The SNFCC to the World 23 – 26 June 2016 Program of Events Thursday

Metamorphosis: The SNFCC to the World 23 – 26 June 2016

Program of events

Thursday, June 23rd 2016

18:00 – 21:30 | WESTERN STREET | Sports Activities Folk Games A contemporary and amusing revival of games that still excite children in squares or school yards and which we are all acquainted with or have played when young. Hopscotch, tug of war, hoops and hop sack racing will be, among others the starting point for contemporary versions of the games which, however, will not change those particular features that have made them last through time, becoming an integral part of our folk culture. And it is not only the children who will have fun playing. Grown ups will recall memories from their childhood and might even be tempted to play too, turning this activity into a meeting across generations and an occasion for some essential mentoring of the young.

For children ages 5-10. Number of participants per program: 40 children Program duration: 10’. There will be a total of 20 programs.

18:00 – 21:30 | GREAT LAWN | Sports Activities Kids’ Athletics Children are initiated in the world of classical sports and fair play by participating in sports/games adapted to their age group without the pressure of competitiveness and the requirement for performance. Five Olympic track and field events: standing long jump (an Olympic sport until the 5th Olympic Games of Stockholm in 1912), pole vault, discus throw, running and hurdle race, are transformed into group activities through which the young athletes come in contact with the values of fair play, sociability and acceptance of diversity. The children learn about each of the sports events and participate in non competitive games. That way, the joy of play and physical activity becomes a tool for instruction and learning.

For children ages 6-15. Number of participants per program: 60 children Program duration: 30’. There will be a total of 7 programs.

18:00 – 21:30 | WESTERN STREET | Sports Activities Robotics-STEM Children get involved to the world of robotics and learn through entertaining activities! Young and old can play with special small robots, they can engage in construction and

1 self-expression, while at the same time, getting familiarized with electronics and programming. The robotics workshop gives to the young scientists the joy of experimentation, an occupation that fosters love for the physical sciences, mathematics, mechanics. An inventive educational journey into technology that induces enthusiasm about the discoveries, interaction and innovation which it generates!

For children ages 6-13. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 10’-15’. There will be a total of 14-20 programs.

18:00 – 21:30 | WESTERN STREET | Sports Activities Fencing From the 16th century to today, fencing may have evolved, yet at its core, it remains essentially the same unique and noble sport. It is an exciting and enjoyable activity where the leading part belongs to skill, speed, strategy and immaculate body-mind coordination. The children are given the opportunity to get to know the art form and its techniques, learning to engage their opponent through rules and rituals, as they connect with its long tradition of respect and acknowledgment of the more highly proficient athlete.

For children ages 5-15. Number of participants per program: 8 children Program duration: 3’-4’. There will be a total of 50 programs.

18:00 – 21:30 | WESTERN STREET | Sports Activities Land Rowing Rowing in Faliron! Not in the water, however, but on land. This ancient way of propulsion which in the 18th century became a sport and a noble tradition in the colleges of Cambridge and Oxford, becomes today a highly entertaining experience at the Stavros Niarchos Park. After a three-minute warm up, the young participants will row for 200 meters, with time counting, on the virtual “rowing court”. They will thus enjoy a simulation of rowing on static rowing equipment, an exercise beneficial for muscle tone, circulation and cardiovascular activity. Always out of the water!

For children ages over 6. Number of participants per program: 8 children Program duration: 5’. There will be a total of 40 programs.

18:00 – 21:30 | WESTERN STREET | Sports Activities Paralympic Games The Paralympic Games will host a series of paralympic sports events, thus embracing children with disabilities. The young athletes will have the opportunity to participate without discrimination to events of their choice offering them the joy of athletics. The

2 aim is the improvement of conditions for people with restricted mobility and the creation of equal opportunities through raising public awareness. The target audience of this event is not only the participating youngsters but the general public as well, who are motivated to recognize and lobby for the right of people with restricted mobility in having access throughout our cities. Since the Olympic Games of 1948, when it was founded, the Paralympic Movement highlights the dynamism and talents of people with disabilities.

For children ages 6-16. Number of participants per program: 24 children Program duration: 15’. There will be a total of 14 programs.

18:00 – 21:30 | WATER JETS | Sports Activities Cardboard City An open fiesta of creative play! The children can experiment freely with a variety of available materials such as cardboard boxes, cardboard, paint etc., fashioning their own unique constructions. With play as a vehicle, children explore their creativity, they cooperate and develop their social skills. The workshop will host the parents as audience, as well as other visitors of the Stavros Niarchos Park, both children and adults. Everyone will have the opportunity to attend an enjoyable and creative process of play with simple materials. Cardboard City aims at presenting and promoting creative play with low cost materials, thus developing the notions of imagination and sociability.

For children ages 5-7. Number of participants per program: 40-50 children Program duration: 50’. There will be a total of 4 programs.

18:00 – 21:30 | SOUTHERN WALKS | Sports Activities Treasure Hunt The well known and loved game that turns children into “detective-explorers” becomes the occasion for an itinerary of sightseeing and learning. Separate teams of 3-4 children are given tips for discovering “hidden” clues in specific spots around the SNFCC. Every time a team manages to find a clue, it is time to answer questions referring to the Olympic Games, sports, nutrition and general health, so that it can be rewarded with the map which leads onto the next “treasure”. Through this game, following the route from one point to the other, children get the chance to get familiar with the Stavros Niarchos Park, while also bonding amongst themselves into a group that has to cooperate towards a common goal.

For children ages 6-12. Number of participants per program: 40-60 children Program duration: 60’. There will be a total of 3 programs.

18:00 | CANAL STEPS | Music Outdoors recording studio Street Studio City Found Sound Nation (FSN) is a collective of musicians and artists who capitalize on the unique power of music and sound, in order to help build strong, cohesive, healthy communities. In the context of this socially aware practice, FSN materializes the project Street Studio City (SSC). The concept and the operation of Street Studio City are simple: the basic features of a recording studio are transported into public space, offering the local community a space for musical creation which is open and accessible to all citizens: musicians and not. With a basic layout made up of a portable computer, microphones, midi controllers, speakers and various instruments, the musical producers of SSC invite passersby to collaborate with musicians in a jam session of creative improvisation. Afterwards, the songs, stories and musical ideas which the participants create are changed into a manifold, urban, sound environment. The improvised concerts of Street Studio City are recorded and at the end of each day, the recording is distributed to all the participants and to the audience. SSC is a model of jointly produced music that started out in 2011 at the music festival of Lucerne, Switzerland and has since traveled to five continents, winning audiences over in such festivals as Harare International Festival of the Arts, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Big Ears, Bay Chamber Festival and in New York alongside the New York Make Music festival. Street Studio City literally brings the music “to the streets”, and possesses the unique ability to tap into the “collective unconscious” of public space. It is unique in that it enriches those who come in contact with it (audience and participants) with the experience of a spontaneous moment.

19:00 – 22:00 | LABYRINTH | Sports Activities Garry Kasparov plays chess with Greece’s younger generation What is it like, playing chess with Garry Kasparov? Fifteen chess players will have that unique experience at the Stavros Niarchos Park, boys and girls between 10 and 12, in a simultaneous chess encounter with the leading athlete. A world champion at age 22, he held on to the title for about twenty years just as he did to first place at the Elo rating system, for the same period. Winner of eight chess Olympics, he was acclaimed with the chess Oscar before leaving professional chess, after thirty years of continuous presence. A political activist and a writer, he espouses the view that chess must be made part of the school curriculum and works through the Kasparov Chess Foundation to promote it in schools, in the USA and overseas. The young participants will be selected by the Chess Union of Thessaloniki. After the game is over, Garry Kasparov will converse with the audience.

20:00 | MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN |Dance David Dorfman Dance (DDD) & classical sports and paralympic athletes The creation of dance experiments with different social groups is part of the philosophy and action of the David Dorfman Dance company. Having presented, both in the US and overseas, over thirty collaborative projects with volunteer groups (The Athletes Project, The Family Project, No Roles Barred), they create at the Stavros Niarchos Park

4 a performance with volunteer athletes of classical sports and paralympians where personal and social roles are explored through the art of dance.

20:00 – 22:00 | PANATHENAIC STADIUM | Sports Activities SNF RUN: Running into the Future As a celebration of sportsmanship, the SNFCC organizes a night run inviting runners of every age and skill level from all over Greece and abroad! We all run together on Olympic Day, celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the International Olympic Committee, along a symbolic route of 6 kilometers for the joy of participation and of reaching the finish line. Young and old, we start at sunset from the Panathenaic Stadium and finish in a non-competitive spirit at the Stavros Niarchos Park. In parallel, a Paraolympic run of 1 kilometer is also taking place. For more information and entry forms visit www.snfrun.org.

21:30 | GREAT LAWN | Music Demy & Friends Concert Demy brings to her music all the energy and the enthusiasm of contemporary pop. An acclaimed singer with three Mad Video Music Awards on her record, she sets up a musical feast for young and old inviting stars of the Greek music scene in a series of unexpected surprise-duets. Evridiki, Kostas Martakis, Stelios Legakis and Aris Makris take to the stage together with Demy in order to carry us away with their flare and positivity.

22:30 | GREAT LAWN |Music Xylouris White Concert The amazing duet Xylouris White create their own musical idiom with sounds from jazz, post-rock and traditional Cretan music, and win over the international music scene. They are acclaimed in tours and performances in Europe, Australia and America and their album “Goats” climbs to first place in the billboard charts, in the category world- music. With his solid musical background, Yorgos Xylouris elevates the flute to first role. His stay in Australia enriches his music with rock influences, opening a whole new terrain in jazz. Intense musicality and improvisation define his appearances with Jim White, the duet’s other member. White, with his charismatic performance, transforms drums into an instrument of infinite capabilities. A founding member of the Dirty Three, an Australian band that “opened” the concerts of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, he has collaborated with top names of the indie rock and post-punk scene, such as PJ Harvey, White Magic, Bonnie “Prince” Billy. Music with a free and fierce spirit, “goatish” as they call it themselves, for those that can follow it to its precipitous heights.

Friday, June 24th 2016

18:30| STAVROS NIARCHOS HALL | Events & Spectacles Presentation by Renzo Piano Presentation by Renzo Piano and discussion on his architectural work. More information will be available soon.

20:30 | WATER JETS | Dance Street Dance Show: The acclaimed street dancing groups Funky Habits and Waveomatics Street dance troupes Waveomatics and Funky Habits join dancers from the David Dorfman Dance (DDD) company in a show of free improvisation and creative exchange. Breakers, poppers and post-modern dancers with a shared understanding for the power and the socio-political efficacy of dance present a “groundbreaking” performance. For the breakdance group Waveomatics, breaking is a philosophy and a way of life. Every one of their street performances spontaneously transfixes their audience, transforming street culture into artistic dance expression. Impressive leaps, stylish figures, dancing that conveys a challenging freedom. The group came together in memory of dancer and dance teacher Nikos Birakos (Waveomatic) and consists of independent dancers (b-boys and poppers) who have participated and won awards in events both in Greece and abroad. They distinguished themselves already in their first professional appearance in 2013 in Battle Of The Year (BOTY) Balkans in Thessaloniki (Balkan breaking contest) which ushered them into the international BOTY in Germany, representing Greece. Self-taught spokesmen of underground culture, they alter our perception of street art. The dance group Funky Habits promote hip-hop culture in Greece professionally since 2010, through break dancing, popping, locking, party dancing, waacking, krumping and house dancing. With their talent, they infuse their motions with the music’s electric energy, setting audiences ablaze every time they appear in public. Four times Balcan champions, they have represented Greece in international competitions in Italy (Street Fighters Finals 2011, 2012 and 2013) and France (Preselections of Juste Debout 2012), and also hold many distinctions from both Greece and abroad. They have made several appearances in shows and video clips of well-known companies.

20:00 | ESPLANADE & CANAL SHORES | Music Jazz & Colors The Stavros Niarchos Park is transformed into an open musical palette by hosting the Jazz & Colors production, brainchild of music producer Peter Shapiro, owner of The Brooklyn Bowl club and of Capitol Theatre in New York. Fifteen jazz orchestras, spread throughout the Park, simultaneously perform the same musical compositions in a variety of styles, and the visitors are free to spontaneously flow with the music. Jazz & Colors is a musical experience like no other as it invites the listener to experience successively and enjoy the maximum number of renditions of each piece. It was first presented in New York’s Central Park, inspired by the fall foliage, and at the Metropolitan Museum of New York as the harmonizing of the colors of painting with a

6 music which evokes them. The Metamorphosis program will host a unique version of the concept.

21:30 | GREAT LAWN| Music Water Passion after St. Matthew Internationally acclaimed composer Tan Dun occupies a leading role in world music. A believer in the syncretism of cultures and traditions, he expands the boundaries between classical music, multimedia performance and the culture of two worlds: East and West. Winner of many prizes (Grammy award, Oscar, Grawemeyer, Moscow Shostacovich, among others), he has directed some of the most important orchestras worldwide. In his work are chronicled the contrasts and different phases of his life from the Chinese countryside during Mao’s Cultural Revolution to the influence of his mentor Toru Takemitsu and the western music of John Cage and J. S. Bach. He lives and works in New York. Water Passion after St. Matthew was written in 2000 for the 250th anniversary of Bach’s death and is based on his work St. Matthew Passion. In his organic compositions, Dun experiments with the sound imprint of primary materials such as paper, water, stone. Here, he uses water as a symbol and as sound: “Water is a metaphor for the unity of the ephemeral and the eternal, the physical and the spiritual as well as a symbol of baptism, renewal, re-creation and resurrection”, explains the composer, interpreting through his work the christian pathos by means of China’s ancient shamanistic traditions, thus incorporating it into the cosmopolitan secularism of the 21st century. The water’s transparency, its reflections and sounds are combined with classical instruments such as violin, cello and various percussion instruments, Chinese and Tibetan traditional sounds, chorals, digital sound and even with silence, intensifying the ritualistic aspect of the performance. We are led into its ambience of mystery and spirituality by Sarah Ioannides (orchestra conductor), Stephen L. Bryant (bass- baritone), Chiara Chizzoni (soprano), BeiBei Wang (percussion), Alexandrina Boyanova (violin), Felix Fan (cello), Jeremy Thal (keyboards) and the Greek choir Fons Musicalis under the musical tuition of Kostis Konstandaras.

Sarah Ioannides The robust presence of maestro Sarah Ioannides has elicited praise from the press, audiences and the critics, at an international level. Recently, she became musical director of Tachoma Symphony Orchestra and of the Spartanburgh Philarmonic, to which she brought innovation, collaboration, pluralism. Previously, she directed as assistant maestro the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, first woman in full occupation of such a post. Tonkünstler Orchestra, Royal Philarmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, some of her international appearances while in the USA, she has directed the Buffalo Philharmonic, Chattanooga Symphony Charleston Symphony, others. Her interest revolves around the works of modern composers and she has directed the premieres of thirty five works. She has collaborated with Tan Dun as assistant orchestra director and production coordinator from 1993 to 2003. Her choice by the creator to direct Water Passion after St. Matthew Perth International Arts Festival at Opera, in 2005, has highlighted her charismatic, lyrical technique.

00:00 | LABYRINTH | Events & Spectacles Circus of Illusions Performances that take your breath away and entertain young and old alike, are presented by top circus artists: with acrobatics, mime, stand-up comedy, conjurer’s tricks, internationally acclaimed practitioners of the magical arts unfold their talents and initiate the public in the modern day version of a spectacle favored since antiquity. With the participation of: Anna Jack, Nina Burri, The Smirnovs, David Shiner, Lambros Fisfis.

Saturday, June 25th 2016

9:30 – 12:30 & 18:00 – 21:00 | PINE GROVE | Guided Tours Guided Tours at the Stavros Niarchos Park Visitors become acquainted with the Stavros Niarchos Park, of a total 210,000m2 area, designed by architect Renzo Piano. They walk through the gardens of Mediterranean plants and trees, the alleys and pathways, the water fountains and entertainment areas, against the background of the sea and the Acropolis.

Tour duration: 40’ Number of participants per tour: 20 people

10:00 – 18:00 | OPERA LOBBY | Guided Tours Guided Tours at the Greek National Opera The new building of the Greek National Opera, one of the most modern worldwide, welcomes visitors to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, shortly before the commencement of its operations. Participants will have the opportunity to get to know its innovative architecture as well as its high aesthetic and technological standard, through guided tours in all its spaces.

Tour duration: 40’ Number of participants per tour: 20 people

10:00 – 18:00 | LIBRARY LOBBY |Guided Tours Guided Tours at the National Library of Greece Tours in the new, ultra modern building hosting the collections of the National Library of Greece. Visitors become familiarized with the layout of the Library and learn about its architecture and multidimensional operation.

Tour duration: 40’ Number of participants per tour: 20 people

9:30 – 12:30 | WESTERN STREET | Sports Activities Family Adventures An adventurous race for the entire family with a lot of movement and excitement! The first phase involves a run in the Park with the participants taking in the gardens’ Greek fragrances, as well as the architecture of the landscape and the buildings. Next come training stations for a balanced workout, which also stimulate and intrigue the mind! A fun boat ride in the canal of the Stavros Niarchos Park, where all the family members will work together in order to gainfully cover its distance, is one of the elements with the greatest entertainment value while in the course of the program, all the groups will encounter a dance surprise! A game of reception and familiarization with the new Park, that promotes well being, cooperation and teamwork.

10:00 | LABYRINTH | Dance David Dorfman Dance (DDD) & Cerebral Palsy Greece The David Dorfman Dance (DDD) company and Cerebral Palsy Greece collaborate to create a free-movement performance for dancers and people with restricted mobility. Choreographer-activist David Dorfman initiates a wide field of inquiry – and a challenge – around the established social meanings of physicality, being able-bodied, ideals of beauty, health and, finally, our very democracy and the rights it renders to its citizens. His performances possess the unique ability to enchant, excite and nonplus. This combination makes David Dorfman’s philosophy deeply humanist and political.

10:30 | LABYRINTH | Events & Spectacles Magical Circus A circus for all ages with magic tricks by true wizards of entertainment!

10:30 - 13:30 | LIGHTHOUSE | Educational Programs Center for Talented Youth Primary school and high school children are invited to workshops of original exploration and more, by the Center for Talented Youth. In collaboration with Anatolia College, the Center creates innovative programs providing gifted youth with an opportunity to show their talent and enthusiasm for the sciences.

10:30 – 11:50 | “Do you want to become a Scientist?” How old is Tyrannosaurus Rex? Why does it rain? How did volcanoes come about? Children discover the inexhaustible world of science, attempting to answer a variety of scientific questions and running experiments with materials of daily use. The young scientists will have the opportunity to separate molecules of water in improvised electrolysis devices, and they will touch the mystery of creation by making a DNA molecule.

For children ages 8-9. Number of participants per program: 30 children

Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

10:30 – 11:50 | “Cryptology” Cryptology: the art of safe communication or how the first computer was made using a relay baton, a disc and a crossword puzzle. Who doesn’t want to know how to send a secret message that only its recipient can read? In the cryptology workshop, participants learn how to encode and decode messages through the study of cryptosystems, with the help of mathematics if needed!

For children ages 13-16. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

12:10 – 13:30 | “The Magic of Mathematical Thinking” Children rejoice in the magic of numbers at a workshop-mathematical kaleidoscope, which brings out all the fascination of a science that is often boring in the classroom! Numbers, operations, geometrical applications become the kids’ allies and help them create arithmetical games and artworks, as they learn to do mental calculations and to solve problems without numbers.

For children ages 10-12. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

12:10 – 13:30 | “Philosophy: reflection, come out, come out, wherever you are!” What is imagination? Artificial intelligence? Where does the world end? Reflection becomes the children’s vehicle to this philosophy workshop, where they “dive” by means of philosophical inquiry into the cities of Aristotle and Plato, shaping and answering their own questions.

For children ages 13-16. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

18:00 |SOUTHERN WALKS |Music Outdoors recording studio Street Studio City Found Sound Nation (FSN) is a collective of musicians and artists who capitalize on the unique power of music and sound, in order to help build strong, cohesive, healthy communities. In the context of this socially aware practice, FSN materializes the project Street Studio City (SSC). The concept and the operation of Street Studio City are simple: the basic features of a recording studio are transported into public space, offering the local community a space for musical creation which is open and accessible to all citizens: musicians and not. With a basic layout made up of a portable computer, microphones, midi controllers, speakers and various instruments, the musical producers of SSC invite passersby to collaborate with musicians in a jam session of

10 creative improvisation. Afterwards, the songs, stories and musical ideas which the participants create are changed into a manifold, urban, sound environment. The improvised concerts of Street Studio City are recorded and at the end of each day, the recording is distributed to all the participants and to the audience. SSC is a model of jointly produced music that started out in 2011 at the music festival of Lucerne, Switzerland and has since traveled to five continents, winning audiences over in such festivals as Harare International Festival of the Arts, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Big Ears, Bay Chamber Festival and in New York alongside the New York Make Music festival. Street Studio City literally brings the music “to the streets”, and possesses the unique ability to tap into the “collective unconscious” of public space. It is unique in that it enriches those who come in contact with it (audience and participants) with the experience of a spontaneous moment.

18:30 | ALTERNATIVE STAGE | Music The Alternative Stage of GNO in works by Jani Christou Jani Christou (1926-1970) was one of the most important figures of the international musical avant-garde. Combining improvisation, stage action and philosophical reflection, Christou followed on the footsteps of the avant-garde, creating a personal musical universe with a distinctive and enchanting character. In the first production of the newly founded Alternative Stage of the GNO, joined by the exceptional contemporary music ensemble dissonArt, and the Athens Youth Symphony Orchestra, two noted works from the corpus of Jani Christou will be presented, conducted by Vladimiros Symeonidis. The Strychnine Lady (1967) is based on the record of the composer’s dreams and the psychology of Carl Jung, consisting a stage event during which actors and musicians engage the audience in an exciting, if enigmatic, co- creation. Anaparastasis III (The pianist) is also a mature work of J. Christou and one of the most popular in his body of work. The pianist’s figure, alternately interpreted by Aris Servetalis and Lenio Liatsou, becomes the instrument through which the mysterious, dream-like rituals of the artistic act are explored. The artistic installation which accompanies the plays bears the signature of visual artist Alexandros Psychoulis, and direction that of Alexandros Eucleides.

19:00 | MUSIC GARDEN | Music Inuksuit Inuksuit, a composition-bridge with the natural environment, connects the sounds of nature with music. The title derives from Inuit tradition and refers to stone constructions used for communication and survival in polar landscapes. “Each performance of Inuksuit is different,” Adams explains, “determined by the size of the ensemble and the specific instruments used, by the topology and vegetation of the site – even by the songs of the local birds. The musicians are dispersed throughout a large area, and the listeners are free to discover their own individual listening points”, the work’s composer explains. Embracing the natural world with music and raising people’s environmental consciousness by means of a musical experience form the axis of John Luther Adams’ creation, who won the 2014 Pulitzer prize for his work Become Ocean and the Grammy award in 2015 for “Best Contemporary Classical Composition”.

In Athens, J. L. Adam’s innovative work is presented by 60 Greek percussionists under the direction of Dimitris Desyllas. The percussionist virtuoso Douglas Perkins joins this performance, which is held with the support of the Athens Conservatory.

Douglas Perkins, the “virtuoso percussionist”, according to the New York Times, brings to Athens the experience of Inuksuit, a performance for 9 to 99 percussion instruments. A chamber musician and soloist, he has appeared in widely divergent locales such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Millenium Park, the tundra of Alaska, the lake of Central Park. He has premiered the works of approximately a hundred composers such as David Lang, Steve Reich, Paul Lansky, John Luther Adams, Nathan Davis, Larry Polansky, Christian Wolff, Glenn Kotche, Sofia Gubaidulina and Tristan Perich. At the same time, he is the maestro, producer and founder of the percussion quartet So Percussion. The production of Iannis Xenakis’ Persefassa in Central Park Lake and John Luther Adams’ Inuksuit in New York, were included in the Top Ten Performances of 2010 and 2011 respectively, by the magazines New Yorker, New York Magazine and Time Out NY.

Born in Corfu, Dimitris Desyllas took his first musical steps studying percussion with the Old Philarmonic Company of Corfu. He pursued his studies at the Percussion School of the Athens Conservatory under Nikos Koradzinos and, then, at New York State University where he forged relationships with great names in the world of percussion such as Roland Kohloff, Ray Des Roche και R. Siegers. His repertory includes performances and recordings of classical and contemporary composers. He collaborates with the Athens Concert Hall and the Camerata-Orchestra of the Friends of Music since 1992. He has founded the percussion ensembles Seistron and Typana. He has been teaching at the Athens Conservatory since September 2009.

19:00 – 21:00 | VISITORS CENTER TERRACE | Educational Programs Silkscreen Workshop The age-old technique of silkscreen printing, the first ever printing method, in use from the Mediterranean basin to far-off Japan and Indonesia, is transformed into a contemporary art form in the hands of an innovative experimenter in the field. Manolis Aggelakis, aka “tind”, takes the family tradition of printing a step further, showcasing the value of his art form and discovering its endless applications. In this workshop, he uses body paint as an alternative to printing ink, and invites the visitors to the Stavros Niarchos Park to join in receiving an artistic print on their skin! He believes in the beauty of typographical errors and espouses it, just as he does the merit of silkscreen printing, through collaborations titled “Error is higher than Art”.

20:00 | LABYRINTH | Music In C Terry Riley’s work In C is interpreted by the Traditional Music School of the Athens Conservatory, under the musical supervision and direction of Nikos Tsouchlos. This is an emblematic composition of minimalism, dating from 1964, which changed the course of music in the 20th century, influencing musicians such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass. With this pioneering work, Riley introduced a new conception of musical

12 form, based on repeated interconnected motifs. The performance of the 53 short phrases of In C, can assume a variety of guises and contains definitive elements of improvisation as it “snatches the baton from the composer and hands it to the musicians”. A game of simultaneity and dexterity, the musical phrases are performed at different tempos, harmonizing with one another, unfolding a musical weave to the steady tonality of the note C.

At the Stavros Niarchos Park, the work is performed by approximately twenty five musicians, divided in four groups: 1) bowed string instruments (violin, lyres, violoncello), 2) wind instruments (clarinet, flute, ney, bagpipes), 3) plucked string instruments (kanun, ud, lute, tambura, zither) and 4) percussion instruments.

21:30 |GREAT LAWN |Music Laurie Anderson Performance Laurie Anderson is considered among the most acclaimed and intrepid figures of the american (and international) artists’ community. Her output ranges from music and performance to multimedia works and experimental theater and film. It is virtually impossible to fit her multifaceted personality into any one category, since every new undertaking is an exploration (and a challenge) of her own boundaries as a creator, but

13 also of the boundaries of different art forms. In Athens, Laurie Anderson will present an experiential performance whose departure point is the opposite of certainty: perennial questioning. The human agent’s capacity to transcend a given identity, to learn what one is ignorant of, to become what one isn’t as yet, to see the unseen… For Laurie Anderson, all the above are aspects of that special awareness which makes us distinctive personalities, able to comprehend ourselves and one another. Anderson offers her audience something few artists can: an opportunity to arrive at a deeper understanding of ourselves and one another.

22:30 |GREAT LAWN | Music Omar Souleyman Concert In 1966, Omar Souleyman was born in the village of Tel Tamer near the city of Ra’s al- ’Ayn in the northeastern region of Syria. In 2013, he sang at the Nobel Prize award concert. Between these two milestones spans a fascinating musical journey that includes collaborations with Björk and appearances at jazz and rock festivals around the world. Omar Souleyman’s idiom was formed in Syria through the tradition of “Wedding Songs” and cannot be easily placed in concrete categories. His explosive use of synthesizers and drum machines creates a rhythmical richness that transcends world music. For example, in his latest album “Bahdeni Nami” Souleyman collaborated with DJ and experimental musician Kieran Hebden (aka Four Tet) creating an irresistible blend of East and West. In Athens, Omar Souleyman will unfold his unique personal vision for festive dance electronica.

00:00 – 01:00 | GREAT LAWN| Events & Spectacles Heart of a dog Film Screening Starting with David Foster Wallace’s emblematic phrase “every love story is a ghost story”, Laurie Anderson puts on her director’s hat to do what lies at the core of her every activity: tell us a story. Heart of a Dog (2015) is a meditation on the concepts of memory, dream and forgetfulness. With her mother’s death as her departure point, Anderson traces the loss of Lolabelle, her beloved terrier and, then, that of her friend, visual artist Gordon Matta-Clark, and also of her husband, the famous rock musician Lou Reed. Yet, this journey is not at all discomforting or death riddled. Heart of a Dog is a melancholy and intellectually astute commentary on the ephemeral aspect of every level of existence: biological, artistic, mnemonic. Beguiling nature scenes are combined with archival material and processed images, to create a dreamlike, welcoming environment for Anderson’s voice as it takes us on an itinerary both captivating and deeply familiar. As the New York Times wrote, “only few artists can offer us this kind of connection”.

00:00 |ALTERNATIVE STAGE |Music The Alternative Stage of GNO in works by Jani Christou Jani Christou (1926-1970) was one of the most important figures of the international musical avant-garde. Combining improvisation, stage action and philosophical reflection, Christou followed on the footsteps of the avant-garde, creating a personal musical universe with a distinctive and enchanting character. In the first production of the newly founded Alternative Stage of the GNO, joined by the exceptional contemporary music ensemble dissonArt, and the Athens Youth Symphony Orchestra, two noted works from the corpus of Jani Christou will be presented, conducted by Vladimiros Symeonidis. The Strychnine Lady (1967) is based on the record of the composer’s dreams and the psychology of Carl Jung, consisting a stage event during which actors and musicians engage the audience in an exciting, if enigmatic, co- creation. Anaparastasis III (The pianist) is also a mature work of J. Christou and one of the most popular in his body of work. The pianist’s figure, alternately interpreted by Aris Servetalis and Lenio Liatsou, becomes the instrument through which the mysterious, dream-like rituals of the artistic act are explored. The artistic installation which accompanies the plays bears the signature of visual artist Alexandros Psychoulis, and direction that of Alexandros Eucleides.

Sunday, June 26th 2016

Tour duration: 40’ Number of participants per tour: 20 people

10:30 – 13:30 | LABYRINTH, MUSIC GARDEN, VISITORS CENTER TERRACE | Educational Programs

Planet Agents The children become Planet Agents and take on different missions where they have to protect and preserve the most important goods of Earth, thus raising their ecological awareness.

For children ages 7-9 & 10-12. Number of participants per program: 20-25 children Program duration: 30’. There will be a total of 6 programs for every mission.

Mission: “Fight the Huff” Through the mission “Fight the Huff” the children are trained in saving energy. The angry and harmful Mr Huff is none other than carbon dioxide and the agents start on their mission by discovering through images and objects, the ways in which exhaust fumes are created. Next, they discover photovoltaic panels and the great difference they make in the production of energy and in fighting Mr Huff. The mission concludes happily with the agents learning ways to not waste energy and to “train” in energy saving on a day to day basis. The program will take place at the Labyrinth.

Mission: “Save the park” For the mission “Save the Park”, the children form groups, discover hidden evidence and information about the importance of parks and quality of life in the city, learn about the dangers that the urban greenery is facing and come up with ways to protect the parks of the planet. When their mission is accomplished, the agents are rewarded with a medal and a small personal folder that reminds them to continue their mission “Save the Park” in their daily lives. The program will take place at the Music Garden.

Mission: “The traces of a drop” The mission “Trailing a Drop of Water” teaches children the value of water supplies and the threats they face. In this mission, the agents take water to various mysterious water collectors and put together information about who are those who use it and how. Next, they fit pipes together, learning about the importance of the drainage system and the mission is completed with identifying the proper receptacle for discarding various

16 objects: bin, sink, toilet bowl. The agents receive their medal, having gained the knowledge of how to protect water resources from domestic pollution. The program will take place at the Visitors Center terrace.

10:30 – 13:30 |WATER JETS, SOUTHERN WALKS, WESTERN STREET, ESPLANADE| Educational Programs Fluxus Olympiad Starting with the idea of George Maciumas, founder of the artistic movement “fluxus”, of organizing an “anti-Olympiad” of paradoxical and entertaining contests, five contemporary Greek artists design and realize “fluxus” games and sports events for children and adults, under the auspices of the non-profit organization Young Contemporary Art (VYCA). *Fluxus was an international network of artists that emerged in the 60s, placing emphasis on the concept of art as “living” and accessible to all. Against the commercialization of art and using as its basic ingredients, audience participation, “do-it-yourself”, humor and play, Fluxus shifted attention onto objects and situations of daily life and did away with the distinction between art and life.

“Zen running” by Yorgos Gryparakis

The game “Zen running” is a preoccupation with “slow time”, a reference to the influence of Zen philosophy on the Fluxus movement. Put the special sports equipment on your feet and run as slow as possible towards the finish line. As you walk, a Zen melody comes out of your shoes. Be careful, though, because a fast pace makes the equipment screech. At the finish line, a real, delicious ice cream is melting away, waiting for the winner.

The event will take place at the Water Jets. For adults and children over 10. Number of participants per program: 6-8 people Program duration: 10′. There will be a total of 18 programs.

“Plants and Weeds” by Lina Theodorou The game “Plants and Weeds” is a funny and playful version of wrestling. The participants form two teams with a ratio of two weeds to every plant. The goal of the Weeds is to grab as many fruits and vegetables as they can from the Plants. If the Plants manage to touch the Weeds with their hands, then they shrivel. But the Plants can’t move easily, while there are herbicides lying in wait on the ground.

The event will take place at the Southern walks. For children ages 7-14. Number of participants per program: 9-12 people Program duration: 10′-15′. There will be a total of 12-18 programs.

“Anti-Triathlon”, by Nikos Kanarelis and Maria Karakitsou

A paradoxical and entertaining triathlon!

The event will take place on the Western Street. For adults and children over 7.

First game: “Lazy Table Tennis” The players each hold a racket and their goal is to hit the ball back onto the opponent’s side of the table. But the rackets aren’t normal ones, the ball isn’t that small, and the game isn’t that easy! Number of participants per program: 4 people Program duration: 10′. There will be a total of 18 programs.

Second event: “Reading out loud and running” The participants are running while reading out loud from books they are holding, which they have been given by the referee. The finish line is 60 meters away and the fastest runner wins. Number of participants per program: 6 people Program duration: 5′. There will be a total of 36 programs.

Third event: “Dart-javelin” The “athletes”, after constructing their dart run and throw it as far as they can, aiming for it to land as close to the target as possible. But the target is especially made and does not look like what you might imagine! Number of participants per program: 6 people Program duration: 10′. There will be a total of 18 programs.

Winter Olympics – “Sleigh race” by Yannis Gregoriades A winter sport in the middle of summer. Ice, the basic part of the players’ kit, helps a peculiar sleigh to slide along. The groups compete by each pushing its own along a 50 meter course. The event will take place in the area of the Esplanade. For adults and children over 12. Number of participants per program: 14 persons Program duration: 10′-15′. There will be a total of 12-18 programs.

“Water Feats”, three feats in water by Theodoros Zafiropoulos

The event will take place in the area of the Esplanade. For adults and children over 8.

First Feat: “May I have a glass of water?” Each team of players must carry water for a distance of 60 meters in their container that is full of holes, to fill the glass balancing on the head of one of the players. Each time the players change tasks. The team that will get the most water in a glass wins. Number of participants per run: 4-12 persons. Program duration: 10′. There will be a total of 18 programs.

Second Feat: “Water Basketball” A water version of basketball with water-balls and butterfly nets. Each team of players makes origami paper water-bombs. The goal is to throw the water-bombs as high as possible and catch them with the nets. The team that will throw them higher and catch most of them with the butterfly net wins. Number of participants per program: 4-18 persons Program duration: 10′. There will be a total of 1o programs.

Third Feat: “Water Tower” Each team of players fills an enormous exercise ball with water. The goal is to turn themselves into live jet ejectors and make the water coming out of the ball reach as far as they can. The winning team is the one that will “cause” the biggest jet. Number of participants per program: 6 persons Program duration: 10′. There will be a total of 18 programs.

At the end of the games, the “Dry Clean Award” will be given to whoever managed to stay completely dry and the “Soaking Wet Award” will be given to whoever is really dripping wet!

10:30 – 13:30 |MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN |Educational Programs Workshop “Weave my Story” “We all have a story worth telling”; following this principle, weaving artist and activist Eileen Botsford uses weaving as a collective activity to coax out into the open stories hidden in the memory of human communities. In the context of Metamorphosis, Botsford has designed a complete workshop in two stages. During the first stage, the artist will visit the Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals (KETHEA) and the Network of Migrant Women in Greece, “Melissa”, in order to talk with their members and create with them original artworks, which will illustrate personal narratives. Afterwards, these specific works will be the “prototypes” which visitors to SNFCC will use as blueprints for creating their own works under the guidance of Eileen Botsford. Putting weaving to such original use, Eileen Botsford gives participants a unique opportunity for self- expression, mobilizing in a discrete (and often moving) way personal memories and our need to narrate them.

For the whole family.

10:30 - 13:30 | LIGHTHOUSE |Educational Programs Center for Talented Youth Primary school and high school children are invited to workshops of original exploration and more, by the Center for Talented Youth. In collaboration with Anatolia College, the Center creates innovative programs providing gifted youth with an opportunity to show their talent and enthusiasm for the sciences.

10:30 – 11:50 | “Do you want to become a Scientist?”

How old is Tyrannosaurus Rex? Why does it rain? How did volcanoes come about? Children discover the inexhaustible world of science, attempting to answer a variety of scientific questions and running experiments with materials of daily use. The young scientists will have the opportunity to separate molecules of water in improvised electrolysis devices, and they will touch the mystery of creation by making a DNA molecule.

For children ages 8-9. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

10:30 – 11:50 | “Game theory” Will the wolf get to eat the lost sheep? Is Mark still interested in Sophia? Or, how to assume the opponent’s position and win the game using the probabilities. Everything can be answered with precision by an interesting application of mathematics where issues of everyday living are resolved through Probabilities. Kids are introduced to Game Theory, a modern branch of mathematics which transforms complex situations into mathematical games, and boosts their judgment and decision-making capacities.

For children ages 13-16. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

For children ages 10-12. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

12:10 – 13:30 | “Cryptology” Cryptology: the art of safe communication or how the first computer was made using a relay baton, a disc and a crossword puzzle. Who doesn’t want to know how to send a secret message that only its recipient can read? In the cryptology workshop, participants learn how to encode and decode messages through the study of cryptosystems, with the help of mathematics if needed!

For children ages 13-16. Number of participants per program: 30 children Program duration: 80’. There will be only 1 program.

11:00 |CANAL STEPS |Music Outdoors recording studio Street Studio City Found Sound Nation (FSN) is a collective of musicians and artists who capitalize on the unique power of music and sound, in order to help build strong, cohesive, healthy communities. In the context of this socially aware practice, FSN materializes the project Street Studio City (SSC). The concept and the operation of Street Studio City are simple: the basic features of a recording studio are transported into public space, offering the local community a space for musical creation which is open and accessible to all citizens: musicians and not. With a basic layout made up of a portable computer, microphones, midi controllers, speakers and various instruments, the musical producers of SSC invite passersby to collaborate with musicians in a jam session of creative improvisation. Afterwards, the songs, stories and musical ideas which the participants create are changed into a manifold, urban, sound environment. The improvised concerts of Street Studio City are recorded and at the end of each day, the recording is distributed to all the participants and to the audience. SSC is a model of jointly produced music that started out in 2011 at the music festival of Lucerne, Switzerland and has since traveled to five continents, winning audiences over in such festivals as Harare International Festival of the Arts, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Big Ears, Bay Chamber Festival and in New York alongside the New York Make Music festival. Street Studio City literally brings the music “to the streets”, and possesses the unique ability to tap into the “collective unconscious” of public space. It is unique in that it enriches those who come in contact with it (audience and participants) with the experience of a spontaneous moment.

19:00 | LIGHTHOUSE |Dance David Dorfman Dance (DDD) & Apostolia Papadamaki / Quasi Stellar

“To make everyone dance” is David Dorfman’s catch cry and manifesto, summing up his “dance diplomacy”. Dorfman believes in the therapeutic power of dance and views the body as a political and emotional force. “To society’s uniformity and puritanism, dancers must respond by stirring up perceptions and offering people the opportunity to also see other capacities for their body and their life”, says the choreographer. For Metamorphosis, David Dorfman and nine dancers of the David Dorfman Dance group collaborate with Apostolia Papadamaki and contemporary dance group Quasi Stellar, in an original performance.

Ever since its inception in 1987, the David Dorfman Dance has been realizing its founder’s vision of the art of dancing. They have performed widely in North and South America, in Europe and in the best known theaters of New York. Both David Dorfman and his group have earned eight New York Dance and Performance awards (Bessie).

19:00 – 21:00 | VISITORS CENTER TERRACE |Educational Programs Silkscreen Workshop The age-old technique of silkscreen printing, the first ever printing method, in use from the Mediterranean basin to far-off Japan and Indonesia, is transformed into a contemporary art form in the hands of an innovative experimenter in the field. Manolis Aggelakis, aka “tind”, takes the family tradition of printing a step further, showcasing the value of his art form and discovering its endless applications. In this workshop, he uses body paint as an alternative to printing ink, and invites the visitors to the Stavros Niarchos Park to join in receiving an artistic print on their skin! He believes in the beauty of typographical errors and espouses it, just as he does the merit of silkscreen printing, through collaborations titled “Error is higher than Art”.

19:30 | LABYRINTH | Music The Secret Trio Concert Three virtuosos of international caliber come together in the Secret Trio. The music of the Middle East, the rhythms of the Balkans, classical and rock music and jazz improvisation form their musical vocabulary and provide them with an inexhaustible expressive fund. The pluralism of their music does not only reflect their origins but also their vision about the world. Here, the complete absence of percussion, makes space for the primacy of the strings, which are transformed in the virtuoso hands of the Secret Trio. Tamer Pinarbaşı plays the kanun without a plectrum, which is a special technique. Well versed in the oriental musical language and western harmony, he showcases the instrument’s inexhaustible expressive potential with his rhythm, his chords and his improvisations. Clarinetist İsmail Lumanovski, with his musical origins in the Balkans and the M. East, and studies at the Julliard School of New York, easily spans the distance from East to West in his playing, even within the same musical piece. Together with Tamer, they participate in the New York Gypsy Allstars Band. Finally, Ara Dinkjian, top virtuoso in ud and composer of the successful organic compositions of the Night Ark group (world music), was initiated in the music of the East by his father, the singer Onnik Dinkjian, and proceeded with studies in western music. He is grateful to his art form because it enables the expression of experiences and emotions.

20:30 |GREAT LAWN |Music Amir ElSaffar & Two Rivers Ensemble Concert The multitalented trumpet player and composer Αmir ElSaffar draws inspiration from the musical traditions of his American-Iraqi origins, putting together an especially spirited, but also meditative, blend of jazz with Arabic influences. A connoisseur of eastern music, ElSaffar is accompanied by the Two Rivers Ensemble quintet. Except this group is not just a jazz combo, but a partnership of exceptional soloists: Nasheet Waits is one of the most dynamic drummers on the jazz scene. Bass player Carlo DeRosa received excellent reviews for his CD “Brain Dance” (2011). Bouzouq soloist Tareq Abboushi, has established his own form of jazz and Arabic fusion, while the multi- instrumenatist virtuoso Zafer Tawil rates amongst New York’s most sought after session musicians. Finally, the tenor saxophone of Ole Mathisen has been described as technically dazzling. The music of Amir ElSaffar and Two Rivers Ensemble is

22 simultaneously feisty and beguiling. The emotions it conveys have been hailed as singular and deep. As has been written of their concerts, “the feeling of their music is in the roots, not in the leaves”.

21:30 | GREAT LAWN | Music Apollo Retsos Concert “A girl with colored needles stuck in her heart, who was always followed by a curse. When someone got close to her, the needles went deeper and deeper”. This is one of the stories of famous American director Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman Forever… et al.) which inspired Apollo Retsos to put to music a total of sixteen of Burton’s poems from his book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and other stories. Orchestrating the strange stories for a five-member band (two electric guitars, piano, bass, drums), a children’s choir, a string ensemble and a narrator, Retsos creates a musical universe where innocence, terror and the macabre “Bartonian” humor coexist. In collaboration with the music club of Arsakeia-Tositseia Schools and their alumni choir GraduArti. Choir teaching and direction by ChristinaVarsami-Koukni.

Apollo Retsos was born in 1990 in Athens. As a student, he participated in the Schoolwave festival with his group Musica Ficta. Since 2010, he has been writing musical scores for the theatre. He has written music for the performances Wonderland at Pallas theatre, Titus Andronicus at the National Theatre as well as for childrens’ shows at Acropol theatre and at Badminton theatre. In 2015 he completed the song cycle on poems by American director Tim Burton from the book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and other stories.

22:30 |GREAT LAWN| Music Eleftheria Arvanitaki Concert: Second Life In the concert titled Second Life, Eleftheria Arvanitaki presents her special relationship with poetry. With choices from across her repertory, she treats her audience to the lyricism of Greek poetry set to music. Since the start of her career, she has interpreted in a unique manner poetry by Sappho, Maria Polydouri, Kostas Karyotakis, Napoleon Lapathiotis, Yannis Ioannou, Odysseas Elytis, Dionysis Kapsalis, Michalis Ganas, as well as couplets from our demotic tradition, in collaboration with great composers such as Nikos Mamangakis, Nikos Xydakis, Manolis Pappos, Dimitris Papadimitriou, Ara Dinkjian, Christos Nikolopoulos. Eleftheria Arvanitaki brings Greek poetry to life in the process of conveying it to a wide audience through her concerts in Greece and abroad. Her keen sensitivity and expressive potency impart a second, new life to every verse that she interprets. The concept and curation of the program belong to Eleftheria Arvanitaki and Leda Roumani, while the musical arrangements are by Alexandros Drakos Ktistakis. By her side are the following musicians: Yorgos Georgiades (bass), Alexandros Drakos Ktistakis (drums), Yannis Kyrimkyrides (piano), Nikos Mermiggas (lavta, bouzouki, lute, mandolin), Dimitris Tsakas (saxophone).

All days

AGORA LOBBY| Arts Greek Light and Colour in Panayiotis Tetsis' Painting Dedicated to the recently departed artist Panayiotis Tetsis, a unique exhibition will be mounted during Metamorphosis: The SNFCC to the World at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC). On view will be 35 works, most of them monumental in scale, mainly coming from the artist’s generous donation to the National Gallery, the museum tasked with organizing this exhibition.

An outstanding work on show is the imposing triptych of the Street Market, a 13m-long frieze. The exhibition paintings document the turning points in the artist’s long career and emblematically illustrate his stylistic progression. Committed to the painting of the gaze, Tetsis is one of the last landscapists, capturing an image of Greece where the light is translated into pure energy of colour. The late artist’s paintings also celebrate humble, everyday ‘miracles’, as he called them, seeking ‘the revelation within the insignificant’. His paintings, bursting with élan vital and contagious inspiration, convey a powerful message of optimism, so acutely needed in the current historical context.

Curated by: Marina Lambraki-Plaka, Director, National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum Efi Agathonikou, Director of Collections, EPMAS

The exhibition is open to the public throughout the events.

00:00 – 04:00 | Various locations around the SNFCC | Arts Fireflies in the Night Take Wings | Post midnight video art screenings Following last summer’s Fireflies in the Night—a three-night non-stop dusk-to-dawn video survey of some of the best art of its kind produced internationally that was projected on screens located on the Great Lawn of the Stavros Niarchos Park—this year’s installment, titled Fireflies in the Night Take Wing will consist of ten separate looped video programs screened at ten sites scattered throughout the SNFCC buildings and grounds. In addition the program will include two immersive works by Shirin Neshat that will fill the “Book Castle” at the pinnacle of the National Library. Each of these hour-long loops will be composed of different works by a wide array of international artists – including Greek artists active in the cosmopolitan context of contemporary art. In the spirit of French modernist poet and critic Charles Baudelaire’s concept of the urban wanderer – “le flaneur” who discovers the marvels of the city according to chance and whim – this dispersed and varied program may be discovered in whatever sequence suits the viewer’s fancy. Moreover, these far flung screenings will in effect map the key areas of the SNFCC and will be presented to the general public after each evening’s schedule of stage events. People will be encouraged to come-as- they-are, make themselves comfortable and follow their curiosity.

It is our firm belief, that whether seen only in parts or in its entirety, the video program being made available to the diverse audience for which it is intended will be of genuine interest to any and all comers. Moreover, we sincerely hope that under the circumstances, it will also be the predicate for free discussion among those who give it their attention and that in combination with the other events of this inaugural week, these videos – fireflies— will foster an understanding that the new National Opera and Library complex and the Stavros Niarchos Park around it truly belong to the Greek people and to the world and are dedicated to uncompromised artistic expression in a cosmopolitan culture.

Curators: Barbara London, Kalliopi Minioudaki, Francesca Pietropaolo with Robert Storr, Artistic Director.

AGORA LOBBY Spyros Louis Cup On April 18, 2012 the Stavros Niarchos Foundation announced that it acquired Bréal’s Silver Cup, the first Marathon Winner’s Cup presented to Spyros Louis at the inaugural Modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, in an auction held at Christie’s, where it was being offered for sale for the first time by the runner’s grandson. The Foundation’s decision to participate in the auction was motivated by the Cup’s historical significance both as an Olympic and a national artifact. The Foundation announced immediately its commitment to make the Cup available to the public and to share it with everyone by displaying it permanently at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, upon its completion. In the interim, more than 3,500,000 visitors have had the opportunity of viewing the Cup during its exhibit at the Acropolis Museum in Athens (September 2012 – August 2014 and April 2015 – January 2016). The Cup was also hosted for 6 months at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne (September 2014 – March 2015), during a period that coincided with the International Marathon of Lausanne, which attracted approximately 3,000 runners from around the world, enabling both athletes and visitors to see this historic Olympic artifact from up close.