Host to Coldplay and Pavarotti, Athens’ Odeon of Herodes Atticus to close for renovation
The ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus theatre, built in AD161, opens for its final season before undergoing a three-year restoration
For visitors to Athens, the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the theatre at the foot of the Acropolis, is a must-see. Artists revere it for its majestic stage. And for Athenians, it is the touchstone of their summer cultural calendar.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus – known in Greek as the Herodion – recently opened the 70th season of the annual Athens Epidaurus Festival. This edition is the last before the theatre – which first opened in AD161 – closes for maintenance and restoration work that is expected to last at least three years.
While theatre and dance grace its stage, music is its cornerstone. Renowned artists who have performed there include Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Coldplay and American-born Greek singer Maria Callas.
Its closure will be a profound loss for spectators who enjoy first-class performances under the stars in one of the world’s most iconic open-air theatres.
“When [people] think of the Athens cultural scene, everyone thinks of the festival and the Herodion,” said Katerina Evangelatos, the festival’s artistic director since 2019. “It has become a synonym for the festival. It is the heart of the festival.”
When the Greek National Opera opened this season’s festival with Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, it erected temporary structures behind its arched walls to expand the available space for dressing rooms, because underground facilities were not large enough.