Alkistis Protopsalti
in concert

The central square in Yialos is getting ready, the chairs are out, the stage is set and the rehearsal is under way. The bars and restaurants around the square have put extra tables outside filling every available space to cater for the thousands of people that are expected this evening. The "Symi" and "Ilion" ferries are bringing hundreds of people from Rhodes to watch the premiere of this year’s Symi Festival.

The first sounds fill the air at about 7pm when the rehearsals get under way. Giorgos Karadimos, Konstantinos Kotsadam, and Christina Argyri are on stage testing. They sound really good as they entertain the few spectators that are already in the square.

Alkistis herself comes on stage at about 7:15pm looking gorgeous, smiling and laughing as she moves about testing the sound and making sure all is in order for the performance later on.

Lots of people are by now in the square taking photos, clapping, dancing, and singing. There is a party atmosphere all around and everyone seems to have stopped what they were doing to watch her rehearsal. She is with no doubt one of the most important singers in the history of Greek music, and watching her talking, singing and having fun just a couple of metres away is a privilege.

After about 15 minutes, she leaves the stage telling everyone that she will see us later. The performance starts at 9pm and everyone is now off to get ready.

At about 8:30pm, the first lights are turned on and the totally transformed stage looks beautiful. Six curtains hung at the back of the stage providing a "waving wall" behind the musicians with different light shapes appearing on it and setting the mood for the start of the proceedings.

The square is getting fuller with hundreds of people arriving from all directions.

By 9pm, the square is full. There is not a single chair empty and looking around, there is nowhere to sit around the square at all! Every space which has a view of the stage is taken. The best seats on the bridge were taken more than an hour ago. All the bars and restaurants are full too and it is very difficult to even walk on the roads between the square and the bridge and Town Hall. Even the playground on the edge of the square is packed full of people as it has very good views of the stage.

At 9:20pm, the pre-concert formalities are under way as the spectators are welcomed in three languages (Greek, English and Italian). A brief history of the 12 years of the Symi Festival is given, before presenting this year's programme.

A number of local officials and government representatives were present and were invited to address the spectators. Among them were Lefteris Papakalodoukas, the Mayor of Symi and Yiannis Valinakis, the deputy Greek Foreign Secretary.

Everything is ready... the smoke-filled stage is a deep blue colour. The musicians are in place and everyone is waiting in the dark for the lady herself to appear...