With 107 events and more than 3,000 artists from around the world, the 70th anniversary edition of the Athens Epidaurus Festival (AEF) is poised to transform Athens into a premier international artistic hub for three full months. Launching on May 28 and concluding on August 30, this year’s program is exceptionally rich, diverse, and outward-looking—international in every sense—showcasing groundbreaking performances and pioneering creators from across the globe.
While the lineup for the festival’s symbolic heart, the ancient theater of Epidaurus, was announced earlier this year, the entire celebratory edition spans the worlds of theatre, music, dance, literature, and contemporary innovation, featuring dozens of collaborations with international artists. The 70th edition brings to the stage new thematic cycles inspired by literature and Greek traditions, while formidable women take center stage across all disciplines—from Theatre to Dance and Music.
In addition to its core venues—the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, the Little Theatre of Epidaurus, Piraeus 260, and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus—this landmark edition extends its reach to include the reactivated Lycabettus Theatre, which will reverberate with the sounds of unique concerts.
70 Years of AEF: A Cultural Compass and a New Chapter
Artistic Director Katerina Evangelatos, completing her second term, reflects in her program note that the festival has, for seven decades, acted as both a cultural compass and a vital bridge between ancient and contemporary artistic expression. She writes that this anniversary is not merely an occasion for historical retrospection, though that is important; above all, it is a springboard for the future. The festival’s history, she emphasizes, is not a static archive but a living tradition, continuously passed on and reshaped through new generations.
In the wake of a recent act of vandalism at Athens’ National Gallery, Evangelatos addressed a packed audience with a pointed question: “What does an anniversary mean in an era when Art is under threat?” She highlighted growing concerns about the erosion of freedom of expression and the rise of hate speech, referencing the European Theatre Convention recently held at the National Theatre of Greece. Representatives from major artistic institutions around the world gathered to sound the alarm on the resurgence of the far right and threats to artistic voices. Yet, Evangelatos said, what ultimately prevailed was a collective commitment to unity. “As long as we remain united and creative,” she stated, “we will be able to stand tall against something dark that, we hope, is not drawing near.”
The 70th Athens Epidaurus Festival Highlights
Contemporary Ancients Cycle: Reinterpreting the Classics
A hallmark of the AEF, the Contemporary Ancients Cycle returns this year with new commissions and original works inspired by Ancient Drama. In its fifth iteration, this initiative brings internationally acclaimed director and playwright Wajdi Mouawad to Epidaurus with Europa’s Pledge, a contemporary tragedy exploring themes such as familial conflict, gender dynamics, displacement, generational trauma, and the search for catharsis. Celebrated French actress Juliette Binoche will make her debut on the Epidaurus stage, leading an international cast in what promises to be one of the festival’s most memorable performances.
Meanwhile, July at the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus is dedicated entirely to the Contemporary Ancients Cycle, featuring an ambitious program of music-theatre and film projects that blend genres and languages, offering a fresh, multidimensional approach to the future of performance.
Building on its commitment to bold international collaborations, the festival welcomes German director Ulrich Rasche, known for his innovative stagings. After his riveting Agamemnon in 2022, Rasche returns to direct Antigone, opening the Epidaurus segment of the festival with a Greek cast in collaboration with the National Theatre of Greece. This production carries significant symbolic weight, continuing the tradition established by recent appearances of directors like Frank Castorf and Timofey Kulyabin.
Sophocles’ Antigone directed by Ulrich Rasche.
Other major works at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus include Theodoros Terzopoulos’ acclaimed staging of Oresteia by Aeschylus, presented for a second year in collaboration with the National Theatre of Greece; a unified reimagining of Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus by director Yannis Houvardas; and The Stranger, a rhapsodic journey through Homer’s Odyssey conceived by Michail Marmarinos, in a co-production with the National Theatre of Northern Greece and the Cyprus Theatre Organisation.
Grand Performances at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The program at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus offers a series of high-profile events, including operatic masterpieces such as Turandot by Giacomo Puccini and Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi, both presented by the Greek National Opera. Turandot will serve as the festival’s grand opening on June 1.
A highly anticipated highlight is the return of Katerina Evangelatos’ modern staging of Euripides’ Hippolytus, which received international acclaim during its tour at the Hong Kong Arts Festival in March. Also featured is a special World Music Day concert on June 21, conducted by Michalis Economou and performed by the ERT National Symphony Orchestra, taking the audience on a musical journey through ten imaginative worlds.
Hippolytus at the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus in 2023.
In celebration of the centennial of Mikis Theodorakis’ birth, the program includes a major tribute performance of Axion Esti with Giorgos Dalaras, baritone Dimitris Platanias, and Dimitris Kataleifos narrating the “Passion” texts. Maria Farantouri and baritone Tassis Christoyannis will perform selections from Theodorakis’ final song cycle Odyssey (2006) at the Little Theatre of Epidaurus on August 16. The concert lineup is rounded out by performances from artists such as The Stranglers, Air, Max Richter, Raining Pleasure, and Michael Kiwanuka.
English rock band The Stranglers will perform at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on June 23.
Women Lead at Peiraios 260
At Peiraios 260, the spotlight turns to women—those with deep artistic legacies, fearless newcomers, and visionary creators pushing boundaries. This venue opens with Here Dwell the Dragons by the legendary Théâtre du Soleil under the direction of Ariane Mnouchkine. Brazilian playwright and performer Carolina Bianchi brings her provocative work The Bride and the Goodnight Cinderella, which premiered to acclaim at the 2023 Avignon Festival.
Beginning with the war in Ukraine, “Here Dwell the dragons” unfolds backwards in distinct acts/seasons, with its first episode, titled “1917: Victory was in our hands”, presented this year at the Festival.
Greek choreographer Patricia Apergi explores the evolution of female identity through her dance performance Hystory (July 21–24), while Cypriot-born Alexandra Waierstall presents Heart Moment, a poetic, movement-based work emphasizing connection and created in collaboration with an international ensemble.
Additional standout names include Eline Arbo, Daria Deflorian, Faye Driscoll, Miet Warlop, Katerina Giannopoulou, Sofia Karagianni, Elena Mavridou, and Io Voulgaraki—artists whose diverse voices and perspectives underscore the power of female creativity on the international stage.
Books on Stage: Literature as Living Drama
Comemadre is set in 1907 at a sanatorium on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, where a group of scientists embarks on a monstrous experiment designed to explore the boundary between life and death. The performance, directed by Io Voulgaraki is based on Roque Larraquy’s novel La Comemadre.©mavragidia
The Books on Stage cycle brings eight new productions inspired by contemporary literature, including works by Nobel laureates Annie Ernaux, Han Kang, and José Saramago. These performances dive deep into the human condition, offering fresh dimensions to the theatrical experience and elevating literature as a vital force in live performance.
All of Athens Becomes a Stage
In a spirit of collaboration and cultural synergy, institutions across Athens are joining the celebration. The Athens Concert Hall (Megaron) will host The Sound of Cinema, a tribute to legendary film scores by Oscar-winning composer Nicola Piovani, performed with the Athens State Orchestra on July 8.
The Athens Conservatoire continues its role as co-host of the Subset Festival (June 4–8), which showcases boundary-pushing international artists such as Ryoji Ikeda, Mouse on Mars with Dodo NKishi, and Christina Vantzou. This year’s festival features more international acts than ever, along with workshops, commissioned pieces, and immersive sound installations.
New this year is a partnership with Technopolis and the Municipality of Athens to bring concerts to the restored Municipal Theater of Lycabettus. The eclectic lineup includes avant-pop artist Arca and an Afrofuturistic Greek nu-jazz celebration featuring Jérôme Kaluta, Idra Kayne, Ladele, Urban Lynx, Angelos Angelou, and Andreas Polyzogopoulos, curated by MC YINKA.
From June 6 to 12, the Dome at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre will host a series of live performances featuring 3D sound installations, offering a transformative sensory journey unlike any other.
