Trio Bel Canto -- History The Trio Bel Canto


A Brief History of the Trio Bel Canto

This history of the Trio Bel Canto is laid out in outline form. One can simply look down the left-hand column to find the year, and then go over to the right-hand side to see the various accomplishments for that year. PLEASE NOTE: This history is in NO WAY exhaustive. It is an attempt to chronicle some of the more significant events in the musical career of the Trio. As more photos, newspaper articles and writeups are found, more information will be added to this history.



1948

EVANGELOS METAXAS
START: 5th High School of Nikaia, 7th grade of high school with classmate BOBBY TSOMBANAKIS. Later, they find JOHN PAPAMAKARIOU and form a TRIO. With many rehearsals and with the songs of that time, the struggle begins.

1950

United Nations broadcasts at GOUDI and Zalokosta and there, from TRIO COUMBATSERO, Vangelis Lykiardopoulos baptized them with the name OI FILOI TOU BEL CANTO -- "The Friends of Bel Canto". With this name, they recorded numerous records of 78 r.p.m. by themselves and with other artists such as Mimi Plessas and Giorgos Mouzakis.

1952
  • Became one of the "talents" of GEORGE ECONOMIDIS at ALSOS, PAIDION TOU AREOS, and name change by the group to TRIO "BEL CANTO"
  • Live recordings and shows of the EIR (EQNIKO IDRUMA RADIOFWNIAS -- National Institute of Radiophony.)
1954
  • June 2 - Members of the music union
  • November 6 - April 30, 1955 -- Club PALIA ATHENA with George Economidis.
1956
  • April 21 -- Come to U.S.A. with the orchestra of Giorgos Mouzakis on the ocean liner Queen Frederica. Immediate return to Greece with the A.H.E.P.A. organization.
  • June 18 -- Withdrawal of Bobby Tsombanakis.
  • Beginning with MICHAEL MATHEOS
  • August 30 -- at the club KARYSTINOS (Treis Gefyres)
  • October 1 - April 30, 1957 -- Club PALIA ATHENA
1957
  • June 3 -- Club SPYLIA PARASKEVA in Peiraeus
  • October 4 -- April 30, 1958 -- Club PALIA ATHENA
1958
  • July 22 -- Club SPYLIA PARASKEVA
  • October 4 - April 30, 1959 -- Club PALIA ATHENA
1959
  • CYPRUS TOUR
    • August 1 -- Club APHRODITE, Nicosia
    • August 19 - 20 -- Club TESSERA FANARIA, Larnaka
    • August 21 -- Club KYMA, Lemesos
  • September 20 -- Exhibition Thessaloniki, Club LOUXEMBURG
  • October 1 - April 30, 1960 -- Club PALIA ATHENA
  • October 3 -- 1st Festival of Music
1960
  • June 9 -- Saronikos Peripatos with the Empress SORAYA, with TONY MAROUDAS
  • July 5 -- 2nd Festival of Music
  • October 1 - January 1, 1961 -- Club PALIA ATHENA
1961
  • TEL AVIV, HAIFA, JERUSALEM
  • 4th Exhibition Thessaloniki, Club HAWAII
1962
  • January 10 -- BEIRUT, Lebanon
  • Club KASTROS
  • Letter from NIKO GOUNARIS for MONTE CARLO HOTEL & Nite Club in U.S.A.
  • MONTE CARLO HOTEL with GOUNARIS
  • Dinner-dances

From 1950 until 1962 the group recorded albums, and made appearances in their local district, shows with all of the maestros; islands; philanthropic presentations and cinematic works.

1963
  • Dinner-dances
  • January 19 -- Club ATHENS, Chicago, IL
  • May 21 -- Appearance on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Johnny Carson
  • MONTE CARLO HOTEL, Monroe, NY
1964
  • Dinner-dances
  • April 21 -- Hellenic - Near East Music Festival at PHILARMONIC HALL, Lincoln Center
  • July 2 - September 7 -- RIVIERA HOTEL
1965
  • May 5 -- Death of Nikos GOUNARIS
  • July -- MONTE CARLO HOTEL
  • September 18 -- CARNEGIE HALL
  • Return to Greece on the QUEEN FREDERICA
1966
  • January 14 - March 14 -- Club ACROPOLE CAFE, Montreal, Quebec, CANADA
  • March 19 -- STATLER HILTON HOTEL, NY with JIM APOSTOLOU
  • July 2 - September 5 -- Club CIRIS LODGE, Inc., U.S.A.
1967
  • January 22 -- STATLER HILTON HOTEL, NY with FOTIS POLYMERIS
  • March 31 -- CARSON'S SUPPER CLUB, Detroit, Michigan
  • SALOMÉ NIGHT CLUB, Astoria, NY
  • December 10 -- CARNEGIE HALL with HARRY LEMONOPOULOS
1968
  • Dinner-Dances
1969
  • GRECIAN GARDENS, Chicago, Illinois
  • June 20 -- Club ZAPPION PAVILLION, NY
  • September 1 -- Club SKORPIOS, NY with DOUKISSA, ANTZELA DIMITRIOU and GIANNIS PALAIOLOGOS
  • Dinner-Dances
1970
  • Dinner-Dances
  • MARIA PAPADATOS television show
  • Clubs
1971
  • January 31 -- Greek Concert and Glendi at the DORMITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY HELLENIC AUDITORIUM, Somerville, MA
  • March 6 -- ELMCREST COUNTRY CLUB
  • March 20 -- Show honoring MILTON STAMOS at the CRYSTAL PALACE, Astoria NY, and last "gig" with Michael Matheos.
  • Withdrawal of Michael Matheos.
  • Beginning with TAKIS ELENIS
  • May 3 -- Appearance on MARIA PAPADATOS television show, New York, NY.
  • SUNSET SPRINGS HOTEL, New York.
  • September 12 -- CARNEGIE HALL with VIOLARIS
  • CARSON'S SUPPER CLUB, Detroit, Michigan
  • December -- ClubDARVISH, Astoria, NY
1972
  • CARNEGIE HALL, 3rd musical festival with STEVE ANASTOS
  • November 18 -- SAHARA TAHOE HOTEL
  • December 8 -- Club DARVISH, Astoria, NY
1973
  • August -- SUNSET SPRINGS HOTEL
  • November 9 -- SAN FRANCISCO with BILL COSBY
  • November 10 -- DISNEYLAND HOTEL, Anaheim, CA with HARRY JAMES Orchestra
  • November 11 -- FRONTIER HOTEL, Las Vegas, NV
  • November 12 - 15 -- Club PLAKA TAVERNA, San Francisco, CA
1974
  • Dinner-Dances
  • July 2 -- SUNSET SPRINGS HOTEL
  • November 15 -- DISNEYLAND HOTEL, Anaheim, CA with LES BROWN Band
1975
  • Dinner-Dances
  • January 19 - January 25 -- GRECIAN CRUISE TO THE CARIBBEAN visiting San Juan, Saint Martin, Martinique, Barbados, Montserrat, and St. Thomas.
  • March -- GRECIAN GARDENS, Chicago, IL
  • July -- STARLITE HOTEL-MOTEL, New York
  • October 24 -- DISNEYLAND HOTEL, Anaheim, CA with LES BROWN Band
1976
  • February 6 -- Tour of AUSTRALIA
  • August 6 -- SUNSET SPRINGS HOTEL
  • September 18 -- CARNEGIE HALL with VIOLARIS
  • December 2 - 11 -- Club NERAÏDA, Toronto, CANADA
1977
  • Dinner-Dances
  • Numerous events for Societies, Organizations, Churches and Festivals
1978
  • January 13 -- LINCOLN CENTER, New York
  • Dinner-Dances, Clubs and Festivals
1979
  • Trip to GREECE to cut ROAD OF RETURN album
  • Dinner-Dances
1980
  • March 27 -- Trip to Caracas, VENEZUELA
  • April 1 -- Trip to Panama City, PANAMA
  • June 13 -- ZAPION PAVILLION, Canada
  • September 24 - October 1 -- Cruise to BERMUDA on the M/V Royal Majesty
  • November 16 -- Dinner Dance sponsored by DIMITRIS KASTANAS at the CRYSTAL PALACE, Astoria, NY
  • December -- Trip to CANADA
  • Club ATHENS, Chicago, IL
  • Dinner-Dances
1981
  • April 21 -- Trip to AUSTRALIA
  • May 18 -- Trip to CANADA for Dinner-Dances
  • August 9 -- Club TAVERNA ATHENA, Oakland, CA
  • June 22 -- Trip to PANAMA
  • Dinner-Dances
1982
  • February 12 - 28 -- Club TAVERNA ATHENA, Oakland, CA
  • October 6 -- Trip to CANADA
1983
  • January 15 -- BALLY'S PARK PLACE CASINO HOTEL, Atlantic City, NJ
  • March 5 -- EGYPT TEMPLE, Tampa, FL
  • March 13 -- Trip to Panama City, PANAMA
  • May 14 -- Trip to CANADA
  • October 1 -- SANDS CASINO, Las Vegas, NV
  • December 24 -- Trip to CANADA
  • Dinner-Dances
1984
  • January 13 -- Trip to Panama City, PANAMA
  • April 17 -- Trip to Panama City, PANAMA
  • Dinner-Dances
1985
  • May 24 -- Trip to Panama city, PANAMA
1986
  • March 8 -- Trip to Toronto, CANADA
  • April 4 -- Trip to Panama City, PANAMA
  • Dinner-Dances
  • Withdrawal of Takis Elenis.
  • Beginning with GEORGE VLISMAS
1987
  • October 26-- Trip to Panama City, PANAMA
  • Club SALONIKIA, Astoria, NY
  • Dinner-Dances, Festivals, etc.

The Trio Bel Canto decided at this point in their career that, in order to survive as a Greek band here in the United States, they would have to "go with the flow"; that is, they would need to play at functions and events where Greek music is traditionally in demand. These would be events such as weddings, baptisms, festivals, dinner-dances, and so forth. From 1988 until 1995 they mostly played at such events to make their livlihood. Special "concert-type" events and exclusive bookings of the group in "show" settings would be far less than before. In 1988 they made two trips to Greece (January 3 and December 8), as well one on July 7, 1990. They once again flew to Panama on March 6, 1994.

1995
  • September 24 - October 1 -- Cruise to BERMUDA on the M/V Royal Majesty
  • Dinner-Dances, Festivals, etc.
1996
  • January 7 - January 14 -- HELLENIC HOLIDAY CARIBBEAN CRUISE, from Boston to Aruba.
  • Dinner-Dances, Festivals, etc.
1997
  • Greek Festival , Newport News, VA
  • Dinner-Dances, Clubs, Festivals, etc.
1998
  • May 8 -- A CELEBRATION OF GREEK MUSIC IN AMERICA, Boston, MA, sponsored by The Greek Institute.
  • Withdrawal of George Vlismas.
  • August 12 -- Appearance on Syn-Plyn television show, Athens, GREECE
1999 to
PRESENT

  • Establishment of TRIO BEL CANTO: THE NEXT GENERATION
    Evangelos Metaxas, Kyriakos Metaxas, Nick Mandoukos

  • 2002 -- March 30 - April 6 -- Participation in Royal Olympic Cruises' CRUISE WITH THE STARS III on the Olympia Voyager, with STELLIOS DIONYSIOU, CHRISTOS ANTONIADIS, PITSA PAPADOPOULOU, et. al.
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