Evanthia Reboutsika ‘s music to me, is delicate beautiful stories about love and pain, music for the cinema that is orchestrated with dramatic and graceful instincts, a voyager’s distant memories of places and feasts, and moods of her beloved spaces-the Mediterranean, Aegean Sea and the Bosphorus. In the first part we told the story of her childhood and first years as a musician, and her cooperation with Giannis (Yannis) Kotsiras.
The Bosphorus and “A Touch of Spice”
The beginning of the 2000s brought Evanthia to the Bosphorus, which would become a favorite place of her; it was through the cinema, beginning in writing music for a movie that has three alternative titles: Internationally it is “A touch of spice” and in Greek Πολίτικη Κουζίνα=Cuisine of the City (Istanbul), or Πολιτική Κουζίνα=Political Cuisine. “My love for Istanbul was born in 2000. Until then I had traveled a lot… My good friend Tasos Boulmetis was born in Istanbul and he invited us to go all the family for the Easter holidays. He was writing in those days the script of the film “A touch of spice” and during our walk at Bosphorus he suggested me to write the music. I was very touched by the people I met, the stories I heard in this city, the scenery and the fact that I felt instant familiarity with this place, as if it were my own town. Even now, every time I visit Istanbul and the plane lands at the airport I am being moved, as if I return to my home.”
Politiki Kouzina is a tale about the distress of the deported people and on unfulfilled love. The orchestral music travels through the street scenes, the views and flavors of Constantinople, the Greek name for Istanbul. The music is accompanying the story of Fanis, a young Greek boy from the City; his grandfather, an owner of a spice store, teaches him that both food and life require a little spice to give them flavor. There, in the store he meets his childhood love, a Turkish girl, Saime. We Watch the girl dancing and as the two young, in their child-love, are sitting on the waterfront and Saime’s scarlet umbrella is flying in the air of the Bosphoros, Reboutsika’s sounds are floating with it…But these so tied children are destined to be separated; it happens as Fanis and most of his family are deported to Greece by the Turks, as other native Greeks in the 1960s. The farewell scene in the station between Fanis and Saime and the music express in the most touching way the loss of happiness but also the strong feeling that will always remain intact.
Fanis grows up to become an excellent cook and uses his cooking skills to spice up the lives of those around him and to remember his hometown. 35 years later he leaves Athens and travels back to his birthplace to reunite with his near death grandfather and his first love Saime, who is now married to a military doctor and has a daughter but they live separately as he is engaged with his career. Fanis and Saime have strong emotions to each other but she decides to follow her husband in his service place…Again they are in the railway station; “Now it is my turn to leave” she says to him as they hug for goodbye, and the music stops for a while…
The official trailer with bits of Evanthia’s music:
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The music of “In the Ports they light fires”(Στα λιμάνια ανάψανε φωτιές ) is in the Hasapiko tempo, and in the movie it appears as the deported family begins its life in Athens. The lyrics are by the film’s creator Tasos Boulmetis (Τάσος Μπουλμέτης) all about Fanis’ story and ache, which are connected to Tasos’ personal story.
Natasa Theodoridou sings in TV show. Press cc for English Subtitles
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Babam ve Oglum
“My contact with Istanbul brought me luck. Because of “A touch of spice” I met Tsagan Irmak, the director of the movie “Babam ve Oglum”(My father and my son)…Political relations between the two countries concern me, but I give more attention to my personal relationship with the artists with whom I work or with friends I have there. Our art is evolving and we come closer despite the interests and political games. I think that the Greeks there feel that the Greek State has neglected them…I have also the feeling, that my contact with Istanbul strengthened my faith. When I got into Hagia Sophia for the first time I felt a deep emotion. I don’t know exactly how to describe it. I felt more Greek, more Christian, like a fresh air coming into me…”
Bir Șans Daha-“One More Chance” sings in Turkish Cihan Okan
The music of the song “The sculpture” (Τo γλυπτό) appears in the movie the as “Another Day” and “Lonely Child”. Aris Davarakis added the lyrics.
Alkistis Protopsalti sings in a live performance, with Evanthia and her red violin. Press cc for caps
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The Aegean
In those years (2004) Evanthia composed also for the Aegean Sea. It was in the documentary “Voice of the Aegean” (Φωνή Αιγαίου) by Lidia Karra. The documentary is on the Aegean destruction, arbitrary, waste and uncontrolled building and the changes in the people’s way of life. But the film is also a wonderful journey in Aegean; the lens captures its beauty, where there is still unscathed, a world of dream; as one Islander says: “the Aegean is a boat that sails centuries. The question is what we will leave behind us…” Her music takes our imagination to the dawn at the Aegean…sounds of the sea…an old boat… the Mythology …the dances…
“Afternoon in Ios Island” becomes with the lyrics of Michalis Gkanas a love song. I have “placed” this love story in the Island’s views. This song is dedicated with many thanks to Anastasia Thanela, who is making the research for this blog from day one, four years ago and loves this song very much.
Elli Paspala is the singer.CC for subtitles
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And as wind blows in the sails with the island’s music tempo, it becomes a feast of all the islanders! “Lilies of the shore” (Κρίνα του γιαλού); Elli Paspala, Evanthia Reboutsika and Giota Negka:
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An Encore
We finish to story of Evanthia Reboutsika, with the song “Free Soul” (Alma Libre in Spanish), sung in the album “The dance of the stars” of the three friends, “The three E’S”, Evanthia, Elli and Eleni Zioga (lyrics).
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The first part of this post is at
https://greeksongstories.wordpress.com/2015/05/30/evanthias-feast-from-alexandria-to-bosphorusa/
The Music to “Politiki Kouzina”
https://youtu.be/2hyDQjgGktk?list=PL3B117D0DC9440EEF
The music to “Babem ve Oglum”
https://youtu.be/Jb64Gy7mRdU?list=PL2jZMx6EhNFOhSZOiXkdKODvyCpnIKqjx
Links:
FB: Evanthia Reboutsika: https://www.facebook.com/reboutsika.gr?fref=ts
http://www.tovima.gr/socialevents/article/?aid=381625
http://www.tff.gr/article.asp?catid=36471&subid=2&pubid=128784513
http://www.logiosermis.net/2013/12/blog-post_2871.html#.VWRnJpR_s_h
http://www.palmografos.com/permalink/10638.html
http://www.os3.gr/archive_interviews/gr_interviews_reboutsika_eyan8ia.html
http://wiki.phantis.com/index.php/Evanthia_Reboutsika
Many thanks to Anastasia Thanela and Katerina Siapanda for their helpful part in this blog!
Tags: A touch of spice, Alkistis Protopsalti, Elli Paspala, Evanthia Rebousika, Foni Agaiou, Natasa Theodoridou, Politiki Kouzina
In The Beginning Of The Song 
June 6, 2015 at 7:43 pm |
Dear Avi. Thank you for the interesting information on this fantastic musician Evanthia Reboutsika
June 7, 2015 at 9:28 am |
Thank you Edna