The Hellenic Museum in Melbourne is presenting Between East & West, a three-day celebration of Byzantine food and music from October 15–17 this year.
Across the three evenings, Between East and West will showcase the best of the Byzantine Empire through music, storytelling and culinary arts, brought to life in the Hellenic Museum courtyard.
The line-up of events includes a lavish five course gastronomic experience in collaboration with celebrated Melbourne restaurant Epocha; an exclusive Australian performance from acclaimed international artists Vassilis Tsabropoulos and Nektaria Karantzi; and a rare opportunity to be tutored by Nektaria Karantzi in a Byzantine music masterclass.
Mark your calendars, Hellenes and philhellenes. Between East and West will be a divine cornucopia of arts and culture that will saturate the senses and evoke the gilded glory of the Byzantine Empire.
Program of Events:
7PM Saturday 15 October | Dining Traditions: A Byzantine Banquet presented by Epocha X Hellenic Museum
A feast of historical delicacies has been expertly curated to immerse guests in Byzantine grandeur, complete with emotive live entertainment from an angelic women’s choir.
This immersive culinary experience is the result of a creative partnership between Chef Petros Dellidis and partner Disa Dimitrakakis of the celebrated Melbourne restaurant Epocha, and Hellenic Museum CEO and Head of Curation, Sarah Craig.
Five indulgent courses have been designed around historic ingredients of the Byzantine era, including honey, pepper, garum, saffron and figs. In a theatrical immersion into their process, each course will be introduced by Sarah and a member of the Epocha team, exploring the hero ingredients’ historical provenance and how this history has been captured on the plate.
The evening will be complemented by a stirring performance from the Psaltries Choir of Melbourne – Psaltria being a revival of an ancient term for female chanters. This women’s choir will be led by Nektaria Karantzi, globally acclaimed vocalist and icon of the contemporary Byzantine music community.
7PM Sunday 16 October | Australian Exclusive Performance: International musicians Vassilis Tsabropoulos and Nektaria Karantzi present Between East and West
In an Australian exclusive, the Hellenic Museum brings internationally renowned Greek musicians Vassilis Tsabropoulos and Nektaria Karantzi to Melbourne for a one night only, live performance titled Between East and West.
Vassilis Tsabropoulos is a virtuoso pianist, composer and conductor. Nektaria Karantzi is a highly gifted vocalist known for sacred and Byzantine music. Together, they are an inspired musical marriage that results in a transfixing on-stage dialogue between Western musical culture and Eastern tradition.
Off the back of a successful European tour, they will travel from Greece exclusively for the Hellenic Museum’s Between East and West three-day celebration of Byzantine food and music. The two-hour live performance will fill the Museum’s courtyard pavilion with the mesmerising echoes of grand piano and voice, supported by the Holy Trinity Brunswick – Serbian Orthodox Church Choir.
An unmissable chance to hear these gifted international artists on Australian shores.
6.30PM Monday 17 October | Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music Masterclass with Nektaria Karantzi
A rare opportunity presents itself to learn from the world-leading vocalist, Byzantine Music professor and founder of the Worldwide Association of Women in Byzantine Music, Nektaria Karantzi.
Nektaria has run masterclasses at some of Europe’s most prestigious educational and music centres including the Liszt Academy of Hungary, the Sorbonne University in France and the University of Oviedo in Spain.
In an Australian first, she now brings her Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music Masterclass exclusively to Melbourne’s Hellenic Museum. The three-hour Masterclass has been designed by Nektaria to maximise learning for students of all abilities; from curious beginners to advanced Byzantine chanters.
Between East and West, a three-day celebration of Byzantine food and music will take place at the Hellenic Museum from 15–17 October 2022.
