source: https://athensrivierajournal.gr/aegina-music-festival/
The Aegina Music Festival, a fixture at the island’s long-standing summer events with a strong cultural profile, returns for its 20th edition. This year’s programme brings together distinguished Greek and international figures from the world of classical music, evenings dedicated to song and musical theatre, as well as a special closing concert in tribute to Manos Hadjidakis.
From 3 to 22 August, the courtyard of the Church of the Saviour, Avra Beach, and the stone-built Molfesi Theatre in Pachiorachi will once again be transformed into venues for musical performances, hosting artists of different generations and with diverse artistic approaches, under the artistic direction of Dora Bakopoulou and Elena Hounta.
Since its inception, the Aegina Music Festival has staged more than 150 concerts featuring 570 musicians from Greece and abroad, establishing a distinctive place on the country’s cultural map and becoming a highlight of the island’s summer season.
This year’s programme opens on 3 August with arias and duets from the lyric repertoire, featuring soprano Eleni Calenos and baritone Tasos Apostolou. The programme continues with concerts by guitarist Dimitris Soukaras and soprano Aphrodite Patoulidou on 5 August, internationally acclaimed pianist and Festival artistic director Dora Bakopoulou performing alongside friends and collaborators on 7 August, and a tribute to the art of the piano featuring two leading performers, Manos Kitsikopoulos and Philippos Gatzios, on 9 August.
A special slot in the programme is set aside for an evening of musical theatre featuring young singers, curated by artistic director Elena Hounta on 11 August, as well as a recital by mezzo-soprano Lenia Zafeiropoulou, accompanied by pianist Thodoris Tzovanakis, on 13 August. The Minerva Duo will present a programme of popular works for clarinet and accordion, an event co-organised with the Austrian Embassy on 17 August.
One of the festival’s highlights is a chamber music concert featuring internationally acclaimed artists Lily Maisky, Alisa and Natalia Margulis, and Lyda Argerich, who will perform alongside Odysseas Tsakalidis, winner of the “We Listen to the Young 2025” competition, in collaboration with the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra on 18 August.
As every year, the Festival will bid farewell to its audience at Avra Beach, by the sea. This year, the closing evening will be dedicated to the music of Manos Hadjidakis, performed by Alkinoos Ioannidis and Elli Paspala, accompanied on the piano by Dora Bakopoulou, on 22 August.
Remaining true to its open and educational ethos, the Festival continues to offer reduced ticket prices for the unemployed, people with disabilities and students, as well as free admission for students of the Aegina Music Association “Mousa”.
Before each concert, as is the case every year, there will be short introductory talks to help the audience become more familiar with the works and their composers.
The Aegina Music Festival is organised by Mission Art AMKE and Popi Malapani.
Programme Highlights
Monday 3 August | Courtyard of the Church of the Saviour
“Quanto amore!”: A concert celebrating love and affection through art songs, musical theatre and the Greek repertoire. Featuring soprano Eleni Kalenos and bass Tasos Apostolou, with Dionysis Mallouchos on piano.
Wednesday 5 August | Molfesi Theatre, Pachiorachi
“Serenades for the absent”: Works by Dowland, Britten, Ravel, Fauré, Riadis, Villa-Lobos, Tsitsanis, Landi and Sibelius. An evening of music for guitar and voice featuring Dimitris Soukaras and Aphrodite Patoulidou.
Friday 7 August | Courtyard of the Church of the Saviour
Dora Bakopoulou and Friends. The internationally acclaimed pianist and artistic director of the Festival performs alongside Nikos Mandylas, Krystalia Gaitanou and Christoforos Miroshnikov.
Sunday 9 August | Courtyard of the Church of the Saviour
A tribute to the art of the piano, featuring two outstanding young virtuosos, Manos Kitsikopoulos and Philippos Gatzios, performing works by Beethoven, Liszt, Prokofiev, Chopin and Debussy.
Tuesday 11 August | Courtyard of the Church of the Saviour
A musical evening featuring young, up-and-coming singers, curated by Elena Hounta. Featuring Marialena Kali, Nicolas Xanthopoulos, Achilleas Beleris and others.
Thursday 13 August | Courtyard of the Church of the Saviour
“White Nights – Songs and miniatures from the North”. Lenia Zafeiropoulou and Thodoris Tzovanakis present works by Sibelius and Tchaikovsky, exploring the expressive depth of late Romanticism in Northern Europe through songs and piano miniatures.
Monday 17 August | Molfesi Theatre, Pachiorachi
The Duo Minerva, featuring clarinettist Johanna Gossner and accordionist Damian Keller, presents a programme exploring love, nostalgia and memory through a musical journey spanning different eras and styles, from French chanson and film music to the Viennese tradition and contemporary works. In collaboration with the Austrian Embassy.
Tuesday 18 August | Courtyard of the Church of the Saviour
From major international stages to the enchanting island of Aegina. An evening of chamber music featuring internationally acclaimed soloists Lily Maisky, Alisa Margulis and Lyda Argerich. They will be joined by Odysseas Tsakalidis, a distinguished winner of the “We Listen to the Young 2025” competition. The concert is co-organised with the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra.
Saturday 22 August | Avra Beach
Grand closing concert of the Festival, featuring Alkinoos Ioannidis and Elli Paspala performing much-loved songs by Manos Hadjidakis. With Dora Bakopoulou on piano.