Giovanna

Giovanna (Ioanna Fassou-Kalpaksi), daughter of the painter Kostas Fassou, was born in Amaliada and hails from Kalavryta. She studied opera at the Athens Conservatory, where she graduated with honors and received an award. While still a high school student, she began performing light music broadcasts with the major orchestra of Greek radio after passing auditions, a genre that eventually captivated her. She participated in numerous festivals of this kind in Greece and abroad, consistently winning awards, including the first prize at the International Festival of Poland. Following this, she was invited for three consecutive years to perform concerts with a thirty-five-piece orchestra in the former Soviet Union, where she became an icon. These concerts, spanning from St. Petersburg to the Caucasus, totaled one hundred and fifty. For two years, she also collaborated with the Geneva radio station, representing it in the "Musique aux Champs Elysées" concerts throughout Europe. Additionally, after another audition, she represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest, receiving the most votes from French-speaking countries. She recorded albums in Greece, Germany—where she gained a fan club—France, Italy, and the Soviet Union, where her sales reached millions. Eventually, her life took a new turn. She married lawyer Dimitris Kalpaksi and since then has performed selectively. Gradually stepping away from singing, she began writing. A student of Yiannis Ritsos, she published three poetry collections with his approval—"To Catch Up," "I Will Speak to You," and "Groping"—which were warmly received. She then transitioned to prose, writing nine novels, all bestsellers. Her first novel, "Goodbye," won first prize in a Bell publishing competition, was adapted into a film by Giorgos Tsemberopoulos, and into a theater play by Thanasis Papageorgiou, starring Lida Protopsalti. Her third novel, "Painted Sun," was adapted into a TV series starring Pemy Zouni, Yiannis Fertis, and Betty Livanou. She also ventured into theater with two plays, one of which, "The Antechamber," won the third state award, approved by the National Theatre's dramaturges—short stories and two monologues with a theatrical structure. The first monologue, "The Birthday," was performed on stage by actress Ada Christidou. Her latest book, "Close to the Skin" (poetry), is adorned with paintings by the academic painter Dimitris Mytaras.