Newsroom
The Avantgarde Cultural Foundation is launching this year’s edition of The Piano Tour with a recital at one of Cyprus’s most storied locations. Cypriot pianist Nicoletta Savvidou will perform on Wednesday, June 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Petra tou Romiou, in what will be the 21st concert in the series.
Now in its seventh year, The Piano Tour transforms open-air locations across Cyprus into concert stages, combining natural beauty with live music. The Petra tou Romiou event marks the first recital of the 2025 series.
Located along the island’s southern coast, Petra tou Romiou, also known as the Rock of Aphrodite, is both a geological formation and a cultural landmark. According to Greek mythology, the goddess of love and beauty emerged from the sea at this very spot. The site is also linked to the legend of Digenis Akritas, a mythical Byzantine hero said to have hurled massive stones from the Pentadaktylos mountain range to defend the island from Saracen invaders during the 7th to 10th centuries.
To stage the concert at the remote coastal site, the foundation obtained permits from all relevant authorities. Known for producing site-specific musical experiences, Avantgarde emphasizes environmental and cultural respect in its planning, whether the venue is urban, rural or archaeological.
Savvidou, originally from Paphos, returns to Cyprus for a performance that organizers say will highlight both technical mastery and emotional depth. A graduate of the Longy School of Music at Bard College and the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, she is currently based in Boston, where she performs and collaborates with musicians from around the world. Her concert at Petra tou Romiou is intended as a tribute to her homeland and to music’s power to connect people.
As with all events in the series, the recital will be streamed live on the foundation’s Facebook page and will remain available on YouTube.
The Piano Tour is supported by the Department of Contemporary Culture of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, Hellenic Bank and Pralina Experience of the Zorbas Group.
