Byzantium After Byzantium – The Byzantine Heritage in Contemporary Music and Literature

Byzantium After Byzantium explores the enduring influence of Byzantine tradition on the lives and cultural works of the Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean peoples after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. It features original musical compositions and songs created by Kyriakos Kalaitzidis, the artistic director of the musical ensemble En Chordais, with lyrics by Vasiliki Nevrokopli and texts by notable Greek literary figures that highlight the impact of the Byzantine legacy on modern Greek intellectual creativity.

Kyriakos Kalaitzidis’ approach is the ripe fruit of his extensive experience with Byzantine music as a cantor, as well as his profound knowledge as a researcher, with a strong scientific background. His pieces have been presented at some of the world’s top music venues and released by record labels in Greece and abroad. Byzantium After Byzantium is a musical performance that creatively engages with the Byzantine past as both a historical heritage and a source of inspiration for contemporary art, offering an artistic answer to the question: “Why Byzantium?”.

The production “Byzantium After Byzantium – The Byzantine Heritage in Contemporary Music and Literature” took place on 14 and 15 July 2025 at the Rotonda, Thessaloniki.

The filming of the production took place as part of the Project “Sub 3.29 Platform for managing cultural events in archaeological sites and museums”, which is included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” and is funded by the NextGenerationEU plan.