Greece in the News: Savina Yannatou performs Sappho's poems

via Wikimedia Commons

On June 8th in New York Greek singer Savina Yannatou performed lyric poems by Sappho. Like many early Greek poets, Sappho is a semi-mythical figure, but she probably lived in the late seventh and early sixth centuries BC. Her poems make allusions to a group of younger women whom she advises and instructs, but the exact nature of their relationship is unclear. Ann Carson's translation of her fragments is beautiful and accessible and has a reasonably informative introduction.

In case you were unable to make it to Le Poisson Rouge last night, you can listen to Yannatou performing Sappho's lyrics here. A translation of the poems she sings in the video can be found here (start at poem 48). Pin It