ODEON OF HERODES ATTICUS

15 & 16 JULY / 21:00

MUSIC

A TRIBUTE TO THANOS MIKROUTSIKOS

Set Up the Spotlight

Music and songs written for theatre

Last year we bid farewell to Thanos Mikroutsikos, a major composer who defined the Greek music scene and revolutionised the musical landscape of the country through his various institutional roles, serving as Minister of Culture (1994-1996), founder and Director of the International Patras Festival and Artistic Director of the Athens & Epidaurus Festival (1998-1999). Apart from his deep impact on Greek society, thanks to his widely covered songs and unconventional personality, Thanos Mikroutsikos also left his mark on theatre, having scored music for over 90 performances, many of which were productions of ancient drama originally presented at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.

This year’s programme opens with a tribute concert dedicated to Mikroutsikos’ music written for theatre (1972-2019), specially commissioned by the Festival, an evening that carries a special symbolic weight and significance for us. An emotional musical journey through songs, choral parts, compositions for musicals and revues, all of which were beloved by audiences and went on to enjoy a life beyond the theatre stage; music originally written for theatre, for plays by Brecht, Lope de Vega, and Aristophanes, alongside poems by Cavafy, Kavvadias and Manos Eleftheriou set to music.

Singers Christos Thivaios, Foivos Delivorias, Kostas Thomaidis and Rita Antonopoulou will perform under the baton of Thymios Papadopoulos, whom Thanos Mikroutsikos used to call “my alter ego”. In between the musical notes, actress Renia Louizidou will recite texts.