An ancient theater in Greece opens for its final season before undergoing a 3-year restoration

Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. revere / rɪˈvɪər / (v.) – to deeply respect or admire someone or something
    Example:

    Fans revere the singer for her unique voice.


  2. majestic / məˈdʒɛs tɪk / (adj.) – very beautiful or impressive
    Example:

    Everyone admired the majestic hall where the ceremony took place.


  3. touchstone / ˈtʌtʃˌstoʊn / (n.) – something that is used as a guide or standard to judge the quality, value, or importance of something else
    Example:

    The music festival has become a touchstone of the local culture.


  4. arched / ɑrtʃt / (adj.) – having a round or half-circle shape at the top, often seen in old windows or doors
    Example:

    The building’s arched windows made it look like an old castle.


  5. grout / graʊt / (n.) – a material used to fill spaces between tiles on the walls and floors of kitchens, bathrooms, etc.
    Example:

    The workers filled the small gaps with grout to stop water from coming in.


Article

Read the text below.

For visitors to Athens, the ancient Odeon of Herod Atticus is the must-see theater at the foot of the Acropolis. Artists revere it for the majestic stage where legends have performed. And for the Greek capital’s residents, it is the touchstone of their summer cultural calendar.


The Odeon of Herod Atticus recently opened the 70th season of the annual Athens Epidaurus Festival, a cherished annual tradition for many Greeks. But this edition marks the last before the theater that’s more than 18 centuries old shuts down for maintenance and restoration work that is expected to last at least three years.


While theater and dance grace its stage, music is its cornerstone. Renowned artists who have performed here include Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Coldplay, and Greece’s own Maria Callas.


Its closure will be a profound loss for spectators who have long enjoyed first-class performances under the stars in one of the world’s most iconic open-air theaters.


“When (people) think of the Athens cultural scene, everyone thinks of the festival and Herodion,” said Katerina Evangelatos, the festival’s artistic director since 2019, calling the theater by its commonly used Greek name. “It has become a synonym of the festival. It is the heart of the festival.”


When the Greek National Opera opened this season’s festival with Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, it erected temporary structures behind the Roman-era Odeon’s arched walls to expand available space for performers’ dressing rooms. The permanent underground facilities weren’t enough.


During previous restoration and conservation projects, the Herod Atticus Odeon had surfaces cleaned, cracks filled with grout, and new seating installed. This time, the scope of the work will depend on findings from the studies still underway.


Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said that although the venue’s closing date is certain at the end of summer, its reopening is not.


“This will depend on the problems that the studies will reveal,” she said in an interview with Greek radio station Skai. “What is certain is that at least three years will be needed.”


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The Odeon is often called “the heart of the festival” in Athens. In your community, what place, event, or tradition would you consider “the heart of the festival?” Why do you think this matters to your community? How do people in your community care for it? Discuss.
  • Some places feel special not just because they are old, but because they bring people together again and again. What do you think makes a place feel meaningful or unforgettable to a community? Is it the history, the memories, the people, or something else? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The Odeon will soon close for repairs, and no one knows when it will reopen. Do you think it’s better to close a famous place for a long time to protect it, or keep it open even if it’s not perfect? Why? Discuss.
  • If a place you love—like a park, museum, library, or concert hall—closed for a few years, how would you feel? How do you think a temporary closure affects a community? Discuss.