Ireland will work for a prosperous, secure and democratic European Union, Ambassador of Ireland to Bulgaria Catherine Bannon said on Thursday. Bannon symbolically took over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Ambassador of Cyprus to Bulgaria Haralambos Kafkarides. The handover took place at a special event of the Varna Summer International Music Festival.
Kafkarides said that the event marked the conclusion of Cyprus’s six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union, noting that, by way of a symbolic gesture, the Presidency would be handed over from Cyprus to Ireland. He added that culture was once again being placed at the forefront of their respective Presidencies and that it was an honour for them to hear, that evening, the soprano Chryso Makariou from Cyprus, who lives and works in Austria.
Bannon stated that she was pleased to attend the event marking Ireland’s assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time in its history. She noted that, over the preceding six months, Cyprus had worked diligently on behalf of the EU Member States, and that Ireland would continue to devote energy and commitment to advancing the excellent work undertaken by Cyprus. This is being done not solely for Ireland, nor solely for Cyprus, but for all citizens of the EU Member States, who share a common interest in a prosperous, secure and democratic future, achievable through sustained effort, Bannon said.
The concert, titled From Cyprus to Ireland, featured the Vratsa Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hristo Pavlov, with soloists Patrick Rafter, an Irish violinist, and Chryso Makariou, a Cypriot soprano.
Festival Artistic Director Mario Hossen said that he is very pleased, as part of the programme of the Varna Summer International Music Festival, to dedicate a concert for the second time to the presidency of the Council of the European Union through the symbolic passing of the baton between two countries that have the responsibility to chair the Council in the same year. The programme is designed to express the hope that in future all EU nations will feel they are part of one large European family.
The concert opened with a suite from Zorba the Greek by Mikis Theodorakis, after which Makariou performed Desdemona’s aria and Ave Maria from Act IV of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Otello. The conductor noted that the scene is set in Cyprus.
Rafter performed The Lark Ascending by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Sospiri for violin and orchestra by Edward Elgar. Makariou sang two songs by Mikis Theodorakis. Rafter also performed popular Irish tunes, one accompanied by harp. The concert ended with Irish Rhapsody by Victor Herbert.
