The Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU), within the framework of its 2nd Spring Cultural Festival titled “Epestrefe” (“Return”), invites the public to a unique artistic experience: the multimedia performance “The Dark Side of Memory / The Promenade”, on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at 20:00, at the “Markos Karanastasis” Amphitheatre, Heraklion Campus. Admission is free to the public.The Festival is supported by the Region of Crete https://www.crete.gov.gr/ and held under the auspices of the Municipality of Heraklion.
The performance, conceived and composed by the distinguished creator Giorgos Mouloudakis, is a multi-layered artistic approach to the collective trauma of the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the enduring concepts of memory and roots. It is structured around authentic testimonies of people who experienced these historical events, transformed into a multimedia narrative where speech, image, and music coexist organically.
Poetic and prose texts, soundscapes based on historical recordings, symbolic projections, and live music create an immersive artistic environment in which memory becomes a lived experience. Music functions as an “island of consolation,” guiding the audience through an inner journey toward the idea of homeland — both real and imagined.
In a time marked by uncertainty and global challenges, where issues of memory, identity, and displacement are once again central in public discourse, the performance engages meaningfully with the present, transforming historical trauma into a contemporary experience of collective reflection.
This version is presented in a more intimate “chamber format” of the original production, first performed in 2022 at the Archaeological Museum of Chalkida “Arethousa,” preserving elements that enhance its experiential character.
Distinguished “Guests”
Heraclitus, C.P. Cavafy, A. Papadiamantis, T.S. Eliot, J.S. Bach, A. Barrios-Mangoré, F. Tárrega, M.M. Ponce, M. Hadjidakis, G. Seferis, O. Elytis, historians, anonymous and named refugees, as well as established and emerging myths.
[Texts and music not attributed to the above belong to Giorgos Mouloudakis.]
About Giorgos Mouloudakis
Giorgos Mouloudakis is a musician, writer, and classical guitar soloist with a long and internationally recognized career. He was a close collaborator of Manos Hadjidakis, for whom the renowned composer wrote his only work for guitar.
He has collaborated with leading Greek and international musicians and composers, contributing significantly to the expansion of the guitar repertoire.
His artistic path is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach and the use of multimedia, through collaborations with Studio 19 and presentations in major cultural venues and international festivals. His work combines music, text, and image, creating a distinctive artistic language that explores the relationship between memory, art, and human experience.
About Studio 19st
Studio 19st is a creative multimedia group specializing in sound and image production for performances, film, and visual installations. With extensive experience and collaborations with major cultural institutions, the group develops projects that combine technology and artistic expression, creating complex audiovisual experiences that unify sound, image, and space.
