The much-discussed dispute between Nikos Karvelas and Anna Vissi, once close collaborators and former partners, appears to be escalating further, with the disagreement now heading to court.
According to information reported by protothema.gr, Karvelas has filed for an injunction seeking to prevent Vissi from performing songs he created.
The legal action follows the two sides' public dispute over Vissi's concert at OAKA, as well as disagreements concerning financial matters and copyright.
Karvelas addresses OAKA dispute
In a lengthy statement presented on the television programme Hamogela kai Pali, Karvelas said that although he knew the OAKA concert would take place, he had no creative or advisory role in the production.
He also accused Vissi and the production team of treating him in a demeaning manner, referring among other things to changes made to seats that had been reserved for him and his guests.
Karvelas also rejected the claim that he had demanded €1.5 million.
He maintained that he had asked for the same fee he had received for Vissi's previous major concerts, separate from the copyright royalties he receives through the relevant collective management organisation.
He also denied receiving financial assistance or a €500,000 loan from businessman Yiannis Koustas.
Karvelas rules out future collaboration
Karvelas said Vissi's conduct and choices had definitively ended the possibility of any future artistic collaboration between them.
According to comments from his statement, he argued that Vissi “will have to start from zero if she chooses this path”.
Karvelas also said that 47 of the 50 songs performed by Vissi during her OAKA concert were his compositions.
Overall, he has written more than 400 songs that form a major part of Vissi's recording career.
The injunction marks a new legal stage in a dispute that has increasingly centred on the question of who controls the use of Karvelas' songs and the extent of Vissi's rights as their longtime performer.
