Reference point for its residents and visitors Thessaloniki this summer will also be the Concert Hall (OMMTH), where high-level productions from the fields of music, dance, theater, opera, and even books will be hosted.

“Summer at Megaro” comes from June 7 to fill many evenings with artistic thrills until the end of July, some of which with free entry.

– The first summer meeting will be held in the Emilios Riadis Hall M2 the following day Wednesday (7/6) for tracking one dance performance – tribute to the memory of the Hortiatis Holocaust with the title “149”. The Krama dance group and the JoneNata Ensemble orchestra, under the direction of Michalis Trahalios, combine music, dance and documents from the tragic event, directed by Andreas Paraschos, to make the memory a reality. It is organized by OMMTH in collaboration with the Municipality of Pylaia – Hortiatis.

– Next appointment on June 12for one night experimental music with the Sketchbook Quartet. Hailing from Vienna, the quartet, described as the “new sound of Austrian music”, combines jazz, rock and other surprising musical elements, creating a unique sound and transporting listeners to a warm and beautiful atmosphere. It is organized by OMTH in collaboration with the Austrian embassy.

– Three days later, on June 15the National Traditional Dance Group of the Philippines Bayanihan, will highlight the history of Filipinos through its music and dances. This is a group that comes with firsts, being the first non-American dance group to perform at Lincoln Center in New York, the first Filipino group to “invade” Broadway, the first to tour South America, the first Filipino cultural group that performed in Russia and the People’s Republic of China and the only dance group to win the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award.

– At June 19The Leonardo Paduraperhaps the most important writer in Cuba and one of the leading in Latin America, will be at the Thessaloniki Concert Hall, in the context of his new successful thematic section “Writers from around the world travel to Megaro». “It is a great form of world literature and I am sure that we will have a great response from the public”, commented Mr. Gallilaias. After all, Padura, who became more widely known with his crime tetralogy “The Four Seasons” (Perfect Past, Winds of Lent, Masks, Autumn Landscape), has been translated into more than 20 languages ​​and has been honored many times for his work, both at home and abroad. Among other things, in 2012 he received the National Prize for Literature of Cuba, while in 2015 he was awarded the “Princess of Asturias” literary prize, an extraordinary distinction that goes beyond the borders of the Spanish-speaking world and is synonymous with the Nobel Prizes. The event is organized by OMTH in collaboration with the LEA Festival, the Cervantes Institute and Kastaniotis Publications and admission is free.

– The next call at the Concert Hall also has free entry and character…party and it will be on her day European Music Day. Sounds of rock, indie and electronic music will flood the beachfront of Thessaloniki on June 21, from the bands Souled Out, Oceandvst and Ta Toy Boy. “The rationale is to make an opening to the youth as well, so that the Megaro’s visitation can begin to include the younger ages, since as I have repeatedly said, the Megaro is for everyone”, pointed out the Artistic Director.

– At June 28 the audience will be drawn into his world Flamenco and will wander through the genres of jazz, ethnic and pop music, with one of the most recognized music and dance groups of Nuevo Flamenco, Caja Secreta.

– Follows the next day one multicultural night which includes songs from Alexandra Gravas’ musical travels around the world, performed by herself in eight different languages: Spanish, Greek, Chinese, Arabic, German, Portuguese, Turkish and French.

– THE June 30 full moon will be celebrated with a wonderful musical program in the Square between the two buildings of the Megaros, in an evening organized since 2017 in collaboration with Association of Friends of Music of Thessaloniki. The “Summer Full Moon Festival”, has free entry and includes the most famous songs from the second half of the 20th century, which were sung and danced around the world, while their timeless value touches even today’s youth.

– The baton will be taken up by students from the city’s music institutions, who participate after an audition process, in a recital which aims to promote and support the artists of tomorrow, which will be given to July 5, 19 and 20, in the atrium M. Saltiel M2. Entry is free with tickets.

– In between, on July 12, a “journey” through the musical cultures of the world begins, in special arrangements for voice, cello and piano. In the event “The songs that traveled everywhere” with the lyrical artist Kassandra Dimopoulou, you will hear magical melodies of the Celts, eerie lullabies of the Norwegians, an Argentine tango by Piazzolla, the melodic complaint of the Mexicans, the melancholic fanto of the Portuguese, the optimistic songs of Naples and the intoxicating songs of Greece, which will be accompanied by well-known classical melodies.

– At July 13in the square of Megaros the Thessaloniki performer Dimitris Nikoloudis will present – among other things, original material from favorite creators-friends, with whom he collaborated and gave him songs, which are the material of his record entitled “There…on the edge of the road”.

– Finally, the Grammy nominee lute player Vassilis Kostas together with his new trio, will present on July 14 the musical performance “The Aspects of the Psyche”, a work based on his original compositions, with roots in Greek traditional music and contemporary improvisation.