With a ten-minute standing ovation, the world of theater, relations, mates and admirers stated goodbye to the main Cypriot theater particular person Nikos Charalambous, who was buried on Tuesday afternoon on the church of Apostolos Markos in Strovolos.
The nice and pioneering actor, director and theater trainer was mourned with disappointment and emotion by personalities of the inventive, mental and political world from Cyprus in addition to from Greece.
Funeral eulogies have been delivered on behalf of his colleagues by Despina Bembedeli, on behalf of the household by his daughter, actress Niovi Charalambous, in addition to his niece Christina Pavlidou, additionally an actress, and on behalf of THOK by the president of the Board Pantelis Voutouris. A eulogy was additionally delivered by his pupil, actor and director Michalis Kalambokis, who arrived from Greece for the ultimate embrace.
On the conclusion of the ceremony, with the switch of the coffin to the hearse, the viewers erupted right into a heat and extended applause, rewarding the deceased for his life's work and saying goodbye to him on this “final efficiency” of his profession.
Related scenes of intense cost and emotion unfolded within the New Cemetery of Strovolos the place the burial occurred. There, college students, colleagues and relations recited choruses from tragedies, accompanying Nikos Charalambous to his final residence within the method he deserves.
Despina Bembedeli: You have been a pioneer of substance, not shallow showmanship
We quote Despina Bembedeli's obituary verbatim after she kindly supplied a replica of the manuscript (the daring letters are ours):
“Nico, come on. The disc is prepared. Spatzia with honey, vanilla-filled cookies and flora paste, no matter you want. Nicely, it's not like Chrystalla's mom's paste flora however… You're laughing, huh? Come sit down.
– Discover a case! However what are all these packing containers right here?
– Applications and posters, my Niko, from the tasks we did and numerous pictures from rehearsals, performances, journeys, excursions, weddings, birthdays, christenings, New 12 months's. And this file stuffed with your interviews and your manuscript texts that I photocopied.
– Have you ever made me an envelope, Child?
-Two envelopes, my Niko. The second file has all the pieces you stated to us within the rehearsals transcribed. Your analyses. Within the Phoenicians, within the Persians, in Andromache, within the Troades, in Hekavi, in Romeo and Juliet.
– You've received me coated for good, Child.
-Scripta manent, my Nikakis. These manuscripts are research manuals for a doctorate in dramaturgy, directing, performing, research within the nice sacred artwork of theater. And also you, a mystic and hierophant of the current historical past of the Cypriot Theatre. Take a look at this picture, what’s written on the again! 'Theatro Technis Cyprus', 'Twelfth Evening', 1961. You’re 20 right here, 63 years have handed since then.
-And the place are we?
– Right here we’re in Leonidas in Lygourio, 1981. The complete troupe celebrates the triumph of the Iketids within the Historic Theater of Epidaurus. do you keep in mind What hymns did they write in Greece: 'Editorial efficiency'. 'Essentially the most authoritative proposal for the revival of Historic Greek Tragedy'. “The actors taught an awesome lesson that the interpretation of tragedy requires toil, self-discipline, dedication, self-sacrifice.” 'A genius course and a courageous political act'.
– The praises in Greece… right here they hit us mercilessly.
– Nicely, so what? Who remembers them? Whereas your Iketides remained in Historical past. Take a look at this picture, to recollect the comfortable days on the rehearsals of Bernarda Alba. 9 ladies and also you! Your greatest! And our greatest, after all. 9 ladies targeted and also you dazzled so much in your estrus, within the fever of your inspiration. What different director would have thought, would then have dared to indicate the horrible scene of Bernarda-Pontia, invisible to the viewers, locked in an invisible room, squirming, foaming maenads, and the spectators seeing on the stage the 5 daughters, mute and afraid to hear! You, Nikos, have been the primary to indicate Dance in tragedy static, with out geometric formations and half-choruses. You might have eliminated sterile guidelines that restrict the fertile creativeness of the creator.
Wrapped within the countless black material, within the Iketides, you needed to see us ladies of the Dance like charred timber in a black burnt forest. Falling, I perish like charred our bodies with otherworldly sounds, from wounded larynxes come out wails and mourners. Indignant plea. 'At present we got here right here to say our useless who have been denied to us by our enemies to bury them'. The husband, the son, the grandson, the brother, the buddy. Cries and pictures, associations and associations from the current tragedy of your homeland, my Nico.
You have been a real pioneer. Not a shallow showman. You have been revolutionary learn. Aware artist. Stressed and tireless spirit. Like an actor. And what would anybody be shocked at first? Your glow? Your appeal? The magic that enveloped you on stage? Your voice? Your transfer? Your method? Your fast wit? Your immediacy? Comedic, tragic, dramatic, epic, clown, juggler, dancer, singer, acrobat- all in perfection with precision, grace, ability. No security web. You didn't want it. Your 24 carats of thoughts and steely self-control have been your web.
As a director, you guided your actors by way of the lens of your individual performing prowess. Luckily. You carried strategies and experiences from the Nice Grasp Karolos Koon. And the younger actors realized from you that the roles come solely by way of effort, toil, persistence and obsession with element, solely by way of actual love for the theater.
And also you, my Nikos, lived with this love in one another's arms for 63 entire years. You traveled, wandered actually and mentally. In locations and instances removed from historical past, legend and fantasy. With gods and demigods, with prophetesses and ghosts, with diviners and samurai. In Mycenae and Troy, in Thebes and Susa, within the Venice of the Doges and within the hidden fjords, within the frozen steppes of the north and within the arid land of Andalusia.
Take a look at the pictures, my Nikos, they’re all witnesses of your story, your life, your artwork. A! Take a look at her, Nikos, Stelios pulled her. Your Maria together with your first Cherub in her arms on the roof of your home in Kalamata. What a good time we had that summer season! Niovaki beloved cookies. Such as you…
Are you content, my Nico? Dazzled you, huh? The spazia additionally received chilly… There have been additionally the biscuits and the flora paste. I do know, now you're touring once more, flying, you flew up there and located your troupe ready so that you can begin rehearsing. Nice troupe, my Nikakis. Beloved, adored faces. You blended up once more. Dozens of souls welcomed your little soul, my stunning Niko. Joyful, comfortable souls who have you ever near them once more. And we have been left alone right here. And what number of? We didn't get to have fun your birthday on June 1st, like final 12 months while you blew out your candle and binged on sweets and sang, my tenor, Spanish songs in a Spanish language of your individual making, rattling imaginary castanets in your white fingers in a flamenco rhythm, my dancer
My Niko, I needed to remind you a lot and let you know one thing else that I didn't get to through the years. How brief life is! By God's will, expensive buddy, buddy of our coronary heart! Goodbye to your Stelios, your Bebe, your Jenaki, Lenia, Antonis, Spyros, Eutychios, Neophytos, Kostas and Varnavas, Annita and George, Adriani and Androula and all the kids of the brand new successor Technology. We’re all right here to say goodbye for our final present with you.
'Good evening my candy prince and will the fluttering of angels lull you to sleep!'”
D.M. 26.3.2024
