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ISLANDS: People & Places | Nikos Venner – Papaleonardou Apartment Building

Athenians photograph themselves and engage in conversations with different parts of the city.

Name
Nikos Venner

Age
28

Profession
Pianist

Neighborhood
Alimos

Motto
Whatever you do, do it with passion.

This is where Maria Callas lived with her family from 1936 to 1945. The Papaleonardou Apartment Building is located at the intersection of Patision and Skaramanga streets. Built in 1925 with Art Nouveau influences, it was designed by architect and National Technical University of Athens professor Konstantinos Kitsikis. It is considered one of the most important interwar residential buildings in Athens and has been declared a preserved monument.

Your favorite walk in Athens?
Around the Acropolis—it feels like a living museum. For going out, I prefer Exarchia and Petralona.

Where in the city would you like to see a public piano where anyone can play?
A piano could be placed anywhere! In an airport waiting lounge, in parks—specifically in Rizari Park—and it would be a perfect fit for the Ancient Agora.

When was the first time you sat at a piano?
My first contact with the piano was at a very young age. But what truly introduced me to the world of classical music was when I was 16, at my best friend’s house. There was a 180-year-old Chappell (London) piano, which had previously been in a jazz piano bar. I was fascinated by its sound.

What is missing from Athens?
Since I lived in the UK for my studies, where every church has a piano inside and recitals take place, I’d say that’s what Athens is missing—musically speaking.

Which stage of your piano studies would you repeat, and why?
None. Since playing the piano is a constant pursuit, you need to focus on the present and the future. However, my most cherished and creative memories come from my master’s degree at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where I specialized in music performance on the piano.

If you could meet Maria Callas, what would you ask her?
Since she was such an iconic figure of the 20th century—both as an opera singer and as a person—I would probably spend hours just listening to her speak rather than talking myself. But if I had to ask something specific, I would love to hear about the recordings and collaborations she considered most important in her career.

If you could choose a soundtrack to play over Athens on a Sunday morning, what would it be?
“The Waltz of Lost Dreams” by Manos Hadjidakis.

What are your goals and dreams for the future?
To continue evolving as a pianist with hard work and courage. As I progress, I hope to perform more and more recitals, both in Greece and internationally—something that requires constant effort to achieve.

source: https://ipolizei.gr/nisides-anthropoi-topoi-nikos-venner/