On Saturday, April 12, from 12:00 to 13:00 (Athens time), with a repeat broadcast on Sunday, April 13, from 04:00 to 05:00, the radio programme Our Town presents the first part of a tribute to Menis Koumandareas.
The second part will air on Monday, April 14, from 22:00 to 23:00 (with a repeat on Tuesday, April 15, from 04:00 to 05:00).
A widely acclaimed and multi-award-winning author, Koumandareas won the admiration of young readers, his fellow writers, and the literary world at large. With numerous reprints to his name, he carved a distinct and deeply personal path through modern Greek prose.
Translator Michel Volkovitch writes:
“I loved Menis as much as I loved Koumandareas. The man was as captivating as his books—graceful in the same quiet, refined way. I admired his broad learning, shared his passion for classical music, and delighted in his subtlety and humour. He was, in every sense, a true aristocrat.”
In Odos Panos magazine, Thanos Foskarinis recalls his close friend:
Koumandareas was no literary recluse, nor did he write with an eye to posthumous acclaim. He began always with his contemporaries—and returned to them in the end.”
And Christoforos Liontakis, writing of the author, remarked: “His literary genius lay in the intelligence of personal division.”
Joining the programme in the studio is museologist and niece of the writer, Alexandra Tranta, who will offer insights into the full span of his work. Publisher Anna Pataki will reflect on her personal and professional relationship with Koumandareas, while authors Alexis Panselinos, Eliana Chourmouzidou, Nikos Voudouris and Christos Chomenidis will share their memories and perspectives on both the man and his literature.
Actor Pemi Zouni will read selected excerpts from The Treasure of Time and The Desert Siren.
The programme will also highlight prominent authors of his generation, his literary friendships, his support for emerging writers, and his abiding love for cinema, music, and his unique brand of humour.
Curated and presented by: Themis Rodamitis
Broadcast Schedule:
Part I: Saturday, April 12, 2025 | 12:00–13:00 (Athens time) — Repeated on Sunday, April 13 | 04:00–05:00
Part II: Holy Monday, April 14, 2025 | 22:00–23:00 (Athens time) — Repeated on Holy Tuesday, April 15 | 04:00–05:00
