Goran Bregovic in Athens shortly before Christmas

Famous composer Goran Bregovic arrives in Athens on December 15th to celebrate with us the power of music, a universal language that unites instead of divides and manages to build bridges from one heart to another.

Experience authentic Christmas in the Balkans. Where music tells the strangest stories in a celebration of emotions. A celebration full of familiar sounds from Balkan songs that became our own songs.

Bregovic comments: “Some time ago, they found a 20,000-year-old flute in Germany. People made music before they could form a language. That’s why music comes from a deeper place within us and is much louder than words… ”

The celebration that he will present at the Christmas Theater includes his most famous moments from the traditional “Ederlezi” and “Time of the Gypsies” to “Mesecina” and “Kalashnikov” but also the wonderful “Ausencia” from “Undergound” and of course melodies that were dressed with Greek lyrics and became favorite songs such as “The Gas Station” or “God if it is” and “I admitted”.

His music career began as the bassist of the band Kodeksi, which as it grew with new members was renamed Bijelo Dugme (White Button), where he was the lead guitarist. This band from Sarajevo was to become one of the most popular and influential bands in Yugoslavia until their dissolution in 1988.

After the disbandment of the band, he turned to composing music for the cinema. His music is strongly influenced by Roma music, and at the same time retains many of the elements of traditional Balkan music. It was his collaboration with compatriot director Emir Kusturica that took his career to the next level and made him known outside the Yugoslav borders. He wrote the music for Koustouritsa’s films “Time of the Gypsies” (1988), “Arizona Dream” (1993), from which he distinguished the song “In the Death Car” with the voice of Iggy Pop and “Underground” (1995), with the participation of Cesaria Evora. He has written music for over 30 films with his music for “Queen Margot” (1994) by Patrice Cerro and “The Serpent’s Kiss” (1997) by Philippe Roussel.

Bregovic has collaborated with several well-known Balkan artists, including Alkistis Protopsalti, Giorgos Dalaras and the Turkish singer Cezan Aksu.

He is considered one of the most characteristic representatives of the Balkan sound and has stated about it: “Balkan music continues to be liked and produced for the same reason as punk. It brings madness, it’s not just music. And we all need a little madness… “.

Goran Bregovic loves Greece and is preparing for his return to our country, preparing a celebration full of love. As he says: “I would like to tell you something. You are so lucky to have been born in one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I understand that there are millions of things to complain about, but think about your history, the light, the sea. And just hearing the word “Greece” makes you smile no matter where you are from in the world.”

Goran Bregovic brings the music of the Balkans to Athens on December 15 at the Christmas Theater to introduce us to the spirit of Christmas in the most uplifting way!

He will always have his band, The Wedding and Funeral Band, with him.