Ancient Theatre of Aptera in Chania to re-open after 17 centuries

The Ancient Theatre of Aptera in Chania, on the island of Crete will once again re-open after 17 centuries of thespian silence.

Following its restoration, this special monument on Greece’s largest island, on Friday, June 29 will host a dramatised narration of a rhapsody from Homer’s “Odyssey”, performed by actors Sofia Hill and Antonis Myriagos, and accompanied by Giorgos Kaloudis on the lyre and Ruth Hill on the qanun (kanonaki in Greek).

The event is organised by the Chania Antiquities Ephorate in cooperation with the Crete regional authority and other agencies. According to the organisers, “In the rhapsody we see the heroes crushed not by the blind and uncontrolled vengefulness of the gods but by their own disobedience and overstepping of the limits, something that constitutes defiance in the classical ethical norm ‘hubris, nemesis, tisis’ (atonement),which characterises the ancient Greeks’ world view.”

Entrance to the performance will be free of charge, with the presentation of named coupons that will be available from Monday, June 18 until Monday, June 25 at the offices of the Chania Antiquities Ephorate. The event is scheduled to start at 8:30pm while the doors to the site will open from 7:45pm until 8:15pm.