History meets the future tonight at Lycabettus. The historic theater on the Athenian hill, inspired in the mid-60s by Anna Synodinou, designed by the architect Takis Zenetos and for five decades hosted theatrical performances, historical concerts and various artistic events, remained “mute” for 15 years.

The same stands, where the Athenians and not only, filled them every summer to enjoy moments carved in the artistic path of this place, remained deserted and empty during these years.

In the attempt of the mayor Kostas Bakoyannis for the city to take back its landmarks and to restore its emblematic places, the municipality of Athens put its “machines” forward and with respect both to the history of the protected monument-theatre and to the plans of Takis Zenetou, reborn the space and tonight, he is handing it over as the Municipal Theater of Lykavittos to the Athenian public and indeed in the most magnificent way, with the concert of the leading Greek composer Stavros Xarhakos.

Somehow, the older generations, who passed through these stands so many times, will be able to relive similar artistic moments and the younger generations, who didn’t make it, will now have it brand new and upgraded, so that they too can experience it in the new era of. We said, history meets the future tonight at Lycabettus.

The works for the revival of the Theatre

The space is completely renovated and with all safety standards. The goal of planning the “rebirth” of the emblematic Theater was to preserve the character given to it in 1965 by Zenetos. To achieve the goal, more than 200,000 kilograms of new metalwork replaced the time-worn sections, renovating the hollow’s characteristic transparent frame, with the columns reinforced internally. A marriage of the then emblematic form of the Theater with the modern infrastructure, achieved with precise interventions on the metal frame.

From there, the rest of the infrastructure was modernized according to the standards of modern European theaters. The electromechanical works include a new fire network and fire detection system, a new fiber optic network for central control of all points, as well as new wiring for lighting, sound, data and security systems based on modern requirements.

The 3,850 plastic seats were removed and replaced with 3,950-seat wooden benches. Now, the Municipal Theater of Lycabettus will be able to host events with 6,000 spectators (seated and standing). All interventions in the monument were carried out in accordance with the restoration study approved by the Central Council of New Monuments and accordingly based on the approved building permit.

Stavros Xarchakos “celebrates” the new era of the Theatre

At 9pm Stavros Xarchakos will raise his baguette to start the concert and this exact moment will mark the beginning of the new era of the Lycabettus Municipal Theatre.

He called this night “Lykavittos Feast”. After all, for our leading composer it has a special meaning, as he will return to this space after 45 years. It was in the summer of 1978 when he had given a series of concerts there, as part of the summer events of the EOT in Athens, thus inextricably linking his name to the place, which in the following years emerged as a landmark of Greek song, while at the end of that of the year a disc with the live recordings was also released. Tonight, Stavros Xarchakos will be accompanied by a large orchestra and he will be joined by Manolis Mitsias, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Zacharias Karounis and Iro Saia.

Equally important is that the proceeds will be allocated by the Municipality of Athens to the people affected by the catastrophic floods in Thessaly.

The Municipal Authority of Athens wants to proceed with the project of overall protection and regeneration of the Lycabettus hill and in this context it was decided to allow the access by car to the parking lot of the Theater on the days and times of the events, only for the disabled, for people over 60 years old, as well as for getting on/off taxis. A program covering a wide range of musical genres has been planned for the continuation of the events until mid-October.

So tonight is the beginning. And as the mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, said in his call: “Let’s all write the new history of Lycabettus together.”