Musical magnet
Fans of classical music, opera and symphonic music have a wide choice in summer months of famous artists and gala performances within the framework of the Athens Festival and others around the country, such as Thessaloniki’s Demetria Festival. In winter, it is the turn of the Athens Concert Hall, with its many major classical music productions. And it seems that good music draws crowds. Eleni Spanopoulou, the Concert Hall’s public relations director, said that until 1990, people connected cultural activities with summer festivals. A country town «In winter, Athens used to be a country town. But the Athens Concert Hall has managed to bring to Greece many great orchestras and raise the standard of Athenian life with extremely frequent concerts (eight to 10 a week). Last season, concerts such as ‘Lucia di Lammermoor,’ London’s Philarmonia, chamber music with Leonidas Kavakos and ‘Giselle’ were sold out. People have a particular fondness for opera, symphonies, dance and children’s shows,» she said. «We have even discovered that Mahler has a fan club!» said Spanopoulou. In recent years, the National Opera’s program has included many opera performances with a number of foreign guest artists, not to mention the considerable activity of the Athens State Orchestra, the Orchestra of Colors and naturally, the Thessaloniki Concert Hall.
