Musical concerts, theatrical performances, ancient dramas, lectures and many more events will be held at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and various places around Athens. Important artists will make their Greek debuts during the festival (Romeo Castellucci, Guy Cassiers, Michael Thalheimer, Alain Platel, Esa-Pekka Salonen) while productions of well respected international institutions will take place (Brooklyn Academy of Music, Old Vic, Festival d' Avignon, Wiener Festwochen). It is all happening from to June to August in Athens.
History
Until 2005, festival events were staged at the following venues: the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the two ancient theatres at Epidaurus (at the Sanctuary of Asklepios, and at the ancient city) and the Lycabettus Theatre. In the summer of 2006, the festival began to expand its venues. Property granted by the National Bank of Greece allowed for the creation of a new theatre through the renovation of Building D at the former Tsaousoglou Factory at 260 Pireos St., while other venues around the city were used for the first time, such as Irini Pappas' "Scholeion," the Kotopouli Theatre, the Benaki Museum, the Faliro Indoor Sports Hall, the Porta Theatre and others. A new theatre, co-funded by the Ministry of Culture and the Hellenic Festival, was created in 2007 through the renovation of Building H at the Pireos 260 complex.
The festival is a great celebration that has lasted 52 summers and hosted some of the leading lights of theatre, music and dance: from Mitropoulos and Callas to Rostropovich, Pavarotti, Leonidas Kavakos and Dimitris Sgouros; from Balanchine to Pina Bausch; from Nureyev and Fonteyn to Martha Graham and Alicia Alonso.
The Athens-Epidaurus Festival has come a long way since its beginning but today it is one of the most important cultural events in Greece. It was in September 1938 when ancient drama was performed at the Theatre of Epidaurus for the first time since ancient times. The National Theatre production of Electra, a tragedy by Sophocles, was presented there under the soft evening light, as there was no electric power.
It is a venture that, over the last two years, has taken on a youthful vitality and openness. This year's Athens and Epidaurus Festival is expected to outdo itself. Ambitious productions with actors of international calibre will be this year's invited guests to Greece. The Athens and Epidaurus Festival is the capital's annual summer feast, attended by some 250,000 people. The festival has set its sights on becoming one of Europe's major festivals. Don't miss it.
