About
Yearnings of the Lagoon is a song cycle for soprano and piano based on selected poems from Yearnings of the Lagoon by the Greek poet Kostis Palamas. Inspired by the poet’s childhood memories of his hometown, Messolonghi, the three songs evoke themes of memory, longing, imagination, and belonging, while celebrating the enduring bond between landscape and identity.
The cycle sets three poems: The Fantasy and the Heart, The Moon, and A Bitterness. Together, they trace an emotional journey from youthful imagination and nostalgia to a profound reflection on home, revealing Messolonghi not merely as a place, but as an inner landscape that continues to shape the poet’s memory and spirit.
Credits
● Piano & Composition: Roxani Chatzidimitriou
● Soprano: Vassia Alati
● Recording: Alexandros Chrysidis (Sierras Studios)
● Photography: Haris Krikelis