From Moliere to Pasternak in Rethymnon
This year’s 16th Renaissance Festival of Rethymnon on Crete promises select music and theater productions right through September. It started last Saturday with Shakespeare’s «Love’s Labor’s Lost» from the National Theater’s Experimental Stage, directed by Stathis Livathinos. The festival continues on Saturday with Vicenzo Kornaros’s «Erotokritos,» staged by Crete’s municipal theater and directed by Vassilis Nikolaidis. Music will enter the festival’s equation on July 17, with a concert by a brass band, Melos Brass. Two days later, the festival will continue with Shakespeare’s «Merchant of Venice.» On July 23, the National Theater’s Children’s Stage will present «The Magical World of Love,» directed by Marianna Toli. On July 26 and 27, Sanidi Theater will stage Shakespeare’s «Twelfth Night,» directed by Korai Damati. The Vivi Theater will contribute to the festival with its production of «L’Avart» by Moliere on August 2 and 3. On August 7 and 8, the Attis Theater will present Boris Pasternak’s «Hamlet,» directed by Theodoros Terzopoulos. The Rethymnos Municipal Theater will stage «Erophilis» by Yiorgos Hortatsis on August 12 and 13, while on August 19 the festival will return to music with a performance by Belgian composer Wim Mertens. Two days later, the «T.H. As In Theater Group» will present a play titled «Paper Fable.» Cretan composer Nikos Mamagakis will premiere a new work titled «The Songs of the Old City» on August 23. The Municipal Experimental Symphony Orchestra of Rethymnon will perform on August 26. Two days later, the Ahos ensemble has been booked, while Argentinean artist Patricia Parada will perform on August 31. The festival will continue into September with performances by Nikos Platyrachos, Alkistis Propopsalti and Loudovikos ton Anogion. Also lined up for September are two plays by the «Tis Hiras ta Kamomata» group, «Small Erotic Stories with Fingers» and «Concerto for Four Hands,» as well as a staging of Jean Genet’s «Maids» by the Iniohos Theater.
