On-line: Leonidas Kavakos Performs Bach in Ancient Epidaurus

On a balmy evening in July, one man stood alone in the centre of the epic Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus and performed a heart-racing run of works by Johann Sebastian Bach. This enchanting recital by globally-acclaimed Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos opened this year’s Epidaurus Festival and was offered up as a musical prayer of healing. It was especially fitting, given that this legendary stage lies within the Sanctuary of the God-physician Asclepius, once the centre of the ancient world, and the most famous healing centre of the Greek and Roman world. Roll forward five months and we are all still very much in need of some collective healing vibes. In this spirit, the Athens & Epidaurus Festival bids farewell to 2020 by presenting a free streaming of Kavakos’ uplifting performance as a message of hope for the future, and a soothing and inspirational gift for the New Year. The concert will be available for you to watch for 48 hours from 17:00 on Friday, January 1st, on the official Festival YouTube channel, Greek Festival. If the still-apt words of one rapt reviewer are anything to go by, this is not one to miss:

“Music worked wonders on us once again, creating a safety net for this time of social distancing. It wasn’t merely a performance of Bach’s works that was presented to audiences starving for music: Kavakos conjured an entire universe containing and ultimately overcoming uncertainty, insecurity, and the tragic, collective ordeal of humanity.”