May 10, 1955
BIRTH OF ATHENS FESTIVAL: Minister to the Prime Minister Georgios P. Rallis and Education Minister Achilleas Gerokostopoulos held a press conference yesterday afternoon to announce a program of cultural events to be held this summer and autumn in Athens, Epidaurus and other sites. At the First International Festival of Athens, three state cultural foundations will be participating – the National Theater, the National Opera, the Athens State Orchestra – and other major companies, as well as distinguished guests such as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Dimitris Mitropoulos. The Festival will begin with Gluck’s opera «Orpheus.» Maria Callas-Kalogeropoulou does not have the time to take part in an opera but has offered to appear as a soloist in a concert with the State Orchestra. All the events will be held at the Herod Atticus Theater. An effort will be made to hold one of the events at Delphi or the Epidaurus Theater. The artistic director is Dinos Yiannopoulos, with musical direction by Philoctetes Economidis. Emilios Hourmouzios is in charge of performances of ancient tragedy.
