Working for the first time with the internationally acclaimed Greek director and teacher, Theodoros Terzopoulos, the National Theatre of Greece presents Aeschylus’ Oresteia trilogy at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 July as part of the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. This landmark cultural event is sure to be an iconic production of intellectual and philosophical depth that pushes the boundaries of art.

In 458 BCE, at a time of violent social and political upheaval, Aeschylus presented the Oresteia (Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and the Eumenides), the only surviving trilogy of ancient drama and his last extant work, written just two years before his death, which reflects many of the rapid changes of his era.

The trilogy revolves around the tragic ordeal of Orestes, which spreads successively to all the characters and the chorus through successive stages, from destabilisation to desperation to madness. This situation is exploited by Athena in the third part of the trilogy, when she institutes democracy by force, through a controversial peace.

In the first two parts of the trilogy, Agamemnon and The Libation Bearers, the murders that put an end to the tyrannical rule of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra are the culmination of a new period of crisis and destabilisation that is reflected in The Eumenides. The Furies, the chthonic deities that represent instinct and impulse, preserve memory. Knowing that any dispute with the gods is doomed to end in defeat, they rebel and threaten the good order of the city. Orestes must pay so that not only the crime but also its repetition are punished, and the memory of the conflict is kept alive.

Athena uses every means at her disposal in her attempt to achieve peace between the gods and the Furies, offering the latter various rewards and privileges. To achieve their capitulation, she brings violence into the realm of language. Her speech introduces deceitful persuasion, lies and deception into the political arena. The Furies yield of their own accord. Wearing the characteristic purple robes of metics (resident aliens), they are renamed the Eumenides (“Gracious Ones”) and move away from the heart of the city. Their ultimate fate is obscurity and oblivion, deep within the bowels of the earth. Democracy has been established. But not painlessly. Whatever is incompatible with the new regime – the part of the living body associated with memory, instinct, animal drive – has been banished. The new order of things is imposed by the mechanisms of power in such a way that it is as if these vital forces had never existed.

The Furies compromise and accept the social position of metics, yet their internal structure is not altered. Like natural phenomena that do not disappear from the earth, but spiral through transformation, escalation and de-escalation, so the chthonic deities can be imagined retreating and withdrawing, only to re-emerge, constantly assuming new, unexpected forms.

K-house is making a return to the city! Peggy Gou, affectionately nicknamed Feta Gou by her Greek fans due to her love for feta cheese, is set to electrify our summer concert lineup once more. Originally hailing from South Korea and now based in Berlin, the acclaimed DJ and music producer is no stranger to Athens. This time, however, she’s planning her biggest performance yet. Personally curated by the superstar DJ, the lineup includes Ryan Elliott, Mogwaa, Feathered Sun, and local talent DJ Amelia.

Ryan Elliott, who started as a resident DJ at the legendary Berghain and Panorama Bar, brings a dynamic range of techno and house. Mogwaa, an emerging Korean DJ, is known for his eclectic mixes of spacey techno and loopy acid. Feathered Sun’s sets, filled with improvisation and genre-blending, are always unpredictable and exciting. Given the massive popularity of her shows in 2022 and 2023, tickets are expected to sell out quickly. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this trendy event!

The Athens Epidaurus Festival is thrilled to welcome "the most otherworldly beautiful voice on the planet," the charismatic countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, to the Herodion. This marks the first visit to Greece for the award-winning opera star and breakdance sensation.

Joining him is the renowned baroque and classical music ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro, presenting a concert based on their album Beyond. Orliński's voice has been described as one that "can make Vivaldi speak as directly as a pop song."

Generation Z knows Orliński well as the artist who bridges their generation with the world of opera, introducing them to baroque music in his unique way and proving the timeless appeal of classical music.

International critics have praised Orliński's voice, with the Times calling it "a voice strong and steady, from angelic high notes to powerful, dark lows," and the Sunday Times noting it can "make Vivaldi speak as directly as a pop song."

Trained at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and the Juilliard School in New York, Orliński has performed to sold-out audiences at major venues worldwide, including Covent Garden in London, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and the San Francisco Opera. His remarkable ability to connect the seemingly disparate worlds of opera and breakdance captivates audiences. Notably, his video performance of the aria "Vedrò con mio diletto" from Vivaldi's Il Giustino (Aix-en-Provence, 2017) surpassed 11 million views on YouTube within days of the concert.

Orliński has expressed that from a young age, classical music moved him deeply, driving him to dance and explore how music influences movement. He has won awards in skateboarding, breakdancing, and pole dancing, graced the covers of top fashion magazines, and modeled for renowned brands. His multifaceted artistic journey was even documented in Arte's Music for a While. In addition to his musical career, Orliński is also involved in volunteer work and activism.

Il Pomo d’Oro's Commitment to Music and Community

Il Pomo d’Oro, performing for the second time at the Herodion, was founded in 2012 and quickly gained fame for their dynamic, historically informed performances of baroque and classical works.

Named after Cesti's opera Il Pomo d’Oro (The Golden Apple, 1668), they have recorded 46 award-winning CDs of instrumental and operatic music. Active in volunteerism and activism, they are official ambassadors of El Sistema Greece, providing charity concerts, free workshops, and lessons in refugee camps across the country since 2017. In close collaboration with El Sistema Venezuela, they offer free online lessons in baroque music interpretation.

On Saturday, July 20th, Bolivar and Blend proudly present Artbat, the most acclaimed duo in electronic music.

Hailing from Kyiv, Artur and Batish have revolutionized the world of melodic techno, seamlessly blending emotion and rhythm in a unique way. Their distinctive musical style not only tops the charts but resonates deeply with their audience, cementing their place as one of the most beloved names in the industry.

Renowned for their electrifying performances, they are set to take over the ultimate Beach Club, filling it with their mesmerizing melodies and boundless energy.

Support by Nick Devon & Reign Of Time. 

Theatre of the NO, Athens' first English theatre, is excited to announce the launch of a weekly stand up comedy, called NO COMEDY, bringing laughter to the audience, every Thursday at 9:00 PM. Comedy enthusiasts can expect an exceptional lineup of internationally and local talented comedians who deliver sharp satire on the quirks of our daily lives and thoughts, promising endless laughter and entertainment.

Theatre of the NO offers a comfortable, air-conditioned venue with friendly staff and refreshing drinks, ensuring an enjoyable experience throughout the evening.

Open Mic Nights – Once a Month. In addition to the regular comedy nights, the NO COMEDY, will host emerging and seasoned comedians to showcase their talents before a live audience, offering comedy enthusiasts the chance to discover new and exciting comedic voices.

Theatre of the NO is Athens' first English theatre, which opened its doors on April 18, 2024, with Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot." The theatre established itself as a hub for artistic innovation, cultural exchange, and dialogue within the local and global community. With a diverse repertoire that includes classic and contemporary plays, poetry, experimental theatre, opera, live music, and stand-up comedy, Theatre of the NO strives to challenge and inspire its audience, creating transformative experiences.

Cast: Walter, Anestis, Τasos, Dominik, Stauroula, Asim, Satamatis

Photography & Video: Endymionas

Communication & Public Relations: Eleftheria Sakareli

Production: FAIL BETTER PRODUCTIONS

From 25th July Every Thursday at 21.00

Comedy nights: 10€

Οpen Mic: 5€

Experience Giuseppe Verdi’s timeless masterpiece, La Traviata, on the iconic stage of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, presented by the Greek National Opera (GNO) as part of the 2024 Athens and Epidaurus Festival.

This beloved opera, known for its enchanting arias and duets, tells the tragic love story of Violetta Valéry, a Parisian courtesan who sacrifices everything for love. Directed by the GNO’s choreographer and artistic director, Konstantinos Rigos, this production will transport the audience from Violetta’s 18th-century Parisian residence to the modern world, where the heart-wrenching conclusion of the story unfolds. Rigos’ direction, inspired by Verdi’s stirring music, will delve into the hypocrisy of relationships, the rigidity of social structures, and the heroine’s poignant romance.

The American opera superstar Nadine Sierra will grace the stage as Violetta Valéry, with rising tenor Freddie De Tommaso as Alfredo Germont and internationally acclaimed baritone Dimitri Platanias as Giorgio Germont. Additionally, the distinguished GNO soprano Vassiliki Karayanni will perform the title role in the second cast. Don’t miss this captivating production of La Traviata, a highlight of the festival and a testament to the enduring power of Verdi’s music.

Tickets go on sale on Thursday, 27 June at 12.00!

Note: This performance will feature subtitles in both English and Greek.

On Friday 2 and Saturday 3 August, the National Theatre of Greece presents Euripides’ The Bacchae, with Greek and English surtitles, at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.

Directed by Thanos Papakonstantinou as part of the Athens Epidaurus Festival, this tragedy of mysticism and ecstasy – but also of barbarity – is an enthralling artistic experience orchestrated by the god of theatre himself, Dionysus.



About The Bacchae

When the god Dionysus arrives in Thebes, King Pentheus refuses to acknowledge his first cousin as a divinity and forbids his subjects to worship him. This excites the wrath of Dionysus, who, in a tragic reversal of persecutor and persecuted, leads Pentheus to destruction at the hands of his own mother.

Euripides wrote The Bacchae – a tragedy of Greeks, rulers and people, according to the great Polish theatre critic and theoretician Jan Kott – in the third decade of the Peloponnesian War, when History was now out of control. The great tragic poet composed it during his last year in Macedonia, where he had come into contact with the cult of Dionysus.



Not for the first time bringing his fellow-citizens face-to-face with behaviour that he had condemned throughout his life, Euripides constructed a tragedy – one of the few with Dionysus as a main character – about the god’s conflict with mortals, human virtue and savagery, caution and fallacy, and the rational and the irrational. For Euripides, when man is overcome by his bestial instincts, when barbarity awakens furiously within him, all social co-existence is negated, even when it is that cornerstone of society, the relationship of mother and child.

It is violence that means the end of the city-state of Athens. And as the tragedy grapples with the essence of human identity, political or individual (with the end of the latter), The Bacchae becomes – in many respects – a drama about the death of ancient tragedy itself.

 

THEATRE OF THE NO, Athens' premier English-speaking theatre, presents a unique double bill featuring two contemporary plays: "Focus Group" by Marco di Stefano and "Resistance in a Time of Peace" by Jibbe Willems.

Under the direction of Chará Lianou, these plays explore both the personal and political, taking the audience on a thought-provoking and poetic journey of discovery and revelation.

Opening on Friday, August 9th, for a limited run through to September 16th.

The show opens with "Resistance in a Time of Peace", a captivating solo piece that follows a woman stranded in her car in an isolated setting, sparking reflections on the course of her life to this point. As she considers an escape from reality, and from the stifling routine of an unfulfilled romantic relationship, she embarks on an inner quest. A powerful monologue about how difficult it is to resist decisions that are in line with the expected course of events.



The closing performance is "Focus Group". The plot centers on Carla, a newcomer excited to lead a focus group in her new, well-paid and secure job. After all, this is just a team doing market research. What could go wrong? For members of this particular focus group, almost everything.



In this controversial and provocative work that explores the relationship between companies and consumers, supply and demand, truth and falsehood, reality and fantasy, the product under evaluation confronts the group members with perhaps the most basic existential question of man. The choice between life and death. A choice that is always pending.

About the Authors

Dutch playwright Jibbe Willems, with a rich background as an actor and director, has showcased his works in countries such as France, Mexico, the USA, and China, and has been distinguished at festivals like Avignon 2022.

Italian playwright Marco di Stefano, founder of the company "La Confraternita del Chianti" has brought to life the international project "Pentateuco" and collaborated with prestigious institutions like the Venice Biennale and the Croatian National Theatre, presenting works in Germany, Spain, and France.



Performance Details:

"FOCUS GROUP"

Text: Marco di Stefano
Adaptation & Direction: Chará Lianou
Cast: Konstantinos Adraktas, Michalis Theodorakis, Anestis Ischnopoulos, Anastasia Bougiaka, Giorgos Chatzikyriakos

"RESISTANCE IN A TIME OF PEACE"

Text: Jibbe Willems
Direction: Chará Lianou
Performance: Marita Tzatzadaki

Movement Direction: Maria Vathi
Costumes: Maria Tsioti
Set Design: Chará Lianou
Lighting Design: Fernanda Balcells
Set Construction: Dimitris Mellos
Poster: Νikos Stavrou Photography
Trailer: Nikos Pagonakis
Communication & Public Relations: Eleftheria Sakareli

Performance Dates:

From August 9th to September 16th
Every Friday to Monday at 20:00
Duration: 90 minutes
Tickets: 15€ Presale

*20 tickets at the special price of €5 available at the theatre's box office (Required arrival by 19:00).

On Saturday, August 31st, Bolivar Beach Club proudly presents the electrifying Indira Paganotto. This charismatic Spanish DJ and producer, known for her infectious smile, dazzling stage presence, and vibrant personality, is set to take over the Athenian Riviera with her unique blend of techno and psytrance beats.

Indira is celebrated for her ability to fuse these two genres, creating a distinctive, groovy sound that resonates with both techno enthusiasts and psytrance fans alike. Her performances and innovative approach have earned her a spot on some of the world’s biggest electronic dance music stages and festivals, including Awakenings, Tomorrowland, Circoloco, Amnesia Ibiza, and Exit. Her releases on Charlotte De Witte's KNXT label, along with her appearances at the namesake events, epitomize the pinnacle of the genre’s elite.

Joining her are the dynamic duo Até b2b Salin and Steve Sai, who promise an unforgettable night with a dancefloor that will be packed from start to finish. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary event!

 

THEATRE OF THE NO, Athens' first English theatre, presents KAFKA’S thought-provoking short story "REPORT TO AN ACADEMY", adapted by the acclaimed German theatre director Gabriele Jakobi, marking the 100th anniversary of the great author's death. This international theatrical performance, featuring the dynamic actor-director Robert McNamara, is coming from Washington for a limited engagement of just four performances on September 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 11th.



This provocative drama, serves as a reversal of Kafka’s “Metamorphosis,” exploring the transformation of an animal into a man. It breathes life into Kafka's dark parable, compelling audiences to reflect on critical issues surrounding free will, animal rights, and the ethics of vegetarianism.



The play centers on an intelligent ape named “Red Peter”, who was captured in a West Africa hunting expedition and sent to Europe on a ship. To effect his survival, Peter learns to mimic and imitate the ship’s crew from his cage. By evolving to behave like a human, he devises an escape. Ultimately, he presents his fascinating tale of transformation and the horrid details of his former ape life to a scientific Academy.



BIO — Robert McNamara ("Red Peter")

Robert McNamara is a seasoned actor and director with a distinguished career spanning theatre, film, and television since the early 1970s. A native of Washington, DC, he earned his B.A. from Georgetown University and an M. Litt. from Trinity College Dublin, where he founded the Dublin Stage One Theatre Company.

His notable performances include roles such as Kenneth in The Ginger Man, Ulysses in The Caveman Cometh, and Agamemnon in Agamemnon, which he also directed. McNamara's film credits include The Messenger, America’s Most Wanted, and the cult classic The Exorcist. He currently serves as the Artistic Director of Scena Theatre in Washington, DC, where he directs innovative productions and tours extensively in Europe.

About THEATRE OF THE NO: Theatre of the NO is Athens' first English theatre, which opened its doors on April 18, 2024, with Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot." The theatre established itself as a hub for artistic innovation, cultural exchange, and dialogue within the local and global community. With a diverse repertoire that includes classic and contemporary plays, poetry, experimental theatre, opera, live music, and stand-up comedy. Theatre of the NO strives to challenge and inspire its audience, creating transformative experiences.

Performance Details

Αdaption – Direction: Gabriele Jakobi
Cast: Robert McNamara
Marketing Communications Agency: deancreative.com
Communication and Public Relations: Eleftheria Sakareli
Production: FAIL BETTER PRODUCTIONS

PERFORMANCE DATES

Tuesday 3nd and Wednesday 4th September at 20.00
Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th September at 20.00
Duration: 55’
Tickets: 15€

(20 tickets at the special price of €5 available at the theatre's box office. Required arrival by 19:00).