Calendar of events

Black Lips, the notorious Atlanta-based punk band, return to Athens. The band will present new songs from their recent album “Satan’s Graffiti Or God's Art" as well as old, classic hits. The opening act will be from the upcoming and widely praised band “Victim of Society".

The dance theatre version of Carmen returns to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus with Antonio Gades and Carlos Saura’s explosive interpretation of Carmen and the flamenco, on the 2nd of September. Presented under the auspices of the Spanish Embassy.

The new exhibition of the National Archaeological Museum "Odysseys" is the main commemorative event on the occasion of the 150th anniversary since the foundation of the Museum. It attempts to give an account of the adventurous journey of man through time considered from an abstract and symbolic perspective that draws its inspiration from the Homeric Odyssey. Without reciting the mythological epic of Homer, the exhibition is inspired by the archetypal character of Odysseus and recounts through the emblematic, as well as the lesser-known ancient works of the National Archaeological Museum, the long chronicle of the beleaguered man, his incessant endeavour to tame his environment, conquer new places, broaden his horizons, establish well-governed societies and fight against the perishable nature of his existence with the aid of love and creative act.

The SNFCC continues the successful series of weekly screenings of classical films. The cinematic choices of August are based on vintage works of French legendary directors, including Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Louis Malle and Jacques Tati. Each Saturday of the month is dedicated to all those who love animation. The screenings will take place on the lawn of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, every Friday and Saturday, at 9.00 p.m. It is advised to bring along a beach mat, a blanket or another type of fabric to sit on. Free entrance.

Maria Callas, one of the world’s greatest opera divas of the twentieth century, is honoured in a rare exhibition titled ‘The Myth Lives On’, presented by the B. & M. Theocharakis Foundation. More than 200 personal affects belonging to Callas are on display, including theatre costumes, furs, jewellery, dresses and furniture. Handwritten letters and notes from friends and relatives, offer a narrative to Callas’ life off stage, that was so often filled with tragedy and sadness. Objects sourced from the impressive collection of Nick Haralampopoulos. Curators: Fotis Papathanassiou, Nikos Charalampopoulos.

The goal of the exhibition is to present to the visitors, in a coherent and comprehensible manner, the history of Greek seafaring and shipbuilding, giving them a chance to take a mental trip back in time to discover the close and timeless relationship of the Greek people with the sea. The exhibits, of remarkable size (0,60 m. to 1,50 m) and excellent, detailed construction, combined with the well-designed presentation, offer the visitors the possibility to study the models at their leisure and in depth, and thus better understand the development of shipbuilding from antiquity to the beginning of the 20th century.

Τhe Acropolis Museum joins forces with the Onassis Foundation, an organization which has been contributing to Culture and Education for 42 years, in a rare and significant partnership. The end result is co-staging in Athens the “εmotions” exhibition, which scored such a huge success at the Onassis Cultural Center, New York. "Emotions" is a narrative exhibition which sheds light on the unseen world of emotions in the personal, social and political life of antiquity. Exhibits from the world's greatest museums tell stories of emotions in ancient Greek art through the gaze of the Acropolis Museum. Many of the exhibits are unique art-works which are on display in Greece for the first time. Many more from Greek museums are basking in the light of international interest for the first time.

The Theater of Disappearance is a major site-specific installation by celebrated Argentinian artist Adrián Villar Rojas. This commission sees him negotiating with an archaeological site for the first time, as he radically alters both the indoor and outdoor space of the National Observatory. The whole site undergoes a transformation – architectural, horticultural and emotional. Free Entrance.

The Athens & Epidaurus Festival presents the finest greek and international performers from the worlds of opera, music, theatre and dance. It takes place in various venues in Athens (Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Peiraios 260, etc) and at the Epidaurus theatres (the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus and the Little Theatre of Ancient Epidaurus), during May 22nd to September 23rd 2017.

The Athens Open Air Film Festival organizes outdoor events against the backdrop of the most distinctive monuments of Athens, touristic destinations as well as more unexpected locations, which showcase the urban landscape (squares, parks, pedestrian areas) for its residents as well as its visitors. Central areas of the city are transformed in order to host film screenings, concerts, premieres of short films and many more interactive events, as always free of charge for everyone.

The most important choreographies of Maurice Béjart are presented in a show of the Béjart Ballets at Herodion Theatre, accompanied by compositions from Beethoven to Nick Cave. The legendary Béjart Ballet of Lausanne celebrate 30 years and honor the 10 years since Maurice Béjart’s death (1927-2007) with a new world tour. The huge feast of Dance will be hosted in Herodion on 17th and 18th September 2017.

The Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and the Athens State Orchestra present the greatest rock hits of Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queen, AC / DC, Deep Purple and Scorpions at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, on Thursday 21th and Friday 22th September. Special guests: Frantisek Hönig, drummer of Frank Zappa, and Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel’s frontman.