On Friday, 03 October 2025, we had the pleasure of welcoming journalist Marianna Tziantzi and Nafsika Geramani, wife of the late and much-loved Panos Geramanis, to the studio. Geramanis was the man whose name became synonymous with Greek laïko song and its creators through his legendary radio broadcasts on Greek Radio.
The occasion for our conversation on Voice of Greece was the publication of the book “Panos Geramanis and ‘Laïkoi Bardoi’ (Folk Bards): Moments from Their Lives,” which draws on almost the entire body of transcribed material from his celebrated program “Laïkoi Bardoi.” Through these broadcasts, the history of Greek popular song travelled to every corner of the world via ERT’s airwaves.
We talked with Nafsika Geramani about life alongside this exceptional journalist and human being—his relationships with artists, his early years in Vasilika, Chalkida, how he began reporting at a very young age, and his first interview with Stelios Kazantzidis at just sixteen years old—one of fifty-seven in total. She also spoke about his love for football and Olympiacos, the heartfelt letters he received from Greeks abroad who were moved by his programs, and his tireless work documenting and researching the history of laïko music throughout his career.
In the second hour of the program, we spoke by phone with Anna Fonsou, president of the foundation “The Actor’s House,” about the upcoming performance directed by Nikorestis Haniotakis and Anastasis Deliyiannis, which will be staged at the Herodes Atticus Odeon on 14 October. All proceeds will go to The Actor’s House to support the creation of another guesthouse. The play imaginatively brings together all of Aristophanes’ comedies into one story, performed by a dazzling ensemble of beloved actors.
In the final part of the show, our guest in the studio was Julia Speropoulos, a Greek-American actress, director, and animation creator. She shared insights from her life in Miami, where she was born and raised, her decision to leave medicine and dedicate herself to art, the documentaries she has created and the awards she has received at international festivals, and her choice to settle permanently in Greece, where she will also appear on stage this season.