The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (; also called Herodeion or Herodion; ) is a

stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

Roman theatre structure located on the southwest slope of the

Acropolis of Athens The Acropolis of Athens (; ) is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece, and contains the remains of several Ancient Greek architecture, ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, ...

, Greece. The building was completed in AD 161 and then renovated in 1950.

Ancient times

It was built in AD 161 by

Herodes Atticus Herodes Atticus (; AD 101–177) was an Athenian rhetorician, as well as a Roman senator. A great philanthropic magnate, he and his wife Appia Annia Regilla, for whose murder he was potentially responsible, commissioned many Athenian public w ...

in memory of his Roman wife,

Aspasia Annia Regilla Appia Annia Regilla, full name Appia Annia Regilla Atilia Caucidia TertullaPomeroy, ''The murder of Regilla: a case of domestic violence in antiquity'' (Greek: , 125–160), was a wealthy, aristocratic and influential Roman woman, who was a dista ...

. It was originally a steep-sloped

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a Stage (theatre), stage. The performe ...

with a three-story stone front wall and a wooden roof made of expensive

cedar of Lebanon ''Cedrus libani'', commonly known as cedar of Lebanon, Lebanon cedar, or Lebanese cedar (), is a species of large evergreen conifer in the genus ''Cedrus'', which belongs to the pine family and is native to the mountains of the Eastern Medite ...

timber. It was used as a

venue A venue is the location at which an event takes place. It may refer to: Locations * Venue (law), the place a case is heard * Financial trading venue, a place or system where financial transactions can occur * Music venue, place used for a conce ...

for music concerts with a capacity of 5,000. It lasted intact until it was destroyed and left in ruins by the

Heruli The Heruli (also Eluri, Eruli, Herules, Herulians) were one of the smaller Germanic peoples of Late Antiquity, known from records in the third to sixth centuries AD. The best recorded group of Heruli established a kingdom north of the Middle Danu ...

in AD 267. File:Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Athens, Greece, 1880.jpg, Historical image of Odeon of Herodes Atticus (ca. 1880) File:Odeon of Herodus Atticus - DPLA - be1f1b8787b8c5207ebc8494a78a0350.jpg, Odeon of Herodus Atticus, 1870-1880. Nicholas Catsimpoolas Collection,

Boston Public Library The Boston Public Library is a municipal public library system in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1848. The Boston Public Library is also Massachusetts' Library for the Commonwealth (formerly ''library of last recourse''), meaning all adult re ...

Modern events

The audience stands and the

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * String instruments, such as the violin, viola, cello, ...

(stage) were restored using

Pentelic marble Mount Pentelicus or Pentelikon (, or ) is a mountain in Attica (region), Attica, Greece, situated northeast of Athens and southwest of Marathon, Greece, Marathon. Its highest point is the peak ''Pyrgari'', with an elevation of 1,109 m. The m ...

in the 1950s. Since then it has been the main venue of the

Athens Festival Athens – Epidaurus Festival is an annual arts festival that takes place in Athens and Epidaurus, from May to October. It is one of the most famous festivals in Greece. It is held every year during the summer months (Fridays and Saturdays in Ju ...

, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances. In 1957,

Maria Callas Maria Callas (born Maria Anna Cecilia Sophia Kalogeropoulos; December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American-born Greek soprano and one of the most renowned and influential opera singers of the 20th century. Many critics praised ...

performed at the Odeon as part of the Athens Festival and in the same year

Edith Hamilton Edith Hamilton (August 12, 1867 – May 31, 1963) was an American educator and internationally known author who was one of the most renowned classicists of her era in the United States. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College, she also studied in Germany ...

was pronounced an honorary citizen of Athens at ninety years of age. In May 1962

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

gave two

benefit concert A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate h ...

s for the city of Athens. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus was the venue for the

Miss Universe 1973 Miss Universe 1973 was the 22nd Miss Universe pageant, held on 21 July 1973 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece. Margarita Moran of the Philippines was crowned by Kerry Anne Wells of Australia at the end of the event, thus making ...

pageant. Another memorable performance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus was given by the Greek singer

Nana Mouskouri Ioanna "Nana" Mouskouri ( ; born 13 October 1934) is a Greek singer and politician. Over the span of her career, she has released an estimated 450 albums in at least thirteen languages, including Greek language, Greek, French language, French, ...

in 1984; after 20 years of absence she returned to her country.

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...

performed at the Odeon twice, in 1991 and in 2004.

Vangelis Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (, ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; , ), was a Greek musician, composer, and producer of electronic, progressive, ambient, and classical orchestral music. He composed ...

Mythodea ''Mythodea — Music for the NASA Mission: 2001 Mars Odyssey'' is a choral symphony by Greek electronic composer and artist Vangelis. It premiered as a single concert in Athens, Greece, in 19931993 concert program. but a recording was only release ...

premiered at Odeon of Herodes Atticus in July 1993 and the venue hosted

Yanni Yiannis Chryssomallis (; born November 14, 1954), known professionally as Yanni ( ), is a Greek composer, keyboardist, pianist, and music producer. Yanni continues to use the musical shorthand that he developed as a child, blending jazz, clas ...

Live at the Acropolis ''Live at the Acropolis'' is the first live album and concert film by the Greek keyboardist, composer, and producer Yanni, released on March 1, 1994, on Private Music. It was recorded at the Herodes Atticus Theatre in Athens, Greece during his ...

performance in September 1993.

Sting Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS is a regulator protein that in humans is encoded by the STING1 gene. STING plays an important role in innate immunity. STING induces typ ...

performed at the venue during his

Mercury Falling ''Mercury Falling'' is the fifth studio album by English musician Sting. It was released on 8 March 1996 through A&M Records and was produced by Sting alongside longtime producer Hugh Padgham. The album features many tracks which see elements ...

Tour on May 17, 1996. In June 2018 he returned for two more concerts.

Mario Frangoulis Mario Frangoulis (; born 18 December 1966 ) is a Greek vocalist, famous for his refined tenor vocals. Born in Rhodesia, Frangoulis after his three-decade long career has established himself as a critically and commercially acclaimed recording art ...

has performed at the historic theatre with Yannis Markopoulos' and directed by Elias Malandris, Orpheus in 1996 and also played the role of Erotokritos in his work based on

Vitsentzos Kornaros Vitsentzos or Vikentios Kornaros ( or ) or Vincenzo Cornaro (March 29, 1553 – 1613/1614) was a Cretan poet of Venetian origin, who wrote the romantic epic poem '' Erotokritos''. He wrote in vernacular Cretan dialect (Cretan Greek), and was a le ...

Erotokritos ''Erotokritos'' () is a romance composed by Vikentios Kornaros in early 17th century Crete. It consists of 10,012 fifteen-syllable rhymed verses, the last twelve of which refer to the poet himself. It is written in the Cretan dialect of the G ...

. He also performed 'Axion Esti' poem by

Odysseus Elytis Odysseas Elytis (; , pen name of Odysseas Alepoudelis, ; 2 November 1911 – 18 March 1996) was a Greek poet, man of letters, essayist and translator, regarded as the definitive exponent of romantic modernism in Greece and the world. He is one ...

music by

Mikis Theodorakis Michail "Mikis" Theodorakis ( ; 29 July 1925 – 2 September 2021) was a Greek composer and lyricist credited with over 1,000 works. He scored for the films '' Zorba the Greek'' (1964), '' Z'' (1969), and '' Serpico'' (1973). He was a three-ti ...

and conducted by the composer himself in May 1998 to benefit Elpida Foundation for children suffering from cancer.

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

performed two concerts at the venue during his Medusa tour in 2000. In June 2008,

Sylvie Guillem Sylvie Guillem (; born 23 February 1965) is a French ballet dancer. Guillem was the top-ranking female dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet from 1984 to 1989, before becoming a principal guest artist with the Royal Ballet in London. She has ...

performed

Boléro ''Boléro'' is a 1928 work for large orchestra by French composer Maurice Ravel. It is one of Ravel's most famous compositions. It was also one of his last completed works before illness diminished his ability to write music. Composition T ...

in company with the

Tokyo Ballet The Tokyo Ballet is a classical ballet company, based in Tokyo, Japan, founded in 1964. It is one of the leading performing arts companies in Japan. History European classical ballet, heavily influenced by Russian methods, was introduced to Ja ...

as part of the Athens Festival. In September 2010, tenor

Andrea Bocelli Andrea Bocelli (; born 22 September 1958) is an Italian tenor. He rose to fame in 1994 after winning the newcomers' section of the 44th Sanremo Music Festival performing " Il mare calmo della sera". Since 1994, Bocelli has recorded 15 solo st ...

held a concert at the Odeon to raise funds for

cancer research Cancer research is research into cancer to identify causes and develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. Cancer research ranges from epidemiology, molecular bioscience to the performance of clinical trials to evaluate ...

. In 2012, Mario Frangoulis performed the leading role in

Carl Orff Carl Heinrich Maria Orff (; 10 July 1895 – 29 March 1982) was a German composer and music educator, who composed the cantata ''Carmina Burana (Orff), Carmina Burana'' (1937). The concepts of his Orff Schulwerk, Schulwerk were influential for ...

Carmina Burana ''Carmina Burana'' (, Latin for "Songs from Benediktbeuern" 'Buria'' in Latin is a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces are mostly bawdy, irreveren ...

at the Herodes Atticus theatre. In 2020 the first art exhibition was held on the site, by Greek artist Dionisis Kavallieratos, entitled 'Disoriented Dance / Misled Planet' organised by NEON Organization and the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. On July 12, 2022

Jeff Mills Jeff Mills (born June 18, 1963, in Detroit, Michigan), also known as "the Wizard", is an American DJ, record producer, and composer. In the late 1980s Mills founded the techno collective Underground Resistance with fellow Detroit techno pro ...

performed on the site with his project Tomorrow Comes the Harvest for the Athens Epidaurus Festival with Jean-Phi Dary on piano,

Divinity Roxx Divinity Roxx (1976–), born Debbie Walker to Beverly Walker and Raymond Walker Jr. in Atlanta, Georgia, is a two-time Grammy-nominated American recording artist, producer, composer, musician and honorary sister of Tau Beta Sigma, the American h ...

on bass guitar, and Rashida Ali on flute. In June 2024,

Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...

shot the music video for the single, "

Feelslikeimfallinginlove "Feelslikeimfallinginlove" (stylised in all lowercase) is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was released on 21 June 2024 through Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Atlantic in the United States. Written by all members of the band — ...

". On September 28th, 2024, the Greek symphonic death metal band

Septicflesh Septicflesh (formerly known as Septic Flesh) are a Greek death metal band from Athens, founded in 1990. History Septicflesh were formed in Athens in March 1990 by Sotiris Vayenas (guitar), Spiros Antoniou (bass and vocals), and Christos Anto ...

performed a live set with an orchestra. Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-S49781, Athen, Herodes-Attikus-Theater.jpg,

Herbert von Karajan Herbert von Karajan (; born ''Heribert Adolf Ernst Karajan''; 5 April 1908 – 16 July 1989) was an Austrian conductor. He was principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years. During the Nazi era, he debuted at the Salzburg Festival, ...

and the Orchestra of the Athens Conservatory (later to become the Athens State Orchestra) at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (1939) File:Athènes. Théâtre de Herode - DPLA - 23a415669ee20642060affaa24c8cb61 (page 1).jpg, Athènes. Théâtre de Herode, ca. 1907-1915; from the Nicholas Catsimpoolas Collection of the Boston Public Library File:The Odeon of Herodes Atticus on May 8, 2020.jpg, The Odeon of Herodes Atticus with the Parthenon in the background (2020)

References

External links

Odeon of Herodes Atticus: History, location, how and when to visit. Text in English, photos.

The southern slope of the Acropolis
an
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.
{{coord, 37.970756, N, 23.724444, E, type:landmark_region:GR_scale:2000, display=title Buildings and structures completed in the 2nd century Acropolis of Athens Landmarks in Athens Ancient Greek buildings and structures in Athens Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Greece Theatres in Athens Roman Athens

Ancient times

Modern events

See also

References

External links