Anna Vissi's sensational concert to the children of Kenya!

Anna Vissi has just finished her charity concert in Cyprus, once again showing her invaluable artistic techniques singing some of the greatest songs by the biggest composers and lyricists in greek music!

The evening began just after 9pm with Marina Siakola from the 'Sophia Foundation' speaking about Anna's decision to visit Kenya: "When Anna told me that she wanted to visit Kenya I was speechless. When we were in the airport she asked us to go immediately to the most dangerous city in Kenya, leaving me speechless again. She spoke with the children, the passers by, she went into the barracks..."

Anna made her entrance on stage singing the song 'Gia Ena Oneiro Zoume' acapella.

On the stage there was a big piano, a harp, a guitar, bass, bouzouki and drums while the videowall played a slideshow of pictures from Kenya.

"What I felt, apart from the shock and embarassment, was shame and guilt. I felt like a guilty person. After the guilt went away I realised that I needed to be helpful" said Anna about her trip to Kenya where she has decided to help build an orphanage, the reason for the concert.

Anna sang 'Kothbiro' with Stiliano, a young man from Tanzania, who is studying in Cyprus with the help of the Archbishop of Kenya; Makarios, who attended the concert.

"They call me Anna. I am Anna Vissi (with the big 'S') from Nestoras and Sofoulas and I was born in Larnaka around half a century ago and since I was like I wanted to become a singer and travel the magical world of music...".

During the show Anna talked about her life linking the songs to it.

"I went to make my dreams come true!" she said talking about the move with her family from Cyprus to Athens in the early 70's.

'Metoikos', 'Paramithi Ksexasmeno' and 'As Kanoume Apopse Mian Arxi' (First Prize at the Thessaloniki Music Festival 1977).

"After the award at the Thessaloniki Festival I received a phone call from Nikos Ksilouri, who said to me: "You were very good! I want you to come with me to Crete". And so we left for a tour in Crete. Hi Nikola!" Anna said and she sang "Itane Mia Fora".

She continued by singing a tearful traditional Cypriot song 'Tessera Tziai Tessera' and after the crowd's pplause she said "I dont have words for the next song! Dedicated to all of us! You will understand..." and sang 'Avgousto' for Nikos Papazoglou she said as she finished...

'Agapise Me' - 'An s'arnitho agapi mou' - 'Paralio' - 'Metallo' - 'Min psaxneis tin agapi' - 'Mes s'auti ti varka' - 'An Thimitheis t'oneiro mou' and ' Min ton rotas ton ourano' saying that she has a tattoo on her back with the lyrics of this song for her daughter, Sofia.

'Mi milas allo gia agapi' - 'Dodeka' - 'Methismeni Politeia' - 'S'agapo'

Continuing, together with Giorgos Tsalikis who attended the concert, they sang 'Sta xronia tis ipomonis'.

Immediately after came 'Giasemi' and 'Eleni', which she dedicated to her late friend Andy Xatzikosti.

'Erotevmenaki' - 'Kaka paidia' - 'Methismeni mou kardia' - 'Treno' - 'Su mou xarakses poreia' - 'Anathema se' - 'Theos an einai' - 'Skandali' - 'To patoma' - 'De thelo na ksereis' - 'Pragmata' - 'Imagine'

fANNAtic tips:

- Anna wore a white lace dress, which she wore in the photographs of the booklet for 'Apagorevmeno' and a black corset with her hair straight. In the second half she wore a black and red top.

- At the end of the performance, the whole theatre broke into spontaneous applause.

- The performance was filmed.

- In the show's programme there was a handwritten note from Anna which said: "We live for a dream...we die for a dream...".

I dedicate this night to the children of Kenya who I knew and loved and also to those I didnt get to meet or love...

Let us pray to God for us to remain strong and to share our strength with those who need it most, so that we can all dream!"

- Joining Anna playing the harp was Thodoris Matoulas, an old collaborator of Anna's (1998-2002), a member of the Contemporary Music Orchestra and the National Symphony of ERT who has also collaborated with the Orchestra of Colors, the Athens State Orchestra, the Thessaloniki Symphony Orchestra and the National Opera Orchestra.

Listen to excerpts from the concert:

O Metikos

Paramithi Ksexasmeno

Avgoustos

Kothbiro (The Rain is Coming)