New administration at the helm of Musical July at Epidaurus
Since its inception eight years ago, the high-caliber Little Theater at Epidaurus’s annual «Musical July» festival has served as an ideal option for city dwellers yearning to get away on hot summer nights. Heralded for its considerable contribution to an overall effort at improving cultural standards beyond urban centers, the festival, held at ancient Epidaurus, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of the capital, will continue its commendable role this coming summer with one change – new leadership. The state-run Hellenic Festival will be taking the reins from the event’s founder, the Athens Concert Hall. Despite the change, the president of the Athens Concert Hall, Christos Lambrakis, told a news conference that his organization would continue offering its support, while he also recalled the festival’s early days. Also present at the news conference, Periklis Koukos, the president of the Hellenic Festival’s board, highlighted the summer event’s contribution to providing cultural recreational activities of high standards. This summer’s agenda begins on July 5 and 6, with the formidable Italian ensemble I Solisti Veneti performing a program titled «Century of Italian Music,» under the direction of Claudio Simone and with the world-renowned mezzo-soprano Daniela Barcellona. The following week, on July 12 and 13, the accomplished Greek pianist Dimitris Sgouros will perform works by European composers, including Chopin, Liszt and Ravel, under the title «Romantic European Strolls.» On July 19 and 20, as part of the festival’s tribute to the poet Yiannis Ritsos, titled «Literature and Music,» the vocalist Nena Venetsanou will interpret Mikis Theodorakis’s classic composition, «Epitaphios.» Also, Nonika Galinea will perform «Phaedra,» a presentation which was recently performed at the Athens Concert Hall. Eleni Tsaligopoulou, who emerged in the mid-1980s as a Greek folk artist but has lately shown more interest in pop-tinged material, will bring the season’s festival to a finale with two shows on July 26 and 27. The vocalist has called her program «Singing in the Dream Era.» As has become customary at previous events, local vendors will be setting up nearby stands offering a variety of local produce and wares to visitors.
