Christoph Eschenbach conducts the Athens State Orchestra
An undisputed titan at the keyboard and on the podium conducts a titan of the symphonic repertoire, Mahler's First Symphony, an emotionally fraught and rivetingly dramatic work. It is with justified pride that the Athens State Orchestra welcomes the celebrated Christoph Eschenbach, one of the leading maestros of our time to conduct the always fascinating pianist Vassilis Varvaresos in a cornerstone of the piano repertoire, Beethoven’s Fifth Concerto.
According to Maestro’s wish, that both the Orchestra and the soloist embraced, all participants will contribute to the concert pro bono in order to support the Association Together for Children and the unaccompanied children refugees.
Musical promenades at the Museums IV - Piano Trio
Close collaborators for several years now in the sphere of chamber music, Papanikolaou, Liakakis and Gouvelis focus on seminal 20th-century works for violin, cello and piano. After Nikos Skalkottas’ inventive variations, they will play Shostakovich’s renowned Second Piano Trio, which he wrote in memory of a beloved friend and important Soviet scholar, followed by the explosive Trio by the prolific (but largely unexplored) French composer, Olivier Greif.
Tribute to Jani Christou
Half a century on from the unexpected and untimely death of Jani Christou, an internationally celebrated and influential exponent of the post-war musical avant-garde, the Athens State Orchestra and the Megaron Athens Concert Hall honour his memory with a concert that includes important and beloved symphonic works of our great composer. The celebrated maestro Miltos Logiadis will conduct the outstanding mezzo-soprano, Irini Tsirakidis.
Mahler Cycle IX
Now something of a favourite with Athenian audiences, the veteran Slovenian conductor Uroš Lajovic will this year conduct the great Austrian Romantic symphonist's Third Symphony. The Third hymns nature in both its idyllic and wilder, more dionysian, forms. As in most of Mahler's symphonies, the detailed "magnifying glass" of the composer's conception achieves a singular balance between his intricate rhetorical devices and a profound lyricism which is both simple and unaffected.
New Year’s Gala 2019
Music-lovers' enthusiastic response to the opera galas we have staged in recent years to celebrate the coming New Year has made it an integral part of Athens’ festive season. Under the baton of the celebrated maestro Anastasios Symeonidis, distinguished opera singers demonstrate their talents in popular arias and duets from the world of Italian opera.
Christmas concert 2019
The Athens State Orchestra contributes to the festive spirit of the holiday season with a performance of one of JS Bach's most popular works, the Christmas Oratorio. The Oratorio is less focused on telling the story of the Nativity than it is on conveying the spirit of Christ's arrival in the world and spreading its eternal message of joy. An introspective work with moments of grandeur, the Oratorio proves that existential joy doesn’t need to shout to draw attention to itself... Under the baton of George Petrou, outstanding singers from Greece and abroad invite us to enjoy this Christmas with the requisite beauty and spirituality.
Musical promenades at the Museums III - America
Any talk of American music inevitably calls jazz to mind, thanks to the power of allusion. And this 'black music’ really did leave an indelible mark on the work of many American composers of serious —and other forms of— music. In the run-up to Christmas, the Athens State Orchestra's dynamic Woodwind Quintet performs acknowledged masterpieces of American music whose vivacity and brio are completely in tune with the festive season.
Leonidas Kavakos with the A.S.O – Offer of Music and Musical Offer 2019-2020 08-12-2019
Appearances by Leonidas Kavakos are now a global musical event. In Greece, especially when times are hard, pride comes with expectation. Leonidas Kavakos wants to bring high-quality music to the Greek provinces. For the fourth consecutive year, Kavakos joins forces with the Athens State Orchestra, with whom his connection runs long and deep, waiving his fee to help the Orchestra meet its many financial obligations. The proceeds from the concerts will be donated to charity.