Imagine the echoes of ancient tales as you wander through the hallowed grounds of Apollonia. On July 6, 2024, the Archaeological Park will come alive with timeless stories and sounds, marking the XV edition of "Musical Encounters Between the Two Worlds." This year's event will intertwine music with a groundbreaking public history and archaeology project : The Olympic Games and Antiquity  
From 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, visitors will be treated to a series of evocative podcasts produced by Argjiro and Storie Nostrum, with the support of the French Embassy in Tirana.  
The first day of "Musical Encounters Between the Two Worlds" will culminate in an evening concert that promises to be a sublime auditory experience: “The Sounds of the Ancient Lyre”. 
This concert with the support of Greek Embassy in Tirana will evoke an era where music and poetry were inseparable, transporting listeners to the mythic and legendary realms of Ancient Greece. The haunting melodies of the ancient lyre, an emblem of antiquity, have echoed through the centuries and continue to captivate hearts and minds today.  
Apollo’s lyre was silenced for more than 1,600 years. With the collapse of the ancient world, the beloved instrument of the Greeks, with which Orpheus, Terpandros, Sappho, and all lyric poets used to accompany their songs, ceased to exist. Identified with pagan music, it disappeared from the face of the earth. For decades, musicologists speculated at a basic level, thinking seven strings equaled seven notes. However, the truth lies far beyond this simple understanding. 
For the last 10 years, Nikos Xanthoulis has dedicated himself to reviving the technique of the ancient Greek lyre. In this concert, the lyre takes the leading role—sometimes playing solo, sometimes accompanying a voice, or harmonizing with other instruments. Expect fantasies for solo lyre, Sappho’s poems accompanied by lyre, and chorales from ancient tragedies presented at great festivals. 
Ancient Greece and its civilization belong to all humanity, endlessly accompanying us on our journey through life, always bringing forth the substantial concerns of mankind. With the sound of this eminent ancient Greek instrument, words and music take on a new dimension. 
From 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Odeon of the Archaeological Park of Apollonia, renowned performers Nikolaos Xanthoulis (Ancient Greek Lyre-Varvitos and voice), Sophia Karakouta (voice), and Evanghelia Kopsalidou (Ancient Greek Lyre) will enchant the Albanian audience with the ethereal sounds of the ancient lyre.  The entrance is free.