Megaron-The Athens Concert Hall: The most important events for September-December 2024

See the highlights for September-December 2024

Music at Megaron

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Vasily Petrenko – Yunchan Lim 13.10.2024, 20:30

The Athens Concert Hall welcomes the historic Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by conductor Vasily Petrenko (13.10.2024), and introduces Yunchan Lim to the Greek audience. The Korean virtuoso gained international recognition when he was named the youngest pianist to win first prize at the Van Cliburn International Competition in 2022, at the age of just 18.

Verdi – Puccini | Athens State Orchestra | 04.10.2024, 20:30

Two leading Greek soloists who have been earning accolades for over twenty years on the stages of the world’s greatest opera houses—the soprano Alexia Voulgaridou and the baritone Aris Argiris, friends and collaborators since they studied together under the great Daphne Evangelatos—join forces at the Megaron for a unique concert.

With the distinguished Miltos Logiadis on the Athens State Orchestra podium, the two lyric artists perform popular scenes and arias from operas by Verdi and Puccini, including Tosca’s iconic second act.
The artists, along with the conductor and musicians of the Athens State Orchestra, will be donating their fees to the Maria Callas Scholarships, an organization with which they are closely associated and which was founded 60 years ago by Maria Callas herself to support young and talented Greek singers.

In collaboration with Maria Callas Scholarships Society.

UTOPIA – Teodor Currentzis 02-03.11.2024

Every concert performance of Teodor Currentzis, wherever it takes place, whatever the symphonic work, is undoubtedly a musical event, which is discussed, engages, fascinates, touches and provokes. At his concerts in Greece, in addition to pure musical admiration, a feeling of pride is added by the audience for the Greek conductor, who has long since earned a place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest artists.

The concert opens with a new work by the distinguished American composer Jay Schwartz, written especially for Teodor Currentzis and the Utopia Orchestra, on the theme of migration, marginalization and the search for our identity. This is followed by a symphonic masterpiece, Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, an adventurous, inward journey into the most intimate reaches of the human soul. The slow movement of the Symphony, the famous Adagietto, has also made its mark in the world of cinema, musically scoring Thomas Mann’s adaptation of the novel Death in Venice, directed by Luchino Visconti.

PROGRAMME

JAY SCHWARTZ
Passacaglia – Music for Orchestra IX

GUSTAV MAHLER
Symphony No. 5 C-sharp minor

PROGRAMME

GIUSEPPE VERDI (1813-1901)
Aida, Prelude
Aida, duet Aida and Amonasro, “Ciel mio padre…Rivedrai le foreste imbalsamate”
La Forza del Destino, The Power of Fate, overture
La Forza del Destino, The Power of Fate, Don Carlos’ aria and cabaletta “Urna fatale del mio destino”
La Forza del Destino, The Power of Fate, Leonora’s aria “Pace, pace mio Dio!”

GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858-1924)
Il tabarro, the Cloak, Michele aria “Nulla! Silenzio!”
Manon Lescaut, Intermezzo
Tosca, scene of Tosca and Scarpia, Act 2

Leonskaja gets the new season underway Athens State Orchestra | 18.10.2024, 20:30

Beethoven and Schumann number among those composers whose great works spirit us back to the wellspring of musical beauty and breathe new life into the response of every musician and philosopher to the eternal question: “Why is Music a supreme expression of the human spirit?”. Landmarks in the world repertoire like Beethoven’s dramatic Third Piano Concerto and Schumann’s melodically fresh “Spring” Symphony, along with the atmospheric overture to Weber’s opera Oberon, are ideal vehicles for ensuring a truly glorious start to the new artistic season—all the more so when they are performed by the brilliant and legendary Georgian piano virtuoso, Elisabeth Leonskaja, and conducted by the celebrated and highly experienced maestro and artistic director of the Athens State Orchestra, Lukas Karytinos!

PROGRAMME

CARL MARIA VON WEBER (1786–1826)
Oberon, overture for orchestra

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37

ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810–1856)
Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 38, the “Spring Symphony”

Dance at Megaron

Nederlands Dans Theater | 06-09.11.2024

The leading contemporary dance company from the Netherlands returns to Greece, in its established rendezvous with Megaron  the Athens Concert Hall and dance lovers. In the new dance triptych they present on the stage of the Alexandra Trianti Hall, experimental mood, innovation and poetry converge in a highly polyphonic universe, which has shaped the artistic stamp of the group from 1959 until today.

The curtain opens with a new creation by Greek choreographer and new NDT collaborator Christos Papadopoulos, which premiered in the Netherlands in September 2024. This is followed by two earlier productions, Jiří Kylián ‘s Vanishing Twin and Canadian Crystal Pate’s Solo Echo, where the ephemeral nature of human existence meets the melancholy of the winter landscape. Three different choreographers, three different artistic propositions that intersect and are read through the interpretive range and exquisite movement vocabulary of the dancers of the NDT 1 company.

The Ice Queen | Ballet in two acts | 14-30.12.2024

The Odessa National Opera Ballet presents the world premiere of The Snow Queen. A new, international extravaganza of classical dance, based on the famous fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, with stunning sets and costumes and the participation of top soloists. The tale tells the story of two dear friends, Gerda and Kai. One winter day, a shard from the devil’s mirror strikes Kai in the eyes. From that moment on, everything good and beautiful in his eyes seems ugly and evil; the Snow Queen has bewitched him. The Odessa National Opera Ballet fills the Alexandra Trianti Hall  stage with fairy-tale magic, unforgettable music, humour and outstanding performances in the most glamorous Christmas event for the whole family.

The show is recommended for children 5+ years old.

Don Quixote | Ballet in two acts | 16-19.12.2024

Based on the novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes

The Ballet of the Odessa National Opera in its full cast of seventy performers presents the masterpiece Don Quixote by Ludwig Minkus. Don Quixote premiered on 26 December 1869 at the Imperial Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, choreographed by Marius Petipa. In February 1933 it was first performed at the Odessa National Opera in Odessa, and for the next ninety years new productions and approaches to the original choreography highlighted and continue to uniquely showcase the art of ballet.

The performance is recommended for children 5+ y.o.

Megaron the Athens Concert Hall