D.N. Maronitis— at the ancient theatre of
Epidaurus.
In this tragedy, which was presented around 440 BC
and is set during the tenth year of the Trojan War,
Ajax, the Greek camp’s greatest warrior following
the death of Achilles, lays claim to the dead hero’s
weapons; however, the Greek leaders decide to
award them to Odysseus. Deeply offended by this
grave injustice, Ajax wanders off into the night,
sword in hand, to seek revenge, but the goddess
Athena makes him go mad, turning his anger into a
wild rage that results to the slaughter of the Greek’s
livestock. Realizing what he has done, Ajax cannot
bear the humiliation and he kills himself. As is quite
often the case in history, the politicians —represent-
ed in this play by Odysseus— get the upper hand
compared to the warriors, who, despite having self-
lessly fought, are sidelined by the new order.
Cast: Nikos Kouris, Maria Protopappa, Giannos
Perlengas, Yannis Tsortekis, Pantelis Dentakis,
Eleni Ouzounidou, Dimitris Papanikolaou, Yannis
Klinis
[ANCIENT THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS]
Trade with Greece
122
Music in the 2015 Athens and
Epidaurus Festival
The Athens Festival has always been inextricably
linked with music. Music lovers are looking for-
ward to the notes, the sounds and the songs that
will provide the soundtrack for their summer
evenings. Apart from the Odeon of Herod Atticus,
the festival’s musical venues will also include the
Athens Concert Hall, the cultural space of 260
Piraeus Str. and the Little Theatre of Ancient
Epidaurus.
Keeping the tradition, the Odeon of Herod Atticus
will adhere to the tradition of hosting performanc-
es by the Greek National Opera (
Tosca
by
Giacomo Puccini conducted by Loukas Karytinos,
and
Carmen
, by Georges Bizet, conducted by
Myron Michailidis), as well as concerts by the
Athens State Orchestra. Among other events, the
most outstanding is the tribute to Greek compos-
er Mikis Theodorakis, on the occasion of his 90th
birthday: The Athens State Orchestra will perform
Axion Esti
, while a choir from faraway Brittany will
perform the magnificent
Canto General
.
Tosca
by Giacomo Puccini
Conducted by Loukas Karytinos
Stage director, costume and set designer:
Hugo de Ana
Puccini’s
Tosca
, one of the most successful per-
formances of the Greek National Opera and one
of opera’s most popular thrillers, which was first
performed at the Odeon of Herod Atticus in 2012,
directed by Hugo De Ana, will be the opener of
this year’s Athens Festival events at the Roman
Odeon. One of the most popular operas in the
world and a representative example of Verism,
this grand production of
Tosca
, features a remark-
able stage design and costumes also by De Ana,
as well as world-renowned soloists. The
Orchestra of the GNO will be conducted by
Loukas Karytinos.
[JUNE 14, 16, 17 & 18 / ODEON OF HEROD
ATTICUS]
Adam Cohen.
