AEF2025: Axion Esti: Mikis Τheodorakis – Odysseas Elytis

The Athens Epidaurus Festival celebrates its 70th edition in 2025, with 95 days of artistic brilliance featuring over 3,000 artists from 14 countries. From iconic venues in Athens like the Herodeion, Pireos 260, and the revived City of Athens Lycabettus Theatre, to the grand finale in Epidaurus, the festival brings the world’s top performances to Greece’s stages.

This year’s programme includes world premieres, new commissions, and exciting artistic strands such as Contemporary Ancients, which reimagines Greek tragedy, and Fierce Women in Performance, exploring gender and power. The GRAPE – Greek Agora of Performance platform highlights emerging Greek talent, while the Subset Festival brings experimental sounds to the stage. Cycles Roots revisits folk traditions with a fresh twist.

Check out our curated picks from this year's programme here.

A landmark moment in modern Greek culture, Axion Esti unites the words of Nobel laureate Odysseas Elytis with the music of Mikis Theodorakis — performed at the Herodeion to mark 100 years since the composer’s birth.

This iconic oratorio blends folk, classical and choral traditions, capturing the rhythms and struggles of a nation. On stage, three leading voices bring it vividly to life: singer George Dalaras, baritone Dimitris Platanias and actor Dimitris Katalifos, joined by top orchestras and choirs. The evening opens with a symphonic work by Manolis Kalomiris.

Presented with English surtitles, this is an unforgettable night of Greek music and poetry — under the stars, beneath the Acropolis.