Responding to the complaints of the former Mayor of Athens, Mr. Bakoyannis, “Athens High” for depreciation by the Municipal Authority of the Municipal Theater “Olympia – Maria Callas” (the old lyric) and to give it to a private person, given by Haris Doukas Doukas Doukas.

“Upgrading of the theater and rising quality and quantity of producers has a costly financial burden that must be rationalized because it burdens our citizens. For the rationalization and further strengthening of the theater’s dynamics, we are expanding our partnerships with external producers. ”

In detail the announcement

The Olympia Municipal Music Theater “Maria Callas” is one of the most important cultural venues in Athens, offering high level music and theatrical performances, aimed at a wide and differentiated audience.

With the aim of enhancing the presence of theater on the city’s cultural map, this year’s 2024-2025 is characterized by a dynamic artistic activity with 98 theatrical and musical performances and 42 productions, compared to the 35 productions of the previous period and 59 performances (2023-2024). At the same time, the foyer of the theater hosted for the first time in collaboration with the National Opera 7 productions and 47 educational activities, enhancing the educational and interactive dimension of the site. In addition, the theater period was expanded by an additional one month, offering more opportunities to participate to the public. It should also be noted that the pricing policy of 2024-2025 was reduced from the previous period (10 € ticket reduction), further enhancing the social and cultural policy of the Municipality.

Increasing the number of producers and traffic by 66% was accompanied by one carefully managed economic policywith operating costs increasing by only 30%, which proves the effectiveness of resource management.

Yet This upgrade of theater, and the rise of quality and quantity of producers, has a costly financial burden which must be rationalized, because it burdens our citizens.

To rationalize and further enhance the theater’s dynamics, We are expanding our partnerships with external producersBut maintaining the high quality character of the performances and the musical orientation of the space.

Important cultural institutions have already expressed interest, such as Athenian theaters and the Charles Koun Theater, while new initiatives are being planned to work with the National Theater’s children’s scene.

The theater program will continue to include OPANDA productions, with the participation of its ensemble music, the Symphony Orchestra, the Greek Music Lab and the Choir of the Municipality of Athens. Private and state productions will be selected on the basis of their artistic value and their overall contribution to the culture of the city.

Through this new opening, the Olympia – Maria Callas Theater attracts a larger, more diverse audience, reinforcing its role as a center of cultural creation and artistic expression for all citizens of Athens.

The program of the performances will be determined by OPANDA and his artistic director, who always has the supervision and operation of the theater.

The financial terms of the partnerships will emerge through the negotiations that OPANDA will carry out. The aim of the partnerships is without quality discounts, to have a meaningful economic balancing for the municipality and to increase the offer of important performances for our citizens,

To reduce the -great today -to enhance the citizens and to enhance the possibilities for more and better our own productions with the aim of the most viability of the space.