Folk Band Encardia Revive Ritsos’ Moonlight Sonata in Two November Performances

“A spring evening. A large room in an old house. A woman of a certain age, dressed in black, is speaking to a young man… Through both windows the moonlight shines relentlessly.”

These opening lines introduce Ritsos’ iconic poem — a landmark of modern Greek literature.

For the final Sundays of November (16, 30), Encardia — the much-loved Greek folk ensemble — brings the text to life with fresh imagination, merging poetry and music into a singular stage experience where Ritsos’ verses converse with the group’s original compositions. Under the artistic direction of acclaimed guitarist Michalis Kontaxakis, Moonlight Sonata unfolds in fifteen musical movements, weaving together songs and instrumental interludes inspired by the traditional rhythms of Southern Italy, a defining element of Encardia’s sound, as well as the lyrical aura of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.

At the center of the work stands the enigmatic “woman in black,” an unnamed figure suspended between presence and absence, dignity and quiet despair — a character shaped by Ritsos’ enduring fascination with the moon as symbol and witness.

Written in 1956 and awarded the First Greek State Poetry Prize, Moonlight Sonata marks a pivotal moment in Ritsos’ oeuvre and in contemporary Greek poetry.

The production premiered in Monemvasia — Ritsos’ birthplace — in 2021 as part of the Ministry of Culture’s All of Greece, One Culture program. It has since been presented in Athens (Olvio Theatre, 2023), at the Kalamata Municipal Regional Theatre (2023), and at Myrtillo Cultural Space (Spring 2025). In February 2025, it was also released as a book-and-CD edition by En Plo Publications.

Encardia on stage

• Vangelis Papageorgiou — Accordion, harmonica, vocals
• Michalis Kontaxakis — Guitar, vocals
• Natalia Kotsani — Vocals, percussion
• Dimitris Tsekouras / Giorgos Danis — Double bass (alternating)
• Kostas Konstantatos — Vocals, mandolin, percussion
• The Woman in Black: Anna Theodoridou

About the Ensemble

Encardia is a Greek music group inspired by the rich traditions of Southern Italy and the wider Mediterranean. Their repertoire spans tarantellas, love songs, and socially themed works. Founded in 2004, they have given more than 2,000 live performances across Greece, Italy, Southern France, Germany, Algeria, Switzerland, and Cyprus. The band has released five critically acclaimed albums and is renowned for the unique rapport they cultivate with audiences on stage.