη Μουσική (On Music). However, the book’s editor Elly Yotopoulou-Sicilianou decided to exclude it. A copy of the original manuscript for the whole book was given to Anastasios R. A. Mavroudis.