- Odeon of Herodes Atticus
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Herbert von Karajan and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (1939)
View of the theatre from the AcropolisThe Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone theatre structure located on the south slope of the Acropolis of Athens. It was built in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was originally a steep-sloped amphitheater with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof, and was used as a venue for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000.
Events
The audience stands and the 'orchestra' (stage) were restored using pentelic marble in the 1950s. Since then it has been the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances; The Odeon has hosted Maria Callas, Maurice Béjart, the Bolshoi Ballets, Karolos Koun, Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis,Nikos Koundouros, Spiros Evangelatos,Giannis Markopoulos, George Dalaras, Haris Alexiou, Marinella, Dionysis Savopoulos and many other important artists and artistic organizations. It was the venue for the Miss Universe 1973 pageant and hosted Yanni's Live at the Acropolis performance in September 1993. Another memorable performance at the Odeon of Herod Atticus was given by the Greek singer Nana Mouskouri in 1984; after 20 years of absence she returned to her country. In 1957, Edith Hamilton was pronounced an honorary citizen of Athens at ninety years of age. Sting performed at the venue during his Mercury Falling Tour on May 17, 1996. Elton John performed 2 concerts at the venue during his Medusa Tour in 2000.
Andrea Bocelli gave a concert at the Odeon of Herod Atticus, in September 2010, attended by George Papandreou, the prime minister of Greece and Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens, among others. All proceeds were donated to help cure cancer.
External links
- The southern slope of the Acropolis and the theatre itself, Hellenic Ministry of Culture.
- Video: Haris Alexiou performance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in 1994, directed by Mauro Bolognini; in this video a part dedicated to her collaboration with Manos Hadjidakis, who had died a few days before the concert.
Major landmarks of Athens Academy · Acropolis · Acropolis Museum · Ancient Agora · Arch of Hadrian · Areopagus · Monument of Lysicrates · Hellenic Parliament · Kerameikos · Mount Lycabettus · Monastiraki · Kapodistrian University of Athens · National Archaeological Museum · National Gardens · National Library of Greece · National Theatre · Odeon of Herodes Atticus · Old Parliament House · Olympic Sports Complex · Panathinaiko Stadium · Pedion tou Areos · Philopappos Hill / Monument · Plaka · Pnyx · Presidential Palace · Stoa of Attalos · Temple of Hephaestus · Temple of Olympian Zeus · Theatre of Dionysus · Tower of the Winds · Tsisdarakis Mosque · Zappeion
Coordinates: 37°58′15″N 23°43′28″E / 37.970756°N 23.724444°E
Categories:- Acropolis of Athens
- Landmarks in Athens
- 2nd-century architecture
- Ancient Greek buildings and structures in Athens
- Ancient Greek theatres
- Ancient Greek archaeological sites in Greece
- Roman Athens
- Ancient Greece stubs
- Greek building and structure stubs
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