The Athens and Epidaurus Festival is the city’s annual arts festival and a highlight of the Greek summer calendar. With a legacy that spans more than sixty years, today it incorporates a full programme of music, theatre, dance and visual arts. Performances at the two ancient theatres of the Odeon Herodes Atticus and the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus are highlights of the festival. Both are famous for their exemplary acoustics and many of the great works of classical playwrights, such as Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus premiered at the Epidaurus Theatre in ancient times.
Madama Butterfly at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens. Photo: Stefanos/GNO
The 2024 festival will welcome live audiences with performances by world class orchestras and musicians at the iconic stage of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus beneath the Acropolis. STING returns to this year’s festival and will perform for two nights on July 5 and 6.
Audiences can also expect landmark productions by the Greek National Opera in 2024, including Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca and Giuseppe Verdi’s, La Traviata.
At the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, eight productions will be performed two days a week from early July through to late August, by ancient Greek playwrights Euripides, Aeschylus and Aristophanes. The Festival has invited international theatre director, Timofey Kulyabin to Epidaurus for the first time to direct Euripides’ Iphigenia bringing a contemporary reading of this classical Greek tragedy.
ODEON OF HERODES ATTICUS
The spectacular open-air theatre of Odeon Herodes Atticus provides a magical setting at the base of the Acropolis. It has hosted legendary performances by Frank Sinatra, Maria Callas and Luciano Pavarotti to name a few.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus during the Athens & Epidaurus Festival. Photo: Athens Festival/T.Daskalakis
If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Athens during the Festival, be sure to attend at least one performance at any of these ancient theatres for a truly unforgettable, once in a lifetime experience.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
1 September 2024 | Heracles the Furious by Euripides – Tickets available here
2 September 2024 | MINOS MATSAS live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
4 & 5 September 2024 | ORESTEIA by Aeschylus – National Theatre of Greece – Tickets available here
6 September 2024 | VIKY LEANDROS live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
7 September 2024 | CHRISTOS NIKOLOPOULOS, 60 years of music – Tickets available here
9 & 10 September 2024 | IPHIGENIA IN AULIS by Euripides – Timofey Kulyabin – Tickets available here
11 September 2024 | EIGHT WOMEN by Robert Thomas –Tickets available here
12 September 2024 | THE SUPPLIANTS by Aeschylus – Tickets available here
13 September 2024 | STAVROS XARCHAKOS live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
14 September 2024 | LUDIVICO EINAUDI live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
15 September 2024 | DIONNE WARWICK live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
19 September 2024 | THANOS MIKROUTSIKOS TRIBUTE with George Dalaras – Tickets available here
20 September 2024 | EMMA SHAPPLIN live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
21 September 2024 | THE MUSIC OF HANS ZIMMER – Tickets available here
22 September 2024 | THE STARS SHINE ‘World’s greatest ballet artists at the Acropolis’ – Tickets available here
23 September 2024 | DON QUIXOTE – Tickets available here
25 September 2024 | MARINELLA & REMOS live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
27 September 2024 | GIORGOS KATSAROS TRIBUTE with Yiannis Parios – Tickets available here
28 September 2024 | CLASSIC ROCK at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
29 September 2024 | Benefit Concert: Dalaras, Glykeria & more – Tickets available here
30 September 2024 | HAMLET at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
1 October 2024 | KAMASI WASHINGTON live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
2 October 2024 | CARMINA BURANA – National Opera of Odessa – Tickets available here
3 October 2024 | MARIO FRANGOULIS live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
4 October 2024 | EVANTHIA REMBOUTSIKA live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
5 October 2024 | GORAN BREGOVIC live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
6 October 2024 | GEORGES & FREDRIK – Tickets available here
8 October 2024 | MANOS HADJIDAKIS TRIBUTE CONCERT – Tickets available here
11 October 2024 | GIORGOS THEOFANOUS live at the Acropolis – Tickets available here
12 October 2024 | MIKIS THEODORAKIS TRIBUTE CONCERT – Tickets available here
16 October 2024 | THANASIS POLYKANDRIOTIS TRIBUTE CONCERT – Tickets available here
ANCIENT THEATRE OF EPIDAURUS
A twilight performance by the National Theatre of Greece during the Epidaurus Festival. Photograph: Thomas Daskalakis/NTG
The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is regarded as the best-preserved ancient theatre in Greece and famous for its perfect acoustics. It was constructed in the late 4th century BC with a capacity of more than 12,000 spectators.
Why Athens Tip: Greek and English subtitles available for all performances
JULY to AUGUST 2024
PROGRAMME AT ANCIENT EPIDAURUS THEATRE
5 & 6 July 2024 | IPHIGENIA IN AULIS by Euripides – Timofey Kulyabin – Tickets available here Transport Option: Private transfer to the Theatre
12 & 13 July 2024 | ORESTEIA by Aeschylus – National Theatre of Greece – Tickets available here Transport Option: Private transfer to the Theatre
19 & 20 July 2024 | PLUTUS by Aristophanes – Tickets available here Transport Option: Private transfer to the Theatre
26 & 27 July 2024 | NOT HECUBA – Tiago Rodrigues & Comedie-Francaise – Tickets available here Transport Option: Private transfer to the Theatre
2 & 3 August 2024 | THE BACCHAE by Euripides – Tickets available here Transport Option: Private transfer to the Theatre
9 & 10 August 2024 | BIRDS by Aristophanes – Tickets available here Transport Option: Private transfer to the Theatre
23 & 24 August 2024 | THE SUPPLIANTS by Aeschylus – Tickets available here Transport Option: Private transfer to the Theatre
GETTING TO ANCIENT EPIDAURUS
Epidaurus theatre is located within the archaeological site of the sanctuary of Asklepios in Palea Epidaurus, in the region of Argolis and is a two hour drive from Athens. Why Athens offers private taxi’s, mini-vans and mini-bus transfers to and from the site on the evenings when performances are showing. You can find out more information about ways to get to ancient Epidaurus here.