Classical music
Is there such a thing as Greek classical or art music? This is the question that has long dogged many local experts and artists. Basically, the Ottoman period in Greece (between the 15th and 19th centuries) confined the country to ecclesiastical Byzantine music. It wasn't until the creation of the Athens Conservatory in 1871, and above all one man, Manolis Kalomiris (1883-1962), that the establishment of a "Greek national school" of music was envisaged. In the same spirit as Bartok in Hungary, Kalomiris dreamed of a national music, based on popular songs. Considered the figurehead of twentieth-century Greek scholarly music, he left more of a mark through the creation of important institutions (including the National Conservatory) than through his compositions (rediscovered after his death). His most direct heir is undoubtedly Nikos Skalkottas (1904-1949). A revered figure, this pupil of Schoenberg made Kalomiris' dream come true with his 36 Greek Dances, in which he combined local folklore with the musical avant-garde. Internationally, by far the most prestigious name in music is Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2021). The celebrated composer of the soundtrack to the film Zorba the Greek, he is less well known for his five operas, four ballets and seven symphonies, all of which feature a powerful, over-the-top style. Theodorakis was also the leader of the "Entekhno" movement of the 1950s, which introduced Greek folk melodies and rhythms into orchestral music. Lesser-known, more contemporary Thanos Mikroutsikos (b. 1947) remains a great name in atonal music, having played a major role in the formal liberation of Greek music. And it would be unfair to speak of Greek classical music without mentioning Mitropoulos and Xenakis. Dimitris Mitropoulos (1896-1960), the country's Mahler, was an astonishing pianist, an extraordinary personality and a demanding conductor. More contemporary, Yannis Xenakis (1922-2001) was a great research musician, famous for his work on electroacoustics, to which today's music owes an enormous debt.
To listen to classical music or opera in mainland Greece, the easiest way is to follow the career of Mýron Michaïlídis. A great Greek conductor, he has elevated every venue and ensemble he has led to excellence. Between 2004 and 2011, Michaïlídis was General Artistic Director of the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra, where he renewed the programming and revitalized the orchestra's image. To see the latter, you need to visit the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, a small architectural gem overlooking the sea, designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. Michaïlídis was then artistic director of the Greek National Opera in Athens between 2011 and 2017. A feat of strength (not to say magic) in the midst of the Greek crisis, he saved the institution from bankruptcy, renewing its audience, its programming and its reputation. International co-productions with major European opera houses, impeccably staged masters (Verdi, Wagner and Puccini) and contemporary Greek works were all on offer. It was under his impetus that the National Opera moved from Olympia, its historic theater in central Athens, to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, an ultra-contemporary performing arts center designed by Renzo Piano. Another name to watch: Byron Fidetzis. This conductor has worked extensively on the Greek repertoire, and seeing him conduct the Athens National Orchestra or the Thessaloniki National Symphony Orchestra offers an interesting panorama of the local repertoire. Another Athens landmark is the Megaron Moussikis, the "Palace of Music". Inaugurated in 1991, this modern complex presents the very best in classical music and international opera. It's in this modern gem with excellent acoustics that we see the world's stars, so the program is one to watch closely. And the country is no stranger to world stars. Soloists include pianist Dimitris Sgouros and violin virtuoso Leonidas Kavakos, who is in great demand with orchestras, not to mention the charismatic conductor Teodor Currentzis, "the enfant terrible of classical music", renowned for his radical interpretations. And then, of course, there's Maria Callas, "the Callas", the magnificent soprano who enthralled crowds both on and off stage. The diva remains as famous for the intensity of her interpretations, the range of her register, the tessitura of her voice, as for her tumultuous affair with the shipowner Aristotle Onassis. Abandoned for Jackie Kennedy and having lost her voice, she died in isolation in 1977. Since then, the Callas myth has lived on, and the thirtieth anniversary of her death in 2007 was celebrated with major events in Athens.
Traditional and popular music
As soon as one mentions traditional or popular music in Greece, images of "sirtaki" or echoes of bouzouki, the Greek mandolin, immediately spring to mind. If these two aspects monopolize the imagination, a world of fabulous depth lies behind. At the crossroads of the Mediterranean, invaded on numerous occasions, the country's history is imprinted in its traditional and popular music. This can be heard in the richness of its influences, whether Slavic, Turkish, Venetian or Arab. While all the islands have their own folklore, Greece as a whole shares three main musical pillars: dimotiko, rebetiko and laïko.
Dimotiko is the oldest Greek folk song. It is commonly divided into two movements, the akritic, dating from the 9th century, and the klephtic, common throughout the Ottoman occupation, from the end of the Byzantine period to the beginning of the Greek Revolution of 1821. The latter style is particularly interesting from a documentary point of view, as it recounts an important and dark part of Greek history (through stories of love, exile, freedom, death...). Dimotiko is also an opportunity to hear all the instruments typical of folk music: the gaida (bagpipe), the lira, the laouto (Greek lute), the tambouras (another Greek lute), the daouli (drum)..
Rebetiko. But the emblematic Greek genre par excellence, classified as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, is the rebetiko. It was through this genre that popular music took off in the early 1960s. This "Greek blues", the song of the uprooted, the excluded and the marginalized, was born in the underground cafés of the Piraeus district of Athens and Thessalonica in the 1920s. It recounts the daily lives of poverty, pain, hunger and drug addiction of the "Micrasiates", Greek refugees expelled from Asia Minor in 1922. This beautiful, spleen-filled music has had its moment of glory in the hands of Vassilis Tsitsanis, Markos Vamvakaris and Marika Ninou. Listening to rebetiko is a ritual, an essential part of any trip to Greece. To find it, head for Athens' vibrant Exarchia district. Here, three excellent addresses never disappoint: Aggelos, a restaurant hidden away on the first floor of an old building, with good rebetiko (and sometimes a few well-known voices of the genre), the sparkling Trichordo and its house band, or Kavouras, a charming gargote inviting some very good local artists. Otherwise, the dark and raw Hamam de Petralona is considered one of the best rebetika scenes in town.
The laïko has appeared more recently. Meaning "popular", the word refers to a style of pop music, descended from rebetiko, that appeared in the 1950s and 1960s. It has evolved over time and now qualifies modern Greek pop as a whole (it can even be understood as a synonym for "mainstream"). A true local variety, laïko produced two stars in the 1960s: Stelios Kazantzidis and Manolis Angelopoulos. Among the great names of contemporary Greek music, its most illustrious ambassador was Manos Hatzidakis (1925-1994). The famous composer of Les Enfants du Pirée, he also discovered Nana Mouskouri and took rebetiko on the road. Along with Melina Mercouri, he was one of the artists who gave Greek tunes an international dimension. Since the 1980s, the great names of Greek popular music have included Dionysis Savvopoulos, Charis Alexiou, Nikos Papazoglou, Giorgos Dalaras and rocker Vassilis Papakonstandinou. For a taste of all Greek folk music, such as laïko, Pontiki is a must in Kypseli. Alternatively, the Melodeion in Lavrio, a cultural center dedicated to Greek music - whether popular, rock or contemporary - is also an excellent address.
Jazz
Although it's not yet possible to speak of a "jazz revival", in recent years Greece has brought a number of high-profile names to the international scene. Among the most important are double bassist Petros Klampanis, the great vibraphonist Christos Rafalides and Vassilis Tsabropoulos, an exciting pianist who is also very active in contemporary classical music. In Greece, there are no jazz traditions, and local folklore has never really blended in (as in Hungary, for example). But, like everywhere else, the genre has a strong following here. Every year since 2001, the capital has played host to the Athens Technopolis Jazz Festival, an event focusing on new forms of jazz and new world scenes. Always free of charge, this popular event is held at Technopolis, a former gasworks converted into a museum and cultural center. Otherwise, jazz fans will love The Zoo, a slightly off-center bar that's worth a detour for its ambience; Half Note, the city's oldest jazz club and a stopping-off point for big bands passing through town; or the Spiti Art bar, a must, with good bands and a lovely setting.
Current music
After more than a decade of crisis and austerity policy, the difficulties of keeping an artistic project afloat in the country are innumerable. And yet, many artists have chosen not to leave the country. Dimitris Papadatos (known as Jay Glass Dubs), Panagiotis Melidis (aka Larry Gus) and, above all, the Keep Shelly In Athens duo, are just some of those who keep the local scene afloat while cultivating international recognition. Three entities known abroad, three electronic music projects. And that's no coincidence. The country has been full of visionary artists in this field in the past, such as Vangelis (composer of the Blade Runner soundtrack) in the 1980s, or Léna Plátonos, a pioneer and local pride. The importance of electronic music in today's young creative scene can also be explained in two ways. The first is that the genre is almost systematically instrumental. Without words, it transcends the language barrier and is easily exported. Secondly, electronic music is often a soundtrack to nightlife. And the least we can say is that Athens and Thessalonica are particularly lively at night. In the capital, you're spoilt for choice. One of the most popular venues on the local art scene (and with the public) is Six D.O.G.S. Nestled in the Monastiraki district, the venue offers events almost every night and manages to bring together the cream of the local and international electronic scene, with a slight inclination towards the avant-garde. Unique in the city. Booze Cooperativa is another must for all-nighters in Athens. Decorated like no other, with its long wooden tables, benches, photo exhibitions and neo-Indus atmosphere, Booze stands out in the local scene. Arty and LGBT-friendly, even in its programming (which, incidentally, is very broad: electro, pop, hip-hop, etc.). Equally singular, equally neo-industrial, equally adored by Athenians: Romantso. This former printing works has been converted into a coworking space, bar and club, offering a demanding program of local talent. A good place to sample the best of local creation. The most cutting-edge programming on the local scene goes hand-in-hand to the aptly-named Temple. Located just a stone's throw from Technopolis in Gazi, this venue offers a night's entertainment the likes of which you'd only expect to find in Berlin.
The capital also boasts a fine rock scene (particularly stoner rock). You can listen to it at Kyttaro, a hub for the genre since 1970 located near Exarchia, as well as at Gagarin 205.
Finally, let's not forget that there was a time when people came from Athens to enjoy the nights of Thessaloniki. Ugly and cold for some, the city reveals itself at night in a new light: festive, relaxed, young and mixed. Now, while the nightlife is still in full swing, the quality of the events on offer doesn't match that of Athens.
The dance
Fun fact: sirtaki is not a traditional dance, but it has become one over time. Created in 1964 by Jean Vassilis (to music by Theodorakis) for Michel Cacoyannis's film Zorba the Greek, it is nonetheless inspired by a traditional dance, the hasápikos (or hasaposerviko) of Constantinople, but didn't actually exist before that. The country's most famous traditional dance is therefore not "traditional". And yet, in Greece, there are countless folk dances - as many as 10,000 different ones throughout the country. And while they reflect regional specificities, they share a common base. For example, like syrtos, many dances are performed in the round. Originally, dancers formed a circle to protect themselves from harmful influences. A notable regional dance in the Peloponnese is the tsakonikos, a round dance that ends in a labyrinthine formation. In Thessaly, karagouna are performed in fabulous costumes. In Epirus, the tsamiko is danced by men only, holding hands at shoulder height. And in Macedonia, it's not unusual to attend an anastenaria, a fire-walking ritual accompanied by song and dance.
The history of classical dance in Greece is embodied by a major figure: Tatiana Mamaki. She was choreographer of the National Opera, founded the Athens Ballet School and helped Greek dance spread beyond its borders. Today, the Greek National Ballet is in the capable hands of Konstantinos Rigos. Director of the institution since 2018, he undertakes to give a contemporary Greek reading to great classics(Swan Lake) while promoting pillars of the local heritage such as Hatzidakis. As for contemporary dance, the country boasts some internationally adored choreographers renowned for the intensity and ingenuity of their work, such as Dimitris Papaioannou and Toúla Limnaios. For a taste of local contemporary dance, the best place to go is Athens' Onassis Foundation. A gigantic 18,000m2 complex entirely dedicated to the arts (dance, theater and visual arts), with particularly affordable rates, the venue came into its own at a time when the capital was sorely lacking in large-scale performance venues.
The theater
If you're looking for the cradle of Western theater, you're bound to end up in Greece. From Aeschylus, the father of tragedy, to Sophocles and his moral dilemmas, to Euripides, who revolutionized the writing of the heroic narrative, modern theater owes an enormous debt to ancient Greece. Overshadowed by the importance of its forebear, contemporary Greek theater is less noticed, but certainly no less remarkable. Playwrights such as Iákovos Kambanéllis, Dimítris Dimitriádis (once staged in France by Patrice Chéreau), Níkos Kazantzákis (author of the novel that inspired Zorba the Greek), Yánnis Mavritsákis (performed in France on Olivier Py's initiative) and Lèna Kitsopoùlou bring Greek writing to the international stage in all its diversity and vitality. And while the 2008 crisis and its budget cuts may have suggested a decline in activity or quality, contemporary Greek theater has, on the contrary, been revitalized by a new generation of surprising and daring actors and directors.
One of the country's best addresses remains the National Theatre of Greece. Founded in 1930, its aim was to promote Greek culture through productions of ancient Greek theater. Under the impetus of its current artistic director, Dimitris Lignadis, it is now also focusing on modern drama and experimental theater. Another of the city's finest venues, Théâtre Poreia, offers contemporary and effective stagings of texts that they are always the first to perform. And, as with contemporary dance, the Onassis Foundation is an important anchor for contemporary Greek theater. The success is unwavering, with performances often sold out. But the epicenter of Greek theater remains the Athens and Epidaurus Festival. Directed by Yorgos Loukos, it is one of Europe's densest and finest theater festivals, and its program features excellent texts and authors. Performances take place in the capital's most prestigious venues, including the Odeon of Herod Atticus, set against the illuminated skyline of theAcropolis. It's a good idea to ask around, as attending an ancient play or a contemporary ballet on these millennia-old marble bleachers is a truly unique experience.
