The Hymettus Festival is back
The 21st Hymettus Festival is about to spread to both Vrachon Theaters as well as to adjacent streets. This year the festival is not facing the same problems as one year ago, which had led to its cancellation. At a recent press conference the festival’s artistic director announced the program of upcoming events, which includes theater, music shows, shadow theater, open-air cinema and much more. The festival kicks off tonight with a concert by the Greek Music State Orchestra, which will pay tribute to Andreas Lentakis under the baton of Stavros Xarhakos. Numerous concerts have been scheduled for the rest of the month, ranging from ethnic sounds by Goran Bregovic and his Wedding and Funeral Gypsy Band to Greek balladeer Foivos Delivorias, Greek folk by Chronis Aidonidis and Cuban ballads by the legendary Buena Vista Social Club. July will open with the performance of Aristophanes’s comedy «Thesmophoriazusae» and will continue with dervish dances, which will be held on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the birth of the great Sufi poet Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi. The program then features concerts by Catalan collective Ojos de Brujo, Saint Etienne, Greece’s Christos Thivaios, local hip-hoppers Active Member, Doros Dimosthenous and celebrated Italian singer/songwriter Lucio Dalla. Highlights include a great theater tribute to Greek national poet Dionysios Solomos (who died 150 years ago), directed by Sotiris Hadzakis. What is special about the Hymettus Festival is the variety of parallel events which will enable all local residents to take part in the fun. The events, which will take place in the streets of Hymettus, will include concerts by local singers and acts Martha Frintzila, Ypogeia Revmata, Lizeta Kalimeri, Costas Pavlidis, Costas Thomaidis, Encardia and others as well as Greek folk celebrations (starting this Sunday with Mario and Lambros Karellas at the Iroon Polytechneiou square), Karaghiozis shadow-puppet theater, children’s workshops and much more. Shows start at 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Hymettus Municipality offices (tel 210.762.3857), at Ianos (24 Stadiou, tel 210.321.7917) and at www.i-ticket.gr.
