THE CONCERT HALL A BUILDING OF MAGNIFICENCE

BY IRIS LILLYS

W hen the Acropolis of Athens was During the summer, Athens very of Music" and which became the center completed, it was considered a master­ proudly hosted these artists in the of music lovers. Naturally she was the piece of architecture and art. Twenty­ world's most famous antique theater, first President of this Society (which is five centuries later another monument the Herodion, built in the first century still very active to this day) and even put has been erected in that city. True to this of our era by the Athenian-born Roman together a group of musicologists to day and age, this new edifice is a master­ Counsul Herodus Atticus. The per­ improve the development of this art in piece of architecture and technology. formers always loved to display their . Unfortunately, war and occu­ It is known as the Athens Concert talent in such overwhelming surround­ pation put a stop to that constructive Hall, although to the Greeks it is ings, and only last summer Luciano work. referred to as the "Mansion of Music." Pavarotti expressed his enthusiasm for With the liberation of Greece from the theater. But came winter, the great the Nazis and the country returning to a This superb structure is the product performances had to be put to a stop. seeming normality, Alexandra's wings of an idea that astemmed fifty years ago The theater halls in Athens were inade­ spread open again. In between her con­ from the passion that a great singer had quate both in space and in acoustics. cert tours (she sang all over Europe and for music. She was Alexandra Trianti. Half a century ago, Alexandra Tri­ repeatedly in the United States) she was She presented the fact that her beloved anti had visualized a concert hall diffusing her idea of a concert hall. In city had no theater up to the standards equipped with the latest that technology 1956 she succeeded in having the loca­ of the renowned artists that were regu­ had to offer. She started by organizing a tion donated by the State. And some larly invited to perform. society which she named "The Friends location it was, as, shortly after the

DECEMBER,1991 13 American Embassy was built a block A few years later Lambros Eftaxias and outfitting. Even so we should men­ away. became incapacitated, and although tion the white doric facades ofDionysos The enterprising singer got in contact still alive to this day, he is incapable of marble which was fixed so that it does with prominent architects and sound admiring the work to which he so gener­ not touch the structure but is instead experts from abroad, mostly Germany ously contributed. suspended to it as also the special wood and England. Everything was ready for With the disappearance of both Alex­ panelling of the interior of the Concert her dream to come true. Everything andra and Eftaxias, the project seemed Hall which was transported piece by except the money needed for the realiza­ for a while to be at a standstill. That is, piece from Germany and was suspended tion of that dream... until Christos Lambrakis, who has been along the sides of the hall." Alexandra Trianti spoke to her old on the board of the "Friends of Music," friend, Lambros Eftaxias. He was a came actively into the picture. Further on we read that "The Main member of the parliament and an ex­ But before getting to this icredible Hall," also called "The Friends of Music under-secretary. Also he came from a man, it would be interesting to have a Hall" has a total capacity of about 2,000 very wealthy family which made him the look at the work he was instrumental in seats, from which 1,100 are stalls, of chairman of the "Decozi-Vouros Foun­ producing. From "The Athens Concert which 8 are seats for the disabled and dation" established by his family. He Hall Organization" bulletin, we quote, 851 balcony seats. gave his full support and construction "It would be difficult to catalogue There is also a second Hall seating started. Unfortunately, Alexandra Tri­ exhaustively all the superb technical 500 people which was named in memory anti passed away, but not before grant­ solutions which were applied for the of the famous . Six ing to the hall of music building the first time to such a project, or the rare more smaller rooms can be used for largest part of her substantial fortune. materials used in the Hall's construction chamber music, individual recitals or conferences. Because of the advanced technology employed by the expert designers, such as the movability of the roof of the stage and of the boxes, these Blue Dawn halls are suitable for hosting and pro­ viding the highest technical standards for many different functions: sym­ D iner-R estaurant phonic music, chamber music, opera, 1860 VETERANS HIGHWAY, CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. 11722 theater, ballet, even ancient drama. TEL. (516) 234-6001 ii (516) 348-9708 Besides, both the Halls can also func­ OAHrIEI:: Exit 57 (no oElm;po

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14 GREEK-AMERICAN REVIEW The main entrance of the Athens Concert Hall, photographed at night. two balconies in the stall and raising 2 its slabs joined together by medallions therios Venizelos. In his days, he owned proscenium towers from the stage floor. of bronze. These medallions, each two prominent daily newspapers, the This miracle of modern technology is representing a different scene of an Eleftheron Virna and the Athenaika achieved by use of the telescopic mecha­ ancient Greek musical theme, were nism. No doubt the mechanics are the made in the workshop of the one and only ones who know what that means ... only goldsmith and academician, Ilias GREEK JlIDEOS According to the German engineers Lalaounis. RECORDS - CASSETTES responsible for this achievement, such To sum it up, this unique concert hall work was never done previously. must be seen to be believed. Of course, GREEK COMPACT DISCS Finally, Greece came up with a "first" ... at this point, a natural question can be GIFTS - STEFANA raised - Who is running such an estab­ VAPTlSTlKA - MPOMONIERES Also unique is the backstage area. lishment? And naturally, we come to Besides an amount of storage room it Christo Lamnrakis. has a suite for the artists to entertain during intermission. The conductor has Although the board consists of 9 his private room with bath and all the members, each one prominent in his 7lthenian facilities. The soloists get six rooms, the field (plus two representatives of the orchestra and the choir 12 c1oackrooms government as the institution is par­ with a capacity for 200 people. To be tially subsidised by the State) Lambra­ found also are rehearsal rooms and kis is the soul and power behind it all. Gift Shop waiting area for the choir, cafeteria for He was since the day he took over, unof­ the convenience of the artists, laundry ficially at first but gradually taking the WHOLESALE - RETAIL and ironing room for the wardrobe, and matter in his own hands. And being of a hairdresser salon. Above all there is a the dynamic personality that he is, he LOW LOW PRICES foyer for the VIPs with bar and every delivered to the city of Athens a twen- . modern equipment. And not to be disre­ tieth century Acropolis. - - 323 WEST 42nd STREET garded, the utmost decorative touch: Christo is the son of Dimitri Lambra­ NEW YORK. N Y 10036 the floor, all the length of the enormous kis, a Cretan, journalist of great Tel. (212) 247-6244 foyer, paved with Pendelic Marble has reknown, and a fanatic follower of Elef-

DECEMBER, 1991 15 Nea. At his death, his only son, Christo, When Christo Lambraki got the con­ for financial reasons started getting inherited both his business and his cert hall on his lap, he made it his pet ahead. Finally, last spring the inaugura­ aggressiveness. He developed the busi­ project. His unrefrainable personality tion took place and Athens saw the long ness into the Lambraki Media Organi­ went all out. He first turned to his life­ expected happy day. zation (actually he is referred to as the long friend, , at that Hearst of Greece). He turned the Elef­ time Under-Secretary of Culture. Mel­ the ron Virna into a weekly politico­ Yet, a few more things are in the mak­ ina, very "in" with the government, ing. A huge underground garage will be cultural review under the simple name arranged for a substantial support for of Virna. The Nea also dropped its started (hopefully) this winter. Also a the cause of music. Private donations Museum of Music, a Music Library and first name but continues to be one ofthe also started coming in. It is said that the very top daily newspapers. The "Tahid­ last but not least, a Center of Musical first highly generous contribution came Research. romos" magazine became weekly and out of Christo's own pocket. Also, again the "Economikos Tahidromos," the it is said that his mother, the most glam­ Could anyone name any concert hall equivalent of the Wall Street Journal, orous great grandmother Elsa, matched of that caliber anywhere in the world? continues to be the top business review. it with pleasure. His two sisters also Or for that matter does anyone know A few more magazines plus active inter­ were dragged in as well as were all his the amount of zeros that went into the ests in travel, tourism and hotels are ·-fri·ends. So, from 1981 on, the work that construction? Plentiful, to be sure, but it part of the tremendous organization. for so many years had been suspended was worth it, every bit of it... EYTYXIIMENA XPIITOYTENNA

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16 GREEK-AMERICAN REVIEW