with Georgia Balabini & Marios Fournaris

(C)halcyon Days — Music of Dowland & Purcell Reimagined

A musical encounter between two giants of English music—John Dowland and Henry Purcell—frames this unique interdisciplinary performance featuring soprano Georgia Balabini and guitarist Mislav Režić. Spanning the Renaissance and Baroque eras, Dowland and Purcell mark the poetic extremes of the 17th century, each with a legacy of profound emotional and artistic depth.

In this program, their timeless music is brought into dialogue with a striking visual narrative by video artist Marios Fournaris. His work, titled (C)halcyon Days, creates a contemplative and immersive atmosphere that both contrasts and complements the music.

Inspired by the Elizabethan era as a “time of extremes”—marked by bold exploration and brutal oppression, enlightenment and unrest—Fournaris draws compelling parallels with the present day. His visuals reflect contemporary crises such as war, ecological collapse, social inequality, and the ethical uncertainties of rapid technological advancement. Through the interplay of image and sound, the project asks urgent questions about human vulnerability and the fragile hope for a better future.

The title (C)halcyon Days plays on a dual meaning: the soft, brittle nature of chalk, evoking Shakespeare’s image of man as the “quintessence of dust,” and the nostalgic Halcyon days, fleeting moments of peace in a turbulent world. The video work underscores the ephemerality of happiness and the precarious balance between hope and despair—both in the 17th century and today.

This evocative collaboration between voice, guitar, and visual art invites audiences into a deeply human reflection on beauty, fragility, and the passage of time.