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Tassos Isaac and Solomos Solomou: The ‘hero martyrs’ who protested against Turkey’s occupation in Cyprus

The families of Cypriot’s Tassos Isaac and Solomos Solomou received justice on 24 June, 2008, following the European Court of Human Rights finding Turkey guilty of the murders committed by Turkish protestors.

On August 11, 1996, Tassos Isaac was joined by 200 other motorcyclists from 12 European countries to protest against Turkey’s occupation of Northern Cyprus.

The 24-year-old, along with the other protestors, entered the dead zone of the UN, labelled the “Green Line” , as the Cypriot Police failed to stop them. Met on the other side were over 1,000 Turkish Cypriots, including many followers of the “Grey Wolves”, a far-right Turkish political group.

Turkish Cypriots entered the dead zone and proceeded to beat the Greek Cypriot protesters with bats and iron rods.

At 4 pm, a group of Turkish Cypriots entered the dead zone and proceeded to beat the Greek Cypriot protesters with bats and iron rods. Tassos Isaac, in an attempt to help a persecuted friend, was trapped and beaten to death by citizens and police.

Tasos Isaac breathed his last breath 95 meters from the Greek Cypriot side, according to the OHE report. A total of 54 Greek Cypriots, 17 Turkish Cypriots and 12 members of the peacekeeping force were injured in the general clash in the dead zone.

Following the funeral of Tassos, his 26-year-old cousin Solomos Solomos attempted to remove a Turkish flag from a Green Line outpost in outrage.

14 August 1996. Solomos solomou moments before he attempts to bring down the turkish flag while on a protest against turkish sovereignty over cyprus. He gets gunned down while on the pole. [Colorized]

In the process, he was surrounded by Turkish authorities and Grey Wolf protestors. As he climbed the flag pole, three shots were fired by occupiers and the young man fell dead. 

On August 17, former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis visited Cyprus, describing Solomos’ assassins as common criminals. At the same time, Turkish Prime Minister Tansu Çiller fully justified the operation, claiming the Turks would cut off the hands of anyone who insulted the national symbol.

On 24 June 2008, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of Solomou’s family in the case of Solomou and others v. Turkey. His family was awarded monetary compensation.

Solomou is considered a national hero in Greece and Cyprus, where he is often referred to as a “hero-martyr”. Dionysis Savvopoulos dedicated an older song to him, “Ode to Georgios Karaiskakis”, while the lyricist Alkis Alkaios sang the song “Panda Gelastoi”.

Tassos Isaac’s child, who was left without a father following his death, was christened by Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Theodoros Pangalos. The Greek government, as a token of gratitude for his services to Greece, decided to be the godparent of his beautiful daughter Anastasia.

TGH Exclusive: George Gounaris’ journey of becoming an Australian citizen ends with online ceremony

The journey to becoming an Australian citizen is a process that Greek migrants remember well. Often filled with excitement, migrants remember the day they get presented with their certificate of citizenship.

For George Gounaris, this process was significantly different, conducting his special citizenship ceremony online in the comfort of his home on Wednesday.

The Greek Herald spoke with George to discuss the special ceremony, his journey to Australia and the difficult visa process encountered along the way.

The less than ‘flamboyant’ celebration desired

Taking the citizenship test almost 7 months ago, Gounaris was ecstatic to finally become an official Australian citizen. Yet, unknown to him at the time of taking the test, the prestigious citizenship ceremony was to be conducted through the camera on his computer.

“It was quicker than I expected,” Gounaris said, speaking about the online ceremony.

“Very efficient, obviously it wasn’t as flamboyant as it would’ve been in person, but overall good.”

The online ceremony process was announced by the federal government in April, claiming that it will see “up to 750 people per day having their citizenship conferred”. As of April, there were 85,000 people awaiting a ceremony.

George Gounaris celebrating on the day of his online citizenship ceremony. Photo: Supplied

With COVID-19 restrictions in place, George’s grand celebration was conducted a bit closer to home than usual.

“Because of the lockdown, we were planning on going out but everything seems to still be very limited in terms of options,” Gounaris said.

“So we just celebrated in the house.”

Moving from Athens in 2012, he came to Australia for its relaxed lifestyle and family connection but stayed to make a new family of his own.

“I guess I liked the lifestyle in a way, and the fact I had some family here helped a bit as well in the beginning,” Gounaris revealed.

“I then started working here on a sponsored Visa, eventually meeting my partner.”

George’s partner, Erin, posted a photo to Reddit following his citizenship ceremony, reaching 10.9k upvotes on the discussion website. Receiving hundreds of comments, George was shocked to hear about the positive response.

“When my partner posted the photo, I didn’t even know. Someone messaged me through Facebook and said, ‘is this you?’ So I didn’t even know that she posted the photo.”

The difficult journey of a Greek migrant

Like many other Greeks who first journeyed to Australia, the first few years require hard work and persistence.

“Initially I was employed in hospitality, where I got the Visa from, but obviously after a while…. it becomes too much to work late at night,” Gounaris said.

“I had a degree in social sciences and used the qualifications to start a day job, eventually working for Pronia.”

George with his partner Erin. Photo: Supplied

George began working for the non-for-profit Greek organisation, Pronia, three years ago. Running for over 46 years, they deliver services such as early childhood education and aged care to the Greek community.

Now working to help a community close to his heart, George is extremely thankful for his partner Erin for helping him on his difficult journey, recognising that many aren’t so lucky.

“I was lucky because I met Erin, my partner, and she was able to assist with most of the Visa process that we went through,” George exclaimed thankfully.

George with his partner Erin. Photo: Supplied

“And if it wasn’t for her, it could’ve been really difficult to get the visa, so my partner put a lot of effort. More effort than an immigration agent would have put in.”

George hopes that the public recognises how unreliable and expensive the immigration process ultimately becomes.

“Generally the whole immigration process is very intense and slow. There are multiple steps you need to go through, and it is obviously expensive. It could be very expensive for some people. But eventually, after 8 years, I got there.

“People might want to come from overseas or people may not understand how difficult it is to actually achieve the outcome that I was lucky enough to achieve.”

Heartbeat of Football receives $10,000 donation from Good Samaritan

Heartbeat of Football (HOF) received a $10,000 donation on Monday from the director of The Hellenic Greek eatery, Theo Travlos, to amp up their heart health testing.

Founder of HOF, Andy Paschalidis, tells The Greek Herald the donation was a “stunning gesture” and one that will ensure the not-for-profit organisation can continue working with the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and Response for Life to promote healthy hearts in sport.

Andy Paschalidis (left) with Theo Travlos who donated $10,000 to the Heartbeat of Football. Supplied by Andy Paschalidis.

“When grassroots football starts again in July, I’ll be visiting 16 clubs and conducting on-the-spot tests of things such as a players blood pressure and sugar, to determine their risk of a heart attack,” Paschalidis says during our conversation.

“But what the Travlos family have done is given us the opportunity to engage with another 10 clubs. Which is massive. I’m ecstatic because there might be someone amongst those clubs – a volunteer, a player, a match official, a coach – who might have a health issue they don’t know about and our testing can trigger them to go and get checked out by their GP.”

Paschalidis founded HOF in 2016 as he wanted to promote good heart health in sport via player education, the minimisation of health risks and the installation of defibrillators on all sporting fields around the country.

Paschalidis (second from right) with HOF Global Ambassador Tim Cahill (right). Supplied by Andy Paschalidis.

Four years later and the organisation has only continued to grow. Socceroos legend, Tim Cahill, has jumped on board in the role of Global Ambassador and uses his profile to raise awareness of heart health issues in football and the wider community. At the same time, Paschalidis says he has also received huge support from the Greek Australian community.

“My passion for heart health started back in 2014 when I saw a rise in heart attack deaths in football. But survival is difficult for the organisation. We have no government funding per se and we survive on the goodwill of the public,” Paschalidis says.

Paschalidis founded HOF in 2016. Supplied by Andy Paschalidis.

“Particularly the Greek Australian community, who have been wonderful supporters and they’ve kept us alive in so many ways. Even in times of adversity, Greeks give. It’s a part of our DNA that’s truly unique.”

And it’s this generosity from the community, as well as other philanthropists, which has enabled Paschalidis to continue to grow his passion and get out the important message of ‘a healthy heart’ before it’s too late.

“If we do not prepare it will be too late to react. So at least if we make everyone aware of their health before they start playing again, it will help. We need the dialogue out there,” he stresses.

Opinion: Can we ever be united for the common good of the Hellenic community?

By Bill Skandalakis, President of AHEPA NSW Inc.

In recent years, I have had the opportunity to get involved with the Australian Hellenic community through my work with AHEPA NSW INC.  However, the recent internal fighting has detracted from the programs that the organisation is trying to achieve for the Hellenic community and Australian society at large.  Unfortunately, AHEPA NSW Inc is not an isolated incident within community.  Many other Hellenic organisations throughout Australia have been plagued by the myopic views, stubborn resistance to change and personal agendas of those entrusted by their associations to enact in the best interest of their organisation.

When will we learn that only as a united Australian Hellenic community can we establish the foundations to keep our culture and language alive in Australia for future generations? It has been a blight within our community to bicker and squabble amongst ourselves for years. It is time for us to learn that only through unity can we achieve the foundations required to keep Hellenism alive for the future.  We need to guide the next generation to ensure they do not repeat the mistakes by the past generations to ensure they have the best opportunity to build and maintain on the foundations that we start.

The recent attacks on the Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Australia is a shameful example of how some attack those who can see a better future for the community.  His Eminence holds the values and virtues of Hellenism deep in his heart and has demonstrated those repeatedly ever since taking his post in Australia.  His belief in seeking the truth, his demonstration of respect for all individuals, his endeavour to create an environment for the common good by offering a harmonious life through the teachings of the church and mostly by his openness to adopting change within the church.  It is only through change that we as individuals and a community will we be able to grow and develop both spiritually and emotionally.

The people behind these attacks are misusing old traditions and misguided values to suppress the changes his Eminence has embarked on, which I believe to be actions that are fundamentally an enemy of the spirit of Hellenism. These actions threaten the good work that our Spiritual Leader is trying to achieve.  We all need to remember that His Eminence is a man of true faith and the people and not a man of commerce and industry. It is only when we are united can we move forward to achieve the common good for everyone.

If you observe closely none of the attacks have been about Archbishop Makarios’ character; they have been about decisions made by others within the Archdiocese.  It is important that we all play a role to ensure unity prevails within our community. This does not mean that we follow blindly as sheep; it does mean that we create an environment where we can air our grievances with respect and amicability; that the consensus reached is supported to ensure the common good and future of our Hellenic community in Australia.

Greece sees 99% drop in travel revenue during April lockdown

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The restrictions on travel and business imposed to stem the coronavirus’ spread wiped out nearly all travel revenue for Greece in April, according to Bank of Greece figures.

Provisional figures show travel receipts stood at 7 million euros in April, compared with 544 million euros in the same month last year, or a drop of 98.7 percent, Greece’s central bank said on Monday.

“The fall in travel receipts resulted from a 96.2 percent decline in inbound traveller flows and a 62.2 percent decrease in average expenditure per trip,” the Bank of Greece said in a statement.

READ MORE: Aegean Airlines provides answers to thousands of disgruntled Greek Australians.

Greece’s economy depends heavily on tourism, which directly and indirectly accounts for around 20 percent of annual gross domestic product. After an early lockdown imposed in March kept coronavirus deaths and serious illnesses at low levels, the country is now reopening to visitors from abroad, with the government hoping to salvage what it can from the lucrative summer tourist season.

Visitors have been able to fly into Athens and the northern city of Thessaloniki since June 15, while direct international flights to regional airports restart on July 1. Year-round hotels were allowed to open earlier this month, but many remain shut due to a lack of bookings.

READ MORE: First tourists arrive in Greece as Athens and Thessaloniki airports open.

Travel receipts in the four months from January to April dropped 51.4 percent from a year earlier, the Bank of Greece said, with a 36 percent drop in the number of people arriving in the country.

A total of 38,000 people entered the country in April, a 96.2 percent fall compared to the same month last year.

“Among major countries of origin, there were only some modest visitor flows from Germany, and those were down 99.2 percent year-on-year,” the Bank concluded.

On This Day in 1996: Greek politician, Andreas Papandreou, passed away

Greece’s first leftist Prime Minister and great reformist, Andreas Papandreou, passed away on this day in 1996.

Like all great politicians, Papandreou had many admirers and equally as many sworn enemies. His followers believe that he modernised Greece by ridding it of some conservative traditions. His opponents believe that he was a cunning populist who degraded Greek political life.

We take a look back on some of his achievements to mark the day of his death.

Early Life:

Andreas Papandreou was born in Chios on February 5, 1919. He was the son of George Papandreou, a revered politician of the Centre Union and lovingly called by most Greeks the “Old Man of the Republic.” His mother was Sofia Mineiko, the daughter of the philhellene Polish officer Sigmund Mineiko.

Papandreou attended the American College in Athens and studied law at the University of Athens. A Trotskyite, he was imprisoned briefly by the dictator Ioannis Metaxas and, when freed, fled to the United States, where he received a PhD in 1943 from Harvard University and obtained US citizenship in 1944.

Andreas Papandreou had a strong connection to the US. He’s pictured here with President Clinton.

After serving in the US Navy, he taught at Harvard, the University of Minnesota, and the University of California, Berkeley. He specialised in Economic Theory and Method, Industrial Organisation, Comparative Economic Systems, Political Theory and Economics.

His return to Greece and the establishment of PASOK:

In 1959, Papandreou visited Greece for one year on Guggenheim and Fulbright scholarships, heading up a research program on economic development. In 1960, he was appointed General Director of the Athens Economic Research Center and advisor to the Bank of Greece.

When his father became Prime Minister of Greece in 1963, Andreas gave up his US citizenship, returned to his native country for good, and won election to the Greek parliament as an MP for the Achaia region. His rapid rise in politics was halted however, when the military coup of 1967 occurred.

Papandreou was jailed for eight months after the military coup and was then released. He again went into exile, teaching in Stockholm and Toronto and leading the democratic resistance to the junta from overseas.

But after the collapse of the Greek military dictatorship in 1974, he returned home and formed the left-wing Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). His new party steadily increased its popularity and in 1981 won a sweeping victory, capturing 172 of the 300 seats in parliament.

Prime Minister of Greece (1981 – 1989) and (1993 – 1996):

As a candidate, Papandreou had advocated quasi-socialist domestic reforms while also calling for the removal of US military bases from Greece and for Greece to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). But once in power, he pursued more moderate policies.

The marriage and religious laws were liberalised and some government functions were decentralised, but the leases on US military bases in Greece were renewed and Greece remained in NATO. The generous social welfare programs undertaken by his government could be financed only by public borrowing on a large scale.

Papandreou was Prime Minister of Greece from 1981 – 1989 and 1993 – 1996.

Papandreou’s combination of pragmatic policies with a strident anti-American rhetoric proved popular. His party won a decisive victory in the general elections of 1985, and he continued as prime minister. Late in Papandreou’s second term, his government was weakened by a grave financial scandal that forced the dismissal or resignation of three cabinet ministers.

Papandreou’s popularity was further diminished by his highly publicised relationship with a much younger woman before divorcing his second wife. Moreover, the huge budget deficits incurred by his government had led to rising levels of inflation and a growing foreign debt.

In the elections of June 18, 1989, PASOK lost its majority in the Parliament and Papandreou resigned from office on June 19. In 1992, he was acquitted of corruption charges stemming from the financial scandal and he continued as the leader of PASOK.

PASOK won a landslide victory in general elections in October 1993, and Papandreou again became prime minister, serving until ill health forced him to retire in January 1996. He passed away in the early hours of June 23 later that year, at the age of 77.

His son, George A. Papandreou, was elected prime minister in October 2009.

Three Greek Australians in Victorian Labor Government cabinet after reshuffle

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The Victorian Government has announced its new cabinet line-up after the sudden departure of three ministers last week following the branch stacking scandal.

Jenny Mikakos MP has retained her position as Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, while Nick Staikos MP is the new Parliamentary Secretary to Treasurer Tim Pallas, and Steve Dimopoulos MP was promoted to the position of Parliamentary Secretary to Premier Daniel Andrews.

All three Greek-Australians are expected to make a significant contribution to the Victorian Labor Government, which is currently prioritising local jobs and recovering from the COVID-19 crisis as case numbers spike in the state.

“Victoria is facing an unprecedented challenge as we begin the recovery from coronavirus. This is the strong, dedicated and determined team to get us through to the other side,” Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews, said in a statement after the appointments were announced.

Hours later, Nick Staikos MP concurred with this message via Twitter, writing: “Creating jobs and opportunities for Victorians has always been a significant priority of the Andrews Labor Government and I am looking forward to making this contribution.”

Steve Dimopoulos MP also told The Greek Herald exclusively that he is “pleased and honoured” with his new role.

“The Victorian Government works hard every day with the goal of supporting the aspirations of all Victorians. I am pleased and feel honoured that the Premier has given me a role that allows me to work more closely with him towards that very goal,” Mr Dimopoulos told The Greek Herald.

“I congratulate all my colleagues who have received different roles in yesterday’s government changes and in particular my colleague and friend of Greek heritage, Nick Staikos, who has been given the role of Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer.”

Despina Savva’s bold move as she swaps teams on The Voice Australia 2020

Greek Australian, Despina Savva, is through to the Play-Offs on The Voice Australia 2020 after judge Kelly Rowland didn’t hesitate to “save” the superstar during last night’s Battle Round.

The 14-year-old, who was initially on team Boy George, went up against Siala during the battle with a stunning rendition of Jorja Smith’s hit song ‘Teenage Fantasy.’

Despite telling Despina she’d hit some “really strong notes” and connected with the room, Boy George picked Siala and her rapping skills to remain on his team. But as soon as the opportunity came for the coaches to save Despina, both George and Kelly Rowland didn’t hesitate to push their button.

Despina shocks the coaches with her bold move. (Nine/ITV)

“We have unfinished business. We haven’t even done what we’ve started to do,” George appealed to Despina. “I would have put you both through if I could, and I’m trying to do that right now.”

Despina didn’t look too convinced.

“Working with artists like Despina really gets all my senses going. You are so meant to be here and I want to see how you grow, but I want to be the Coach to help you get there,” Kelly pitched.

Despina picks Kelly over George. (Nine/ITV)

In a bold and surprising move, Despina decided to ditch George and take up a spot on #TeamKelly.

“I love you George but, you know, you picked Siala, so I’m going to give Kelly a chance,” was her reasoning.

We’re so excited to see what this shining star does next!

READ MORE: Despina Savva stuns with amazing singing talent on The Voice Australia 2020.

Opinion: Exploring the Greek Revival in Australia

By Maddy Constantine.

Perceptions on belonging to the Greek diaspora of Australia are shifting. As a second-generation Greek-Australian myself, and as one who has also felt inextricably tied to her heritage, I sense a seismic shift in how I, and those like me, identify as a part of this group.

We, children born in the 90s and 00s, championed an indifference and neglect towards our cultural DNA in our coming of age years. This has now transformed into us actively seeking out forgotten elements of our identity as young Greek-Australians.

Here, I endeavour to uncover the reasons for the shift.

As a small child virtually raised by Yiayia Effie and Papou Trevor on the fringes of Canterbury and Earlwood, a highly Greek-populated area, the values I was raised with were nothing new to me. Everybody went to Church on Sunday, Greek dancing on Wednesday and there was never a short supply of family gathering, or “trapezia” as Pappou used to call it. So heavily influenced by the Greeks who enrolled in the catchment was my public primary school that Greek language class was embedded into the school curriculum, and Orthodox scripture was taught every Tuesday following lunch by none other than my own Yiayia.

I can vouch for many of my fellow Greek-Australians millennials who experienced an almost identical childhood, and took it for granted. It wasn’t until I grew older, moved to different high schools, universities and then into the workforce that the “Wog Bubble” burst to reveal many more diverse characters and life experiences, so very different from my own.

I had been subject to a normal level of schoolyard cattiness, but I was never attacked or isolated because of my Orthodox faith or ethnic heritage until I stepped into a school with a largely white population. Kids who couldn’t tell the difference between a kebab and a souvlaki, hommus and tzatziki, or a Greek and an Italian.

Maddy Constantine as a young girl. Supplied by Maddy Constantine.

Suddenly my heritage, the way I was raised and taught to behave was an object for ridicule. An identity crisis ensued, where I bargained between fitting into my new school and suppressing who I inherently was as a person. A particular memory that stands out is when I was called a “Jesus Freak” in Extension English by a fellow student, for being able to answer a question about Shinto Buddhism. And let’s not forget the countless times I had to eat lunch alone so as to avoid the questions related to what “exotic” food I was eating that day.

At the same time I strived to keep a low profile and “tone it down” I witnessed kids who grew up in the Greek communities with me start to shy away from their “wog” heritage. Attendance at Easter mass amongst the teens dropped dramatically, a midnight tradition once cherished by those lucky enough to experience it. A few of my friends dropped out of Greek dancing, and many more stopped listening to Greek music all together. Only “losers” went to the Annual Greek Festival in Darling Harbour each year, and the few of us who could speak Greek found it harder and harder to communicate with our non-English speaking grandparents.

When Greek friends made fun of me for wanting to play some Greek music in the car it saddened me and left me wondering, why? Even at university I was hesitant to join the Hellenic Society on campus in fear of being associated with “overly-patriotic” Greek kids (turns out years later I would become great friends with a few of them), even though a part of me wanted to share my love for Greek culture with others my age.

Looking back at these times I can’t help but marvel at how things have changed over the years. More and more I am noticing my generation start to embrace their heritage again in different ways. Some frequent dedicated “Greek Nights” at the nightclubs in Sydney. Others, travel to Greece on yearly pilgrimages to visit the villages of their parents and grandparents and experience the sun-soaked wonder of a Greek summer. These are just a few specific examples but in general it seems we are less ashamed, and more proud of the place that has shaped our cultural identity, and there are many reasons why.

“Greek nights” at nightclubs in Sydney are popular among young Greek Australians. Supplied by Maddy Constantine.

One popular sentiment amongst young Greek-Australians is the feeling that our ties to Greece are directly related to the connection we have with our grandparents. A majority of our grandparents were the first to migrate to Australia after World War Two on voyages such as the “Patris”. They settled here and weaved the Greek culture into how they raised the generations to follow. For many of us in the second generation, our grandparents practically raised us, and were the ones to teach us most of the language as we know, as well as some of the “Greek-lish” words we have come to use such as “petrelio” and “toileta”.

As I get older and my grandparents age and start to pass away, I find myself suddenly desperate to learn everything they know. Their recipes, their vocabulary and stories of their youth. I am not alone in this. Countless times I have heard fellow Greeks say things like “I wish I spoke to my Grandparents more” and “nobody made pita like my Yiayia”. This I believe is one of the driving forces for us clutching on to our heritage more fervently than ever.

Another leading cause for the revival of Greek culture in our communities is the arrival of new migrants from Greece following the crash of the Greek economy in 2010. Since then Australia has experienced an influx of Greek migrants on temporary and permanent visas, seven-fold for those on student visas and a four-fold rise in family migration. As these people arrive on our shores they have settled and started businesses of their own, much like the “milk-bar” generation of post-war Greeks striving for prosperity in the “Lucky Country”.

These people, however, are not carrying the torch alone. Amongst the new wave of migrants and business owners culturing our city with authenticity and passion comes the pioneers in the younger generations, making names for themselves in the Australian-Greek scene.

These emerging pockets of Hellenism in the fabric of our multicultural society are deeply encouraging to a person like me, so passionate to keep the stories and traditions of my Greek heritage alive. We must embrace who we are and never be ashamed of just how much our lives are enriched by the ability to belong to the Greek community of Australia.

In my humble opinion, the thing us Greek-Australians have to be proud of the most, is the inherent sense of “Philotimo” we can share with others. Philotimo, a word packed with so much meaning and essential to the Greek way of life, can change the world through its teaching of selflessness and honour for doing good, often symbolised by inviting a stranger into your home to experience love, shelter and kindness, before you.

The “Greek Revival” in Australia is in its early phases, there is so much more we can do for the Australian community in the years to come.

Constantine Costi on his passion for opera and seafood

Constantine Costi is an expert in seafood as he’s been involved in the family business, De Costi Seafoods, since before he can remember. But what many people don’t know about the 30-year-old is that he has also had an enduring love-affair with opera since the age of 14, when he was drawn to a vinyl recording of Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande in an op shop.

“I remember just listening in my room to this record over and over and over again. I was completely intoxicated and felt like I’d discovered this private little world that none of my friends knew about. That no one knew about,” Costi tells The Sydney Morning Herald. “It was just a happy accident. It was a passion and an obsession, and an unbelievable recognition that music could be this beautiful and moving.”

Constantine Costi is now a full-time opera and theatre director. Picture by: Australian Brandenberg Orchestra.

Costi is now a full-time opera and theatre director who was due to launch his solo directorial debut with Opera Australia this year. However, due to COVID-19, his chance to direct La Traviata in April’s ‘Handa on Sydney Harbour’ production was postponed to next year. News which has definitely not dampened Costi’s excitement about the possibilities for the upcoming production.

In fact, he’s been studying La Traviata, poring over books at the State Library and listening to “way too many recordings” in an effort to bring fresh eyes and ears to Verdi’s masterwork. With such dedication, it’s a happy thought that the production is still set to go ahead in 2021.

‘I probably should’ve been a farmer in Cyprus’:

Costi grew up on Sydney’s North Shore, the son of Greek Cypriot (his father’s side) and Italian (his mother’s side) migrants. His grandfather came from Cyprus in the 1930s and opened a fish and chip shop in Lakemba.

“My dad and his two sisters and brother lived above the shop. They learned the family trade and they went from there and started De Costi Seafoods. It’s something I’ve been doing my entire life — filleting fish and working in the markets at the fish shop,” Costi tells the SMH.

De Costi Seafoods has played a huge part in Constantine’s life. It was founded by Andrea and George Costi in 1981. Picture by: De Costi Seafoods.

“There was even a period a few years ago when my brother [Michael], who’s a playwright, and I were running our own little stall at Birkenhead Plaza on Saturdays and Sundays, working 18-hour days and then rehearsing avant-garde theatre pieces during the week.”

Family is central to Costi’s life and he’s conscious his own success owes much to the decisions and hard work of the family. While his parents, Steve and Connie, knew little or nothing about the world of opera that had captured their son, they were happy to back him and his siblings in whatever directions they chose.

“I’m just a very lucky person to have come along at the time I came along. Otherwise, I probably should have been a farmer in Cyprus, pulling potatoes out of the ground and helping the goat give birth,” Costi says.

Constantine Costi (right) and his siblings all work in the creative industry.

“My parents were incredibly supportive but they weren’t particularly educated themselves beyond high school. They married very young and their lives were family and work. And that’s a beautiful thing in itself.

“But I think they were just excited by us following our passions. I’m really lucky. It isn’t the stereotype of the traditional Mediterranean family. We were free to explore what we wanted and we were totally encouraged.”

And it’s for that reason that Costi will be supported by his family every step of the way on his incredible journey with Opera Australia.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald.