Nicosia International Festival 2023

The fourth edition of the festival is a performing arts celebration for the city of Nicosia, with a series of theatre, music and contemporary dance performances and a Parallel Program. A celebration whose official program starts on 26 September with a production by the Onassis Cultural Centre.
 
The Nicosia International Festival 2023 remains faithful to the strategic objectives of the Nicosia Municipality for culture, while maintaining the special artistic focus of the program. "The strategic objectives of the Nicosia Municipality for culture are firmly rooted in the strategy that we as a Municipality set out when bidding for the European Capital of Culture in 2017.  Another city of our country may have been chosen, but we have been implementing this strategy with a steady pace ever since", said Mr. Yiorkatzis, during the presentation of the Festival's program.  He stressed that, especially after the reopening of the Nicosia Municipal Theatre and through the Nicosia International Festival, the Municipality of Nicosia breathes life to this strategy. "We have been building expertise in large-scale cultural production and in building our network of contemporary Cypriot and international artists.  This is why the Nicosia International Festival is our bullet train in our bid for the European Capital of Culture 2030".
 
The Vice President of Nicosia for Art (the company that co-organizes the Festival with the Nicosia Municipality) and member of the Festival Committee, Mrs. Leoni Orphanidou, pointed out that, although only four years old, the Festival “is the biggest Festival in Cyprus and this, rightly, makes us proud". 
 
In turn, the Festival's Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Nicosia for Art George G. Papageorgiou highlighted the fact that "it is our strategic goal to contribute to the growth of sustainable tourism for Nicosia through culture. We have been implementing this objective from our 1^st edition in 2019 attracting visitors from the rest of Cyprus and abroad". 
 
Spanish Presidency of the European Council
 
The Festival, together with the Embassy of Spain in Cyprus celebrate the Spanish Presidency of the European Council (2nd half of 2023) with a concert by Alkinoos Ioannidis with his songs in Greek and Spanish. Also presented as part of the celebrations is the contemporary dance performance "Gran Bolero" choreographed by the Spanish Jesús Rubio Gamo.
 
Programme for children and young people
 
Audience development is a long-standing strategic objective of both the festival and the European Capital of Culture institution. This year's Festival includes a revival of the great successful "The Lazy Dragon" by George Hadjipieris, directed by Constantinos Rigos. The production had its national premiere at last year's edition of the festival and closes this year's festival with five concerts that were also presented at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall and the Athens Concert Hall.
 
Theatre
 
The Festival presents for the first time in Cyprus Schaubühne Berlin with the production of William Shakespeare's “Hamlet”, directed by Schaubühne's Artistic Director Thomas Ostermeier.
 
Music
 
Having inaugurated the first edition of the Festival in 2019, Stamatis Spanoudakis returns with his monumental concert "For Alexander" together with Vassilis Saleas. The new generation of songwriters from Greece is represented at this year's Festival by Efstathios Drakos with his new recording entitled "ΦLEVA".
 
The festival also hosts our compatriot, pianist and composer, Stavros Lantsias with his concert entitled "My Ennio Morricone". The new alnum by Vakia Stavrou, entitled "Vakia", is also presented.
 
Constemporary dance
 
True to its philosophy of helping people embrace equality and inclusion regardless of color, the festival hosts the performance "Never Twenty One" by French choreographer Smail Kanouté. 
 
Festival identity
Organizers: Nicosia Municipality, Nicosia For Art
Institutional sponsor: Ministry of Culture, Republic of Cyprus
The Festival is presented by ECOMMBX.
Silver Sponsor: Onassis Cultural Centre, Cyprus Public Transport
Bronze sponsor: Embassy of Spain in Cyprus, Deloitte Legal
Hospitality Sponsor: The Classic Hotel

Festival Team
Festival Committee: Betty Kousoulidou, Leoni Orphanidou, George G. George Papageorgiou
Artistic Direction. George G. Papageorgiou
Technical Coordination: Christos Charalambous, Sotos Charalambous
Sound Technician: Nicolas Prokopiou
Stage Technicians: Monica Hadjivassiliou, Antis Charalambous
Promotion and Public Relations Officer: Stella Mοurettou
Production Officer: Nicolina Stylianou
Administrative/Accounting Assistants: Elena Herodotou, Eleftheria Panteli
 
Festival espresso bar powered by Nespresso.