Three Days in Epirus: From Aeschylus to Michalis Ganas

Source (in Greek): arta2day.gr

Setting out the vision of the Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural Route, Diazoma and its founder Mr. Stavros Benos, as well as the Region of Epirus, spoke of a wonderful journey to five “masterpieces” of Antiquity which have now brought to the present, inviting us modern Greeks and foreign visitors to discover their magic, learn their secrets and wander through them as our ancestors once did.

The small theatre of Amvrakia in Arta, the ancient theatre of Dodona in the regional unit of Ioannina, Ancient Kassope and the Nikopolis Odeum in Preveza and Ancient Gitana in Thesprotia form the cultural treasure of Epirus and have now been united in a single Cultural Route.

On Saturday, March 9, the first visitors of this Cultural Route will arrive in Epirus from Athens, and possibly from Thessaloniki, on a magical three-day journey that will take in three cities, three ancient theatres and three performances.

This unique experience was conceived and realized by Melodrakma Universal S.L, a Spanish company with a Greek heart, operating in two sectors: Tourism and Art. It aspires to transform Travel into a Cultural Event and Vice Versa.

With the valuable assistance of Diazoma and Mr. Stavros Benos personally, Melodrakma planned this journey along the Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural Route during the Greek Carnival season. Based in Arta, visitors will follow an itinerary including Ioannina and the ancient theatre of Dodona, Preveza and the ancient theatre of Kassope and the Nikopolis Odeum, and, naturally, Arta and the ancient theatre of Amvrakia.

What makes this wonderful journey stand out is the presence of two artists, Pericles Moscholidakis and Christina Maxouri, who will perform ancient texts in each of the three ancient theatres (Nikopolis Odeum, Dodona and Kassope) accompanied by musicians. In essence, they will direct and perform three different shows for the visitors on this journey.

The manager of Melodrakma Univeral S.L., Yiannis Lymtsioulis, created the itinerary, which is presented to those interested in the poetic and theatrical manner befitting this first foray along the Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural Route.

It is entitled “Three Days in Epirus: From Aeschylus to Michalis Ganas”.

Presenting the three-day journey, he thanked everyone who helped and supported its organization at the local level too, the Preveza, Ioannina and Thesprotia Ephorates of Antiquities, as well as his friends, particularly in Arta, who are in charge of the visitors’ accommodation and entertainment.

This is the first organized trip along the Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural route and the first visitors to travel to the theatres in the context of the vision being designed and implemented by DIAZOMA and the Region of Epirus.

The goal is, of course, to attract even more visitors from Greece and around the world so as to highlight and promote the significant cultural heritage of Epirus in the manner that befits it.