New Athens Festival Program Announced

Two of the “Three Tenors” will perform at separate events this summer at Greece’s annual Hellenic Festival, organizers announced last month.

Placido Domingo will sing at an ancient open-air theater at the foot of the Acropolis on June 15, with Jose Carreras following on June 28.

The third member of the trio of world-famous tenors, Luciano Pavarotti, is not scheduled to perform here. The festival opens on May 22 with a musical tribute to Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, who turns 80 this year.

In all, more than 100 performances are scheduled to take place between May and October at the capital’s 1,800-year-old Herod Atticus Theater, as well as two ancient theaters at Epidaurus in southern Greece.

“Our goal is to include this festival among the great festivals of the world in an effort to improve the image of Greece and to help tourism,” Tourism Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said.

Other scheduled performances include a one-man show by Italian Nobel literature laureate Dario Fo, two nights of jazz with the Duke Ellington Band and Glenn Miller Orchestra, and the English National Ballet’s rendition of “Romeo and Juliet.”

Taiwan’s Cloud Gate Dance Theater is also slated for a June 12-13 performance. As well, Franco Zeffirelli will direct “Medea” in two performances on September 22-23. The full program for all events is available at www.hellenicfestival.gr