New World Baroque in Plaka

Experiencing Greek Orthodox Easter in Athens feels suspended between the city’s contemporary rhythm and a deeply resonant passage of light and shadow, a time of shared rites and sacred gatherings unfolding as the city begins to bloom with spring’s awakening.

It is a season of striking contrasts: as many Athenians leave the city, those who remain take part in rituals that quietly transform it. The hush of candlelit Holy Week processions gives way to the bright, irrepressible energy of spring. Church bells echo through narrow neoclassical streets, while flickering lambades glow in the hands of locals.

In this spirit, the City of Athens presents a curated series of concerts and performances set within historic churches and landmark venues. Step into these spaces, where music lingers against stone and time seems to slow, to experience an Easter shaped by atmosphere, tradition, and the enduring soul of the city.

The historic home of folklorist Angeliki Hatzimichali in Plaka provides an intimate backdrop for an unusual musical dialogue this Holy Monday. This 1920s mansion hosts its first early music concert, pairing excerpts from Pergolesi’s haunting Stabat Mater with rarely heard Latin American Baroque compositions. For those looking for a different acoustic experience during the traditional Holy Week, this offers a cosmopolitan perspective in the heart of the old town.

The performance features mezzo-soprano Anastasia Kotsali and counter-tenor Nikos Spanatis, with the programme including the Greek premieres of works by Domenico Zipoli and José de Orejón y Aparicio. Accompanied by period instruments including the harpsichord and violone, the music highlights a dialogue between historical European styles and the Baroque traditions of the New World. The concert is presented in three separate 30-minute sessions, allowing you to catch a performance as you explore the quiet, evening streets of Plaka.