Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center September 2016 _ Events
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) aspires to become a high standard, urban, multifunctional complex for education, arts and entertainment. Designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), the project consists of the construction and complete outfitting of the new facilities of the National Library of Greece (NLG) and the Greek National Opera (GNO), as well as the creation of the 210,000 m2 Stavros Niarchos Park. The SNFCC’s development is entirely funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in an exclusive grant of 617 million euros. The project will be handed over to the Greek State which will assume its full operation and management. The SNF wishes to keep the SNFCC in constant dialogue with the public until its official delivery to the State, making the SNFCC fully accessible to the public and giving visitors the opportunity to re-discover and enjoy the project. Therefore starting in August and until the delivery to the Greek State, the SNFCC intensifies its programming, offering a program of free events which will include among others athletic events, activities for children and families, movie screenings, musical concerts and many more. Visitors will also be able to participate in guided tours of the NLG and GNO facilities.
All events are funded exclusively by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.
FREE ADMISSION TO ALL EVENTS Stavros Niarchos Park Monday – Sunday: 06:00 - 00:00 Visitors Center Monday – Sunday: 09.00 - 22.00 Evripidou & Doiranis Str., 176 74, Kallithea Information: by phone at +30 216 8091001/2/3 or by email at [email protected]
Information on the SNFCC Membership Program +30216 8091010 or by email at [email protected]
The SNFCC offers a free WiFi service.
Shuttle Bus For the facilitation of access to and from the SNFCC during the days of scheduled events, you can use the free shuttle bus service that connects Syggrou - Fix metro station (starting point from Kallirois Avenue) with Evripidou street (beginning of the Esplanade) and vice versa. This service relates to all events, expect the Guided Tours. The bus routes take place 30 minutes prior to the commencement and 30 minutes after the end of each event.
Parking Τhe parking facilities, of a capacity of 1.000 car spaces, which follow the SNFCC’s opening hours, will operate without charge at this stage. Later on, parking facilities will be available upon payment.
The SNFCC premises, including the parking area, are accessible to wheelchair users and people with kinetic disabilities.
Guided Tours Visitors are guided through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW). Guided tours take place inside the state-of-the-art building complex set to house the new headquarters for the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera as well as the interior and exterior public space surrounding the buildings. Tours begin at the Agora. Tour duration: 90΄ Number of participants per tour: 25
The tour includes long distance walking within the SNFCC premises, as well as the use of elevators and stairs.
Monday - Sunday: 10.00–11.30* 11.00-12.30 12.00-13.30 16.00-17.30 16.30-18.00 18.00-19.30 18.30-20.00 The tour starting at 10.00 will be held in English. Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Spyros Louis' Breal Cup On April 18, 2012 the Stavros Niarchos Foundation announced that it acquired Breal'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.
Exhibition Yannis Moralis – Christos Kapralos Friendship in Life and Art LIGHTHOUSE September 21-December 18 Yannis Moralis and Christos Kapralos first met and became friends at the Athens School of Fine Arts. They met again in Paris, where they eagerly explored modernist movements while remaining true to their classical values. In 1939, they returned to Greece, where they continued to pursue their dialogue with classicism throughout the German occupation. In the 1950s, each of the two artists developed his own personal version of modernism: Moralis his funerary paintings and Kapralos his bronze sculptures, produced by adopting the lost-wax casting process. These sculptures would bring him international recognition at the Venice Biennale in 1962. A selection of 18 bronze sculptures by Kapralos will go on display, alongside a small retrospective exhibition by Moralis. A total of 50 masterpieces by Yannis Moralis from his substantial donation to the National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum and from private collections trace the artist’s evolution from his early career to the classical abstraction of his last works. The two artists – eventually neighbours on the island of Aegina – never ceased to pursue a contemporary dialogue with Greek antiquity.
Children Activities
Play and Learn (Folk Games - Music and Kinetics education) 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. Design - Implementation: Regeneration & Progress
Tuesday, September 6, 13, 20 & 27 GREAT LAWN 17.00-18.30 (for children aged 5-8) 18.30-20.00 (for children aged 9-12) Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Psychomotor Education Program for Children Through the Psychomotor Education Program, children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of psychomotor games, structured around the skills of their particular age group. The aim of the program is the recreational and creative involvement of children in a specially configured environment, promoting the idea of exercise as a daily lifestyle. Physical education teachers, experienced in mobility, pedagogical and learning issues, guide children during this activity, which is open to all and equally aims to embrace children with particular mobility and learning difficulties. Design - Implementation: Regeneration & Progress
Thursday, September 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 RUNNING TRACK 17:00 - 18:30 (for children aged 5-8) 18:30 - 20:00 (for children aged 9-12)
Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Sailing the Canal Following the inspiration of the architect Renzo Piano, that incorporates the SNFCC's canal, as continuity of the sea, as well as his vision about the solar canopy as a sailing boat with its mast, the Kalamaki Yachting Club presents a series of interactive events including different types of sailing-boats both in the canal and along the water side, with innovative educational activities for children. Design-Implementation: Kalamaki Yachting Club
Saturday and Sunday CANAL 09.00-10.00 (for children aged 6-9) 10.00-11.00 (for children aged 9-12) 11.00-12.00 (for teenagers over 17 and adults) 12.00-13.00 (for children aged 12-17) *On Saturday, September 17th the open event will not take place. Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Magical Garden Join us at an open origami workshop for children!Small birds, frogs, insects, flowers and other little creatures will be formed by colored origami papers, and we will watch them ‘come alive’ in their natural habitat, at the Stavros Niarchos Park. Design-Implementation: Marietta Kallona, papermaker
Saturday September 3, 16.00-21.00 / VISITORS CENTER (for children aged 4-12) Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Hovering & chirping over the SNFCC's sky: A first encounter with clay Let's look at the sky above the SNFCC! Birds hover before their autumn journey, butterflies and bees fly at the Stavros Niarchos Park. A kinesthetic sculpture workshop with clay for pre-school and early elementary children . With simple techniques, children mold, jam, engrave, imprint and dig in a creative play with materials, which empowers their tactile abilities and imagination. Design – Implementation: Georgia Hadjivasiliadi, artist – educator
Saturday September 10, 17.30-19.00 / VISITORS CENTER (for children aged 4-6) Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Introduction to Traditional Greek Dance Dance workshop for children Dancing and play will introduce children to Greek Traditional Dance, through the strengthening of collaboration and team work. The educational goals include activity within a team, collective memory, role playing, observation and expression, observation and creation. Self-expression and team activity will be enhanced through this creative play. Design-Implementation: “Dora Stratou” Dance Theater
Sunday September 11, 18.30-19.30 / VISITORS CENTER (for children aged 6-12) Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Krav Maga for children ((for children aged 7-13) Children self-defense makes, in short time, kids capable to learn self-defense techniques carefully adapted in order to be compatible with the age, as well as their physical and mental skills. Throughout the practice of Krav Maga, children improve their self-esteem, build self- confidence, respect and discipline. The Krav Maga methods of the Ιnternational Κrav Μaga Federation (IKMF), especially at younger ages, are taught through educational games, which help them to develop the coordination of their body. Design-Implementation: Ιnternational Κrav Μaga Federation (Urban Defence)
Saturday, September 17, 18.00-19.00/LABYRINTH Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Green Adventures: Exploring the Stavros Niarchos Park Exploring the Stavros Niarchos Park What kind of wild life is hidden in an urban park? With which animals do we share a park? Hidden treasures are awaiting to be discovered, scents to be smelled and colors to be drawn. Exploration games for the entire family at the Stavros Niarchos Park! Participants may also download the free WWF GreenSpaces app, in order to enjoy and record green spaces wherever they are. Design-Implementation: WWF Hellas
Sunday September 18, 18.30 -19.45 / Starting point: VISITORS CENTER Implementation: Stavros Niarchos Park (for children aged 7+ and the whole family) Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
*Participants are advised to wear comfortable shoes and clothes. They may also bring along: back-pack, magnifying glass, binoculars, flask, compass. Design-Implementation: WWF Hellas
All you need is…!Journey to Pepperland Theatrical and artistic workshpThe yellow submarine starts its engines into the sea and children begin their imaginary journey accompanied by songs from the Beatles. Based on the animation “The Yellow Submarine” and by interweaving theatrical play and artistic creativity, this journey initiates children to the musical sphere of this legendary band and the music video's psychedelic pop aesthetic. Design-Implementation: Mina Katheri, actress – theatrologist
Sunday September 25, 18.00-19.30 / VISITORS CENTER (for children aged 5-10) Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Sports & Wellness
Yoga in the Park Based on the basic principles of yoga, we shall dwell deeper into how energy is related to the balance between body, mind and emotions, with gentle practices involving breathing, yoga positions and relaxation. We will attempt to make a journey inwards and understand ourselves better. We will find the time to reflect on who we are, an action that is often neglected through our daily lives. We will learn our limits, expand our horizons and relax deeply. The workshops are addressed to adults without any severe medical conditions, willing to explore new paths, which lead to personal freedom and advancement. Participants are advised to wear comfortable clothes, bring along their own yoga mat, as well as a wrap-around to cover their bodies during relaxation.
Monday September 5, 12, 19 & 26 GREAT LAWN 19.00-20.30 Tuesday September 6, 13, 20 & 27 and Thursday September 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 GREAT LAWN 08.00-09.30 Friday September 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 LABYRINTH 19.00 – 20.30
Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Aerobic Training Program The Aerobic Training Program is addressed to all adults who wish to improve their cardio- respiratory endurance, and for those who wish to prepare themselves for long distance running events. The program is led by a professional physical education instructor, with racing experience, and is based on scientific training, taking into account the physiological parameters of athletes in order to improve cardio-respiratory endurance.
Design - Implementation: Regeneration & Progress
Friday, September 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 RUNNING TRACK 19:00 - 20:00 & 20:00 - 21:00 Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Μat Pilates A creative way of working out, inspired by Joseph Pilates, which helps us maintain correct body posture and improve our flexibility, strength, elasticity and balance. The total of 500 exercises, are suitable for men and women of all ages, both beginners and advanced students. They are performed on mattresses, and in cases with special exercise equipment (rings, elastic bands, balls). The Pilates method emphasizes the strengthening of the ‘center’ of the body and focuses on abs, dorsal and back muscles. In addition to physical training, the Pilates method also helps improve our psycho-emotional state,reduce fatigue symptoms and eliminate stress, all symptoms resulting from our modern way of life. Each session will last one hour and will be addressed to adults with low levels of physical condition, who seek to improve their bodies' functionality by means of an integrated athletic activity.
Design - Implementation: Regeneration & Progress
Wednesday, Septemeber 7, 14, 21 & 28 GREAT LAWN 19:00 - 20:00 & 20:00 – 21:00
Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Adult wellness, exercise and health improvement consultant Physical education instructors with training experience will be present daily at the outdoor gym, from 06:30 to 09:30, and from 18:30 to 21:30. During this time the athletes may obtain advice and learn about best practices, as well as join a fitness evaluation program. Then, with the help of the consultant, participants will receive a personalized training program, which will include strength training and aerobic, flexibility and recovery exercises. The program is addressed to all adults who seek to improve their health and well-being through exercise.
Design - Implementation: Regeneration & Progress
Monday – Friday RUNNING TRACK 06:30 - 09:30 & 18:30 - 21:30 Access to the Running Track is available on a daily basis 06:00 - 00:00
Women Running Race The first race exclusively for women at the Stavros Niarchos Park. The starting point will be the SNFCC's Running Track, from where a route into the Park will commence. The activity will include a 5k running race and a 2k walk race. Design-Implementation: Regeneration & Progress
Saturday, September 10, 18:00/ RUNNING TRACK Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
2k Backwards Run A 2k running race backwards, on a flat route around the Stavros Niarchos Park. The backwards run allows participants to avoid usual injuries, to have faster injury recovery, to burn more calories, to improve their balance, while it also adds variety at their training. Did you know that the fastest athlete at backward run has completed the 5 kilometers race within 19:31 minutes? Design-Implementation: Regeneration & Progress
Saturday, September 17, 18:00/ RUNNING TRACK/ The race is suitable for all ages Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org (up to 300 participants)
Krav Maga Krav Maga is a system of practical exercises that teaches how various types of attacks can be avoided, confronted and overcome. It qualifies the trainees for self-defense, self-protection, fight and confrontation skills, as well as the ability to defend others, in a unique and comprehensible training manner. Design-Implementation: Ιnternational Κrav Μaga Federation (Urban Defence)
Sunday September 18, 18.00-19.30 / LABYRINTH Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Activities for Adults Introduction to Traditional Greek Dance Saturday September 10, 18.30-20.00/ LABYRINTH During this introductory course about Traditional Greek Dance, the most popular types of dance from all areas of Greece will be taught, of course at their most original form. The spirit of the coaching is that dance is not just about movement. Alongside with the dancing moves, various information about the area, the occasion, the music, the costume and many other elements related to each kind of dance will be discovered. Design-Implementation: “Dora Stratou” Dance Theatre Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Sailing the Canal Following the inspiration of the architect Renzo Piano, that incorporates the SNFCC's canal, as a continuity of the sea, as well as his vision about the solar canopy as a sailing boat with its mast, the Kalamaki Yachting Club presents a series of interactive events including different types of sailing-boats, both in the canal and along the water side, with innovative educational activities for teenagers and adults. Design-Implementation: Kalamaki Yachting Club
Saturday and Sunday / CANAL 11.00-12.00 for (for teenagers aged 17 and adults) *On Saturday, September 17th the open event will not take place. Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Discovering the SNFCC through the art of ceramics Drawing inspiration from the architecture of the SNFCC, participants of the ceramics workshop will discover and create their own clay figures. A different experience of the SNFCC architecture through an adventure of volumes and organic forms.
Design-Implementation: Pavlos Nikolakopoulos, artist Sunday September 11, 17.00-20.00 / VISITORS CENTER Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Urban Cycling 101 As an urban cyclist for more than 15 years and founder of the 48x17 cycles, Agis Kolivas has much to say about the streets of Athens, specifically about how cycling in this city is not an urban myth, but can -and should- become a daily habit. This informal ‘introduction’ to urban cycling will focus on diverse issues (what is the safest way to begin cycling systematically, how to lock your bike correctly, how to react in case of an accident, beautiful routes in town, how to connect effectively different areas of Athens by the bicycle ), will highlight useful and practical tips and will take us through the wonderful cycling terrain of Athens. Design-Implementation: Agis Kolivas
Tuesday September 27, 17.30-19.30, VISITORS CENTER Pre-registration is required at www.SNFCC.org
Music Esacapades Music for Dreamers at the SNFCC Musical journeys through dreamy soundscapes and exotic fields, starting at the SNFCC’s Visitors Center. Electronic influences and minimal aesthetics, multicolored sounds, vocal improvisations, digital loops, Theremins, guitars, keyboards and synthesizers.
Moa Bones Thursday, September 1, 21.00/VISITORS CENTER Moa Bones (aka Dimitris Aronis) is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. While being active in the local music scene as a singer and guitarist of Modrec, in 2006 he began writing and releasing his own music under the name Palindrom in collaboration with artist Evangelia Xinopoulou (Miss Trichromi). After a 5-year period of many concerts, scattered recordings and the release of the EP “By My Side”, Moa Bones released his debut album “Aquarelles” οn the Greek label Restless Wind. In May of 2015 he released his new album titled “Spun”, by Inner Ear Records.
Cayetano Thursday, September 8 21.00/VISITORS CENTER A multi-instrumentalist, with particular emphasis on music composition, Giorgos Bratanis begins his discography in 1996 with his then band Stroggylo Kitrino (The Round Yellow). In 2000, he introduces himself to the audience once again as Cayetano. He released 2 albums exclusively on vinyl, which are extremely hard to find today, but it was his release of the album “Focused” in 2006 which made him well known to the public, following the excellent reviews and extensive airplay by BBC. Since then, he has released more personal albums, “The Big Fall” (2009), “Back Home” (2010), “Once Sometime” (2012), “The Right Time” (2015), he has collaborated with many artists, has won numerous awards and nominations and has been responsible for countless remixes on behalf of Greek and international artists. A passionate traveler—in the narrow sense of the word—he organized the Cayetano Solo Project after months of preparation and as an implementation of the idea which occupied him during his seven-month stay in China, where he returned a short time ago.
Irene Skylakaki Thursday, September 15 21.00/VISITORS CENTER Irene Skylakaki was born in Athens, Greece, in 1990. At the age of thirteen, Irene was given her first guitar and began writing and composing her own music. She released her first English- speaking album “Wrong Direction” in September 2012, produced by Euripides Zemenidis. Her first single “In the Light” was Cosmote Jumping Fish’s official choice for autumn 2012. In the summer of 2013, she appeared at the “En Lefko” Festival, Rockwave Festival and at the Garden of the Athens Concert Hall. She presented her second work, the album “Before Dawn” in September 2014. The album was selected by Athens Voice as the album of the year. In September 2015, Irene returned to London to chase her dream outside the narrow borders of Greece and to record her third album. There, she met Danton Supple, who among others produced Coldplay’s “X&Y”, who undertook the production of her third album.
King Elephant Thursday, September 22 21.00/VISITORS CENTER Apart from being the drummer of one of the most fascinating bands in Athens today (Baby Guru), the versatile King Elephant has his own musical aspirations and activities which could not be any more different than his band’s musical style and idiom. On his first, self-titled album, released by Inner Ear, he gifted us a fresh and exotic musical cocktail, always structured around percussions, combined with a creative use of samples. Within his musical kaleidoscope, King Elephant manages to fit—among others—jazz improvisations, African influences, psychedelia, bittersweet vocals and retro melodies. Recently, through Bandcamp, he released his latest work, available for free download. It is a mini-album of songs for imaginary ads (Music for Advertisements), which he will present for the first time in the upcoming live concert, enriching it with samples from the naturally flowing and improvised version of his inexhaustible creativity.
Parklife Series of music concerts at the Stavros Niarchos Park The SNFCC presents the series of music concerts Parklife. A multitude of styles and artists meet at the Park, as it turns itself into a music locus inviting the public to feel the music and dream along, the Park lends itself for two special weekends to musical melodies hosting artists and music ensembles, aspiring to provide a unique experience of inspiration, nature and creativity.
Parklife: Τhe Traditional Set September 10th & September 11th The Stavros Niarchos Park welcomes Greece’s musical tradition, travels across all corners of the country and sets up an island festival in the heart of the city. first time to the audience of the SNFCC.
Saturday September 10th GREAT LAWN 21.30 Psarantonis Psarantonis has contributed greatly in spreading the music of Crete to the ends of the world, composed by his magical hands and his lyre. In each of his concerts, he promises a genuine Cretan “glenti” (feast) with his voice rising from the depths of Psiloritis Mountain and his lyre resembling the mountain wind; a feast borne of the musical “vein” of the village of Anogia, with roots stemming from the authenticity of his lyre and singing. On every occasion, Psarantonis creates his own personal journey in tradition, widely opening the doors of entertainment to members of the audience who are lucky enough to attend one of his concerts. Psarantonis’ music carries the weight of Crete’s ancient mythology. Whether he sings about Zeus, the construction of the first lyre, or expresses himself through his instrument about the earth, about love and pain, Psarantonis reaffirms, through his stature and through his art, the ancient myths of Crete. He believes them, he lives them and he, legitimately, represents them. He draws energy from them, while his voice and his playing give them substance and form.
20.00 Katerina Papadopoulou & the Anastatica Project with Socrates Sinopoulos Katerina Papadopoulou and the Anastatica Project present their new work, with music and songs composing the future and the past of the Greek and Mediterranean soundscape, with an imaginative and creative approach. This type of Greek music is old, authentic, and sometimes includes traditional elements from neighboring countries. The sound is fresh, special, old but new at the same time, and is performed by skillful musicians with mature knowledge of the subject, who get together to create a new approach, motivated by their shared love of the genre. Dancing, as an integral element, is interjected creatively within this primordial coexistence. Socrates Sinopoulos on the lyre joins them as well. With studies in classical guitar, Byzantine music and Greek Folk Songs, Sinopoulos began lessons in lyre and laouto with Ross Daly, and became a member of his band “Labyrinth”. He has collaborated with musicians, composers and singers from Greece and abroad.
Sunday September 11th GREAT LAWN 21.30 Petros (Petro-Loukas) Chalkias Petros (Petro-Loukas) Chalkias is one of the living legends of Greek traditional music. He enchants audiences with his clarinet, and his music takes us on a journey back home, drowning along the way our sorrows. He is a musician and member of a family that is renowned for its contribution to Greek traditional music. He began playing the clarinet at age 11, despite his father’s resistance (he didn’t want him to become a clarinetist), who was also a musician. He became an apprentice next to Filippas Rountas, making his first public appearance at that age. In 1960, he migrated to the USA, where he remained for several years, promoting and spreading the traditional music of Greece. In 1979, he returned to Greece and settled in Athens. He has performed concerts all over Greece and abroad, and has participated in recordings with a variety of artists, such as Haris Alexiou, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Filippos Pliatsikas, Eleonora Zouganeli, Ross Daly, and many others.
20.00 Thrakomelo The Greek traditional music group “Thrakomelo” consists of Stelios Matakakis (bagpipes), Thanos Karakatsianis (accordion), Alexandros Papoutsis (Thracian lyre) and Elias Miskas (ntaouli). The group was created out of their shared love for the traditional music of Thrace, with the goal of bringing its tunes, songs and melodies to the wider public. The name of the band is a combination of the words Thrace and “melos” (melody), essentially meaning “the music of the Thracians”. They have collaborated with many local associations in Greece and Cyprus and has appeared dozens of times in international events and festivals abroad. The band also participates in traditional feasts and festivals, since its members believe that, as a platform, the traditional Greek “glenti” provides the most direct connection-expression among the people who participate in them.
Parklife: The Classical Set Classical melodies resonate in the Park, with one of the most modern opera halls in Europe acting as a background. The Greek National Opera welcomes visitors at its future home hosting an outdoor concert, presenting famous operas, and the young friends of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall Youth Symphony Orchestra, alongside internationally renowned pianist Emmanuel Lazaridis, introduce themselves for the first time to the audience of the SNFCC.
Saturday September 24th GREAT LAWN 20.30 MOYSA meets George Emmanuel Lazaridis Merely 18 months since its inception, the Megaro Youth Symphony Orchestra (MOYSA) has already performed more than 20 concerts and has collaborated with international young musicians and personalities from Greece and abroad. Today, on stage, the Orchestra meets the internationally renowned pianist and artistic director of the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, George Emmanuel Lazaridis, who spearheaded the orchestra’s creation. In this special concert, under the direction of conductor, composer, cellist and main instructor of MOYSA, Thodoris Papadimitriou, the Orchestra will take the audience on a musical journey from Mozart to Piazzolla and the Beatles, highlighting the many different aspects of its interpretative capabilities through a colorful musical kaleidoscope. The concert is symbolic in nature, as it is the first appearance of MOYSA at the now completed SNFCC. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation has supported the creation and operation of the orchestra.
Sunday September 25th GREAT LAWN 20.30 Greek National Opera Concert A few months before the official operation of the Greek National Opera in its new headquarters at the SNFCC, the GNO’s musical ensembles open the 2016-2017 season with a musical feast open to all at the Stavros Niarchos Park. From the Waltz of the Flowers to the enchanted forest of the Magic Flute, from the blossomed cherry trees of Madama Butterfly to the swan of the Lohengrin river and the enormity of Nile in Aida, nature has been the integral source of inspiration for the great composers of opera, ballet and classical music. Under the Attica sky, at the Great Lawn, the Greek National Opera will present emblematic works of opera including among others Mozart’s Magic Flute and Requiem, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and La Bohème, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Aida and La Traviata, Wagner’s Lohengrin, Tchaikovsky’s and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. With the Orchestra, Choir and Children’s Choir of the Greek National Opera Solists: Eleni Voudouraki, Georgia Iliopoulou, Antonia Kalogirou, Vasiliki Karagianni, Tselia Kostea, Akis Lalousis, Petros Magoulas, Dimirtis Platanias, Yiannis Christopoulos and more Music Direction: Elias Voudouris
Park Your Cinema Series of movie screenings under the moonlight Thei SNFCC continues the successful series of weekly screenings of classical films. At the first Park.Your Cinema, the cinematic choices are based on vintage works, which have helped establish an entertainment tradition of reissues of classical films at Athenian outdoor movie theaters. From the '30s to the early '70s, the films, screened in a chronological order, apply to the mythology of global filmography; movies which have been loved over and over again, screened under the Athenian sky. The potential location of these screenings is flexible, since the SNFCC offers various alternatives for parking an outdoor movie theater!
Curated by Elias Fragoulis
Friday September 2, 21.00, GREAT LAWN The Italian job (1969) Director: Peter Collinson The spoils from a well-planned robbery in Turin, Italy, amount to the astronomical sum of four million dollars in gold, and a British underworld gang devises an outrageous way to escape the authorities by causing traffic chaos! This legendary English film also includes the infamous, action-packed MINI Cooper chase sequence, where the minis stop at nothing on their way to escape. Michael Caine—always the cool cat—is the leader of the pack, Benny Hill is in charge of comic relief and Quincy Jones scores the film’s soundtrack. The film is still enjoyed today by audiences who love a… fast pace. The screening will take place on the lawn. It is advised to bring along a beach mat, a blanket or another type of fabric to sit on.
Friday, September 9, 21.00, GREAT LAWN Harold and Maude (1971) Director: Hall Ashby Harold, the young offspring of an immensely wealthy family, is obsessed with death. His favorite pastime involves staging the most grotesque (but always fake) suicides. At a funeral, he meets 79-year-old Maude and they connect instantly! Based on a screenplay written by Colin Higgins and published as a novel in the same year, the film was a complete failure on its first distribution, with the public finding it difficult to identify with the pitch-black humor and eccentricity of the protagonists’ relationship. Today, the American Film Institute classifies it as one of the top 50 American comedies of all time! Priority vouchers to be given 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each screening at the SNFCC Visitors Center.
Friday, September 16 21.00 GREAT LAWN Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) Director: Blake Edwards The story of Holly Golightly and Paul… ‘baby’. They are looking for the dream in New York. They find the one thing they never dared to imagine. Based on the classic novella by Truman Capote, the film features the iconic Audrey Hepburn (with a wardrobe designed by Givenchy), the cosmopolitan finesse of Blake Edwards, and Henry Mancini’s music, which won Oscars for Best Original Song and Best Original Score. The film also treats viewers with great moments of excitement, from the many touching instances of hearing the song ‘Moon River’, the sunrise in front of Tiffany’s, all the way to the tear-soaked finale, ending with the legendary, romantic line “So plenty”! This film changed our mornings forever after… The screening will take place on the lawn. It is advised to bring along a beach mat, a blanket or another type of fabric to sit on.
Park Your Cinema WEEKEND EDITION: Young Spielberg Saturday, September 3, 21.00 GREAT LAWN Duel (1971) Director: Steven Spielberg A salesman is driving his car alone, in the California desert. A mysterious tanker truck, driven by a practically invisible driver, approaches the salesman, overtakes him and slows down again, as if stalking him and, each time, the truck seems more and more menacing. Originally made for television, the movie was shot in only 13 days, and is Spielberg’s first ever full-length feature film. It is a thriller which caught everyone by surprise when they saw it on TV in the US, forcing Universal Studios to distribute it in cinemas both in the United States and abroad, with new scenes added by the director. This is where it all started… The screening will take place on the lawn. It is advised to bring along a beach mat, a blanket or another type of fabric to sit on.
Sunday, September 4, 21.00 GREAT LAWN The Sugarland express (1974) Director: Steven Spielberg A woman attempts to reunite her family, using slightly bizarre methods, as her husband is in jail and their young son will soon be placed in foster care. The plan is to help the husband escape and then kidnap the son. The fugitives also end up having to take a police officer hostage. Spielberg’s big-screen directorial debut is an action-drama-adventure which provided a significant boost for this particular genre of films, inspired by true events. The film won the award for Best Screenplay at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival. The screening will take place on the lawn. It is advised to bring along a beach mat, a blanket or another type of fabric to sit on.
Park Your Cinema WEEKEND EDITION: Let them call me crazy! Saturday, September 10, 21.00, AGORA Harvey (1950) Director: Henry Koster A 6-feet (2m) tall… rabbit, named Harvey, is the best friend of middle age bachelor, Elwood R. Dowd. Elwood’s relatives are not particularly concerned about this, as long as Elwood doesn’t ruin things in their social circle by introducing the ‘invisible’ Harvey to everyone around him. The plot takes us to a psychiatric institution, leading to a series of hilarious misunderstandings. The original Broadway play, written by Mary Coyle Chase is ingeniously adapted into film, in this amiable—and quite surreal for its time—comedy, with a great performance by James Stewart and an even more memorable performance by Josephine Hull (Academy Award – Best Supporting Actress), which balances extremely well between normality and kookiness. Priority vouchers to be given 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each screening at the SNFCC Visitors Center.
Sunday, September 11, 21.00 AGORA The jerk (1979) Director: Carl Ryner A homeless man tells the story of his… nonsensical life, from the time of his adoption by a family of poor African American sharecroppers, to the days of wealth and glory following the sales of one of his inventions. It was a huge commercial success and the first film featuring Steve Martin in a starring role. It also features epic sequences of surrealist and ‘dumb’ humor, matching the protagonist’s level of intelligence. Despite its rather inelegant and crude humor, the film is now regarded as one of the best ever American comedies. For reasons that remain unclear, Stanley Kubrick was an avid fan of the film! Priority vouchers to be given 30 minutes prior to the commencement of each screening at the SNFCC Visitors Center.
Park Your Cinema WEEKEND EDITION: Youngsters of ‘today’! Saturday, September 17, 21.00, GREAT LAWN American graffiti (1973) Director: George Lucas In the summer of 1962, a group of high school graduates and longtime friends spend a last night together at their small hometown, before they embark onto college life and adulthood. This landmark American coming-of-age film, which is also responsible for establishing the trend of compilation soundtracks, flooded with ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll hits, is George Lucas’ second directorial attempt (before shooting the original ‘Star Wars’) and is, until this day, one of the most profitable films in the history of the US box-office (costing 777,000 dollars and grossing 140,000,000!). It was nominated for 5 Oscars. The screening will take place on the lawn. It is advised to bring along a beach mat, a blanket or another type of fabric to sit on.
Sunday, September 18, 21.00, GREAT LAWN Quadrophenia (1979) Director: Frank Rodam London, 1965. Jimmy hates everything about adult life, its prospects and responsibilities. He is a Mod who loves to ride his scooter, hang out with his girl and get into brawls with Rockers. Inspired by the rock opera of the same name by The Who, but not in the form of a musical (like 1975’s ‘Tommy’), the film is a legendary example of cult British cinema and pop culture, with iconic references. The cast includes a young Ray Winstone, Timothy Spall and, of course, Sting! The screening will take place on the lawn. It is advised to bring along a beach mat, a blanket or another type of fabric to sit on.
* * *