A new era for the Nicosia International Festival
New beginnings are on the horizon and as such the Nicosia International Festival enters a refreshed phase. Not only will it present a rich sixth edition packed with performances and parallel events, but it also establishes new collaborations.
Before it unveils a new programme of productions in September, co-organisers the Nicosia municipality and Nicosia For Art mark a new beginning as they sign a memorandum of cooperation with the Municipality of Paralimni-Deryneia.
The cooperation between the two municipalities is a conscious and strategic decision aimed not only at strengthening their relationship but also at establishing Cyprus as a modern regional cultural hub.
“The relationship between our two municipalities is long-standing, vibrant, and meaningful, and today it gains a new, creative orientation,” said Paralimni’s Giorgios Nikolettos.
The programme of the Nicosia International Festival 2025 begins on September 14 with a free open-air electronic music party outside the Nicosia Municipal Theatre.
This year’s programme features the ongoing collaboration between the festival and the Greek National Opera and the artistic director of its ballet Konstantinos Rigos, in the production Golden Age, which opens the festival on September 18 and 19. Also featured are a performance by internationally acclaimed Greek director Theodoros Terzopoulos in a production of Waiting for Godot by Emilia Romagna Teatro, and Michael Kohlhaas by the Yugoslav Drama Theatre, directed by Boris Liješević.
A special programme for children will also take place as well as the #Under30 programme that features Cypriot creators aged 30 and under. What’s more, this year’s festival places a strong emphasis on multimedia. The agenda includes audio-visual performances combining music, song and spoken word.
On November 29, the audio-visual theatrical performance AND/DNA by Anna Fo (real name Anna Fotiadou) seeks to ‘speak’ of dystopia as a mirror of real and possible realities, political, social and psychological. The artist explores the boundaries between image, text and stage action, using video art, soundscapes and live performance to deconstruct traditional narratives.
On December 12, technology meets The Nutcracker in the ground-breaking multimedia performance for solo piano, dance and digital animation The Nutcracker and I by Romanian-born pianist Alexandra Dariescu. The performance aims to engage younger audiences and build bridges with those who are not yet familiar with classical music.
The two-part Ground Studies for Pilots – Bluets performance on December 23 with internationally acclaimed artist and electronic music composer Pandelis Diamantides, whose music guides the audience through a poetic reflection on human fragility, framed by the image of a pilot preparing for take-off. In the second part, Bluets, vocal performer Christia Michael sings while Pandelis’ visual intervention on stage evokes a quiet yet deeply emotional introspection.
Numerous theatrical productions will also be presented. They include Another Thebes on September 30 and October 1, The Old Women Who Gather Nettles on October 23, Waiting for Godot on October 31 and November 1, Michael Kohlhaas on November 15, The Elephant Man on November 21 and multiple winter performances of Trelantonis.
Of course, the 2025 festival will include several musical evenings showcasing the new works of Cypriot singer-songwriters Panayiotis Loizou, Savvas Chrysostomou (known as Sais), and Dimitris Mesimeris, acclaimed composer Stavros Lantsias and Panos Vlachos.
Other musicians to take the stage are the newly formed ensemble Nicosia Fusion Trio with a performance on September 21, Christina Maxouri and her revival of Sotiria Bellou’s rembetiko music and Nena Venetsanou as she pays tribute to musician and architect Klelia Petridou.
Other music nights will feature the self-taught gym teacher-turned- singer-songwriter Panayiotis Loizou, and a tribute concert in honour of Kyriakou Pelagia curated by her granddaughter, Eirini.
And that is not all. The festival this year presents the first-ever Nicosia Bicycle Film Festival on October 19. In collaboration with OPU – Organisation for Positive Urbanism, this short film festival comes to Cyprus, having already run for 25 years in New York and travelled to over 100 cities worldwide, drawing more than 1 million viewers.
Finally, a performance by Andrew Scott will be presented in Nicosia as the festival begins its collaboration with London’s National Theatre Live programme. On September 9, Anton Chekhov’s classic dark drama Uncle Vanya will be showcased, enriching the capital’s cultural agenda even more.
More updates and details for the 6th Nicosia International Festival at https://www.facebook.com/NicosiaIntlFestival