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Athens : Performing arts

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  • To the protagonist, Aeschylus introduced a second character, the antagonist, creating new possibilities. Then in 472 BC came Persians , the earliest known play.

  • Rock, reggae and alternative performances in the heart of Exarcheia (see An).

  • In 534 BC, the ruler of Athens, Pisistratus, formalized the Dionysan festivals into fully fledged drama competitions, held annually. Thespis won the first competition.

  • Only ancient classics are performed in this famous amphitheatre (see Epidauros).

  • After the golden age of Athenian drama, Greece’s performing arts stagnated. However, during the Turkish occupation, Greeks drew on an Eastern tradition of shadow puppet theatre. The stylized, colourful spectacles were satirical and bawdy, the main character (the fool Karaghiozis) joking at the expense of his Turkish masters.

  • Every top jazz musician passing through Athens has played here.

  • Athens’ premiere showcase for performing arts for nearly 2,000 years (see Herodes Atticus Theatre).

  • Hillside theatre showcasing top-notch musical acts, from rock to classical (see Lykavittos Hill).

  • “La Divina”, born Maria Kalogeropoulos, was the original diva. The fiery first lady of opera enraged many managers at La Scala and the Metropolitan with her temperamental whims, but seduced millions, including shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, with her heavenly soprano and unforgettable gaze.

  • Fantastic acoustics for the world’s best orchestras, ballets and opera companies.

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