49 years ago the first Aisxylia were held. A festival that proved to be one of the longest and most consistent in our country. In the mid-70s, the city of Elefsina was a run-down working-class town, but the city chose to respond with culture and extroversion, with the dynamics given to the city by its ancient past, the monuments, the myths, the archaeological sites. The guide was the actions undertaken, as early as the 1950s, by the town’s cultural association with the aim of educating the inhabitants.

The initiative to organize the Aisxylia belongs to Mayor Michael Leventis who, on the occasion of Aeschylus’ birthday in 1974, when 2500 years after his birth were completed, took the initiative to organize the festival. His move found support from the political, business and artistic world but was especially loved by the people of Elefsina.

This year’s Aisxylia takes the torch from the proclamation of Elefsina as European Capital of Culture 2023, presenting a rich program that includes theatrical performances, film screenings, music events. The events will take place mainly at the emblematic Old Elefsina Oil Mill, with the beach of Elefsina as a backdrop, a place that is inextricably linked to the Aisxylia and has been loved by the art-loving public.

The August-September 2024 Events Schedule

FRIDAY 30 AUGUST

STAVROS LANTSIAS QUARTET- MY ENNIO MORRICONE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF ELEFSINA

Stavros Lantsias presents his long-awaited latest album entitled “My Ennio Morricone”. The acclaimed Cypriot pianist and composer Stavros Lantsias opens a window into the musical universe of his beloved composer Ennio Morricone and presents his unforgettable melodies that have “dressed” iconic films such as Cinema Paradiso, Once Upon a Time in the West and many others, through inventive arrangements and inspiring performances by charismatic soloists.

OLD ELEFSINA OIL MILL

SUNDAY 1 SEPTEMBER

“BACCHAE” -EURIPIDES

NATIONAL THEATRE GREECE

From Sunday 1 September the programme continues at the Old Elefsina Oil Mill, where the National Theatre of Greece presents Euripides’ “Bacchae”, directed by Thanos Papakonstantinou. The play is characterized by strict consistency of form but also by enormous inner strength, and at the same time reveals the poet’s interest in mysticism and ecstasy. The basic dramatic themes of the tragedy are the potentialities of the soul, human virtue, self-consciousness, prudence and delusion, the rational and the equine element, which are revealed through the opposition between man and God, the same opposition from which the tragic conflict of the drama arises.

The cast: Konstantinos Avarikiotis, Marianna Dimitriou, Alexia Kaltsiki,Themis Panou, Argyris Pandazaras, Yannis Koravos, Dionysis Pifeas, Fotis Streatigos

THURSDAY 5 SEPTEMBER

BANDA ENTOPICA

Banda Entopica, the traditional street band based in Thessaloniki, unites clarinet, trumpet, accordion and dulcimer in a complex of traditional and modern Balkan music.

FRIDAY 6 SEPTEMBER

USURUM & LAMDA

Two of the most representative bands of the new music scene with a sound that stands out join forces for a musical night “out of the future”!

SUNDAY 8 SEPTEMBER

WEALTH-ARISTOPHANES

ΝΤΝG

Aristophanes’ comedy “Wealth” will be presented by the National Theatre of Northern Greece, in translation, adaptation, and direction by Yannis Kakleas.

Manos Vakousis, who was recently awarded the Grand Theatre Prize “Karolos Kun”, plays the role of Chremylos. Alexandra Palaiologou, as Elpiniki, joins the company. The musical part of the performance is performed by Chatzifrageta, Nalyssa Green and the Last Guest. The Historian – Professor of the University of Athens, Maria Efthymiou appears in the Parabasis of the play.

MONDAY 9 SEPTEMBER

“THE CHILDREN OF ELEFSINA STILL PLAY MARBLE GAMES”

On Monday 9 September, the imaginative event “The children of Elefsina still play marble games” will have the floor, in order to promote the city’s creators. A musical concert featuring Elefsinian musicians from all genres of music, from classical, art, rock, traditional, folk, to rap and techno. With a parallel screening of short films directed and edited by Elefsinian filmmakers, as well as texts also curated by Elefsinian writers.

WEDNESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER

HERAKLES-EURIPIDES

A great cast with Pygmalion Damakaridis, George Gallos, Stefania Goulioti, Iro Bezou, Anna Kalaitzidou, Giannis Klinis, Ainias Tsamatis, Nikos Milias, Gal Robisa, Bambis Galiatsatos, Thanasis Raftopoulos, Antonis Antonopoulos, as well as the eminent musician Fotis Siotas in a prominent role on stage, immerses us in the existential agony of Euripides’ iconic tragedy, under the direction of Dimitris Karantzas.

THURSDAY 12 SEPTEMBER

«A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT DREAM» – SHAKESPEARE

The “Magic Spinners”, which this year celebrates 20 years of continuous presence in the theatre for children and “MELISMA Events”, present for children one of the most important theatrical works. Angeliki Lambri in the role of the Queen of the Elves Titania, after being saved by the magic potion at the 5 minute mark ! Stelios Petrakis in the role of Nick Bottom

FRIDAY 13 SEPTEMBER

“THE IMAGINARY INVALID”-MOLIERE

Molière’s explosive comedy “The Imaginary Invalid” is directed and adapted by Aimilios Chilakis and Manolis Dounias. The performance is the ninth co-direction of Aimilios Chilakis and Manolis Dounias after the highly successful productions “Medea”, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Othello”, “Antigone”, “Iphigenia”, “Tartuffe” and “Alone with Hamlet”.

THE CAST: Aimilios Chilakis, Athina Maximou, Myrto Alikaki, Thodoris Romanidis, Nikos Gelia, Vicky Diamantopoulou, Yorgos Zygouris, Dimitris Filippidis

SUNDAY 15 SEPTEMBER

“ΤΗΕ SUPPLIANTS”- AESCHYLUS 

The Karolos Koun Art Theatre in collaboration with the Theatre of tNeos Kosmos propose Aeschylus’ The Suppliants, 60 years after its first performance at Epidaurus. The Suppliants is a poetic and deeply political work.

In the male roles Lydia Koniordou (“Danaus”), Yannis Tsortekis (“Herald of Aegyptus”) and Akis Sakellariou (” Pelasgus”).

The great originality of the work lies in the fact that the central heroine is collective. The fifty Danaides represent for Aeschylus the entire female gender. Leading Danaides are Lena Papaligura and Loukia Michalopoulou.

The Danaides Chorus is completed by actors-graduates and students of the Art Theatre (speech), members of Marina Satti’s Chóres women’s choir (singing) and dancers of the group “And yet it moves” (dance-acrobatics).

MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER

CHAINIDES & SOCIAL WASTE

Opening Act: Christos Tsiounis

Concert, festival, artistic partnership, political stance.

Two communities, two collectives, two historical associations. Leadership schemes are power representations. The Chainides and Social Waste, operating in a direct-democracy manner, create contemporary song and not sterile imitations (or “modern” reinterpretations) against the emotional blackmail and the sloganeering of the times. Rhythms, timbres, sounds, instruments of the Mediterranean, the Balkans and not only, intertwine and swirl in a mysterious ecstatic event.

SUNDAY 22 SEPTEMBER

ELEONORA ZOUGANELI

Eleonora Zouganeli, one of the most important performers of the new generation, with an acoustic mood and a band that was created especially for this performance, the charismatic singer will wander this time on the streets of our folk song, starting with “Monopati” by Giorgos Mouzakis, giving new life to a variety of folk, light and archontorebetika and will reach the present day of our folk song, making some “stops” in Mediterranean folk songs. All this with a six-member group of musicians under the guidance of the excellent musician Thomas Konstantinos. An evening full of emotion and memories that bridge yesterday and today.

Film Screenings

SUMMER CINEMA ON THE BEACH OF ELEFSINA

23/9: “Behind the Haystacks”

Directed by Asimina Proedrou

24/9: “Murderess”

Directed by Eva Nathena

25/9: The International Short Film Festival of Drama travels to the Aisxylia.

26/9: “Polydroso”

Directed by Alexandros Voulgaris

The start of ticket pre-sales will be announced on the site aisxylia.gr