A benefit concert in support of The Hellenic Initiative Canada (THI Canada) will take place at Théâtre Maisonneuve of Place des Arts on Sat. Oct. 25 featuring one of Greece’s legendary singers, Alkisti Protopsalti,. She will also perform encores with 34 children from the choir of the Roxboro Socrates-Démosthène School, no doubt a a thrill of a lifetime.
At the helm of the organizing committee is Robert Peck, a Concordia Journalism graduate, a Philhellene, a retired career diplomat and former Canadian Ambassador to Greece.
In line with THI Canada’s mission to support meaningful change in Greece, a portion of the concert’s proceeds will benefit youth-focused initiatives, including Regeneration and Ecogenia—two dynamic organizations creating opportunities in education, employment, and climate action, particularly in the area of forest management and environmental stewardship. The support for the Greek NGO Emfasis, which works with homeless and marginalized populations in Greece, will continue.
Robert Peck and Alkisti Protopsalti.
“Alkistis Protopsalti is a musical treasure, whose voice and spirit have captivated audiences across generations,” THI Canada Co-President Alexander Georgiadis told the Greek Reporter. “With more than 40 years of artistic excellence and 28 gold and platinum albums, she has brought Greek music to the world.”
As for Protopsalti, she remarked: “It gives me great joy to return to a city that embraces both cultural diversity and a vibrant Greek community. On October 25, I will have the [honor] of performing with the Socrates-Démosthène III Children’s Choir, under the direction of lyric tenor and choir master Dimitris Ilias. It will be a celebration of music, unity, and hope in support of The Hellenic Initiative Canada.”
Protopsalti has been in the Greek music scene for over 40 years, with 28 solo albums, all of which have gone gold or platinum. She is one of the most important Greek singers, an amazing ambassador for Greek music, and the only woman ambassador of Marathon in the world. She first made her mark on the Greek music scene in the late ’70s. Since then, she has collaborated with some of the biggest names in Greek music, including Mikis Theodorakis, Stavros Xarhakos, Dimos Moutsis, Elias Andriopoulos, Stamatis Kraounakis, Nikos Antypas, Stefanos Korkolis, Giannis Spanos Stamatis Spanoudakis, and even the world-renowned Goran Bregovic.
Peck told me in an interview that he is trying to reach beyond the Greek community to include the participation of other community and religious groups. Tickets are quite reasonably priced from $78 to $138. At least two groups of Greek seniors will attend. “Language is no barrier given her charisma, remarkable voice and stage presence,” Concordia Journalism teacher and former CTV reporter Aphrodite Salas told me.
Here she is performing in Israel
LES IMPATIENTS: You may have heard about Les Impatients, an organization that offers art workshops for people with mental health issues? Last Wednesday they inaugurated their new Grand Atelier in front of the Rosemount metro station, after a fire that destroyed its home at the Monastère du Bon Pasteur in 2023. On Nov. 1, they will be launching their Parle-moi d’amour campaign. Les Impatients gains plaudits for the cost benefits of relieving pressure on the healthcare system and as a society. This organization is regarded for much more than just art workshops. The people who come together there see their artwork displayed, be it at a special exhibition, through its acquisition at auction, or through the organization’s collection of art —and that gives them a boost of self-confidence which has a beneficial effect on their health.
Les Impatients is happy to be able to count on the support and generosity of its new spokesperson, Sophie Fouron. Charismatic and brilliant, she has been working in communications for over 20 years, moving from research to production to hosting duties. Her empathy and her listening skills make her an invaluable ally for Les Impatients. “The need for and the benefits of Les Impatients’ creative workshops are well established, and I’m overjoyed to be joining my voice to this large and caring family,’’ she said. “As a mother, a sister, a spouse and a friend, I know all too well that no one is immune to mental health disorders. And how lucky it is to get the chance, in the most difficult times, to create freely in visual arts and in music! Les Impatients is, in my opinion, the best possible prescription.”
It is possible to support Les Impatients by making a donation in support of its cause here: https://impatients.ca/en/donate/.
FILM SCREENINGS: Two original short films by Montreal writer, educator, and producer Anna Panunto, with actress and director Cristina Galardini, will be shown on Sun. Oct. 19 with the programming beginning at 4 pm at the Centre Leonardo Da Vinci in St. Leonard. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at https://www.cldv.ca/events
Anna Panunto
Il Diarao Di Una Stupida (2023) is a partly biographical story that takes place in Montreal in 1967-68. The main character of the story is Rosa, a vivacious 18 year old woman. Rosa who was born in Canada is persuaded by her mother to marry Giovanni, a handsome 25 year old newly arrived Italian immigrant and paisan of the family. Rosa believes that getting married will give her the opportunity to explore the exciting nightlife in her city. Much to her disappointment though, she soon realizes that married life and playing the role of the “good and obedient Italian wife” is both very boring and frustrating. Enter the world of this unconventional young woman with an eccentric personality as she shares all of her intimate thoughts and details in her most precious diary book.
Giaconda (2025) tells the story of Antonina aka Giaconda. Born in 1943 she immigrated to Canada in 1957 with her mother and two brothers. Far from being a conventional woman of her times and having achieved great success, Giaconda is finally being interviewed by a journalist. Rest assured though, that this is no ordinary interview. Having lived an authentic life as a lesbian activist, entrepreneur and visual artist, Giaconda shares with us bits and pieces of incredible and heart-wrenching history. Most of all, reminding us that identity is everything and nothing. The schedule will see the first film shown at 4:15 pm and the second at 5:10 pm, concluding with a question and answer period.
IN PRAISE OF THE MISSING IMAGE: MOMENTA Biennale d’art contemporain continues to present its 19th edition through November. Curated by Marie-Ann Yemsi, the Biennale has partnered with Montreal museums, galleries, and artist-run centres to offer the public a series of exhibitions that explore In Praise of the Missing Image. Within this unusual blending of old and new is the most accurate expression of what truly sets biennales apart in the field of art. Biennales embrace the future while being firmly rooted in the present.
This edition of the Biennale aims to amplify emancipatory voices through which joy becomes a means of transgression and collective creation. The Biennale explores the political and poetic potential of joy, bringing it forth as a source of care, resilience, and resistance. Presented in 11 exhibition spaces across the city, the Biennale’s programming will form a dialogue among the work of 23 Canadian and international artists, representing 14 countries, four provinces, and five Indigenous communities. From one exhibition to the next, artists will explore hybridization, fluidity, and fugitivity to create emancipatory images that reveal marginalized or erased narratives.
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