AEF2025: Antigone

The Athens Epidaurus Festival is celebrating its 70th anniversary and has begun rolling out its special anniversary programme. The first announcements cover the second leg of the festival, the performances at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, also known as Epidavria.

Caravans of Athenians embark on this cultural rite of passage, travelling on summer weekends to experience a performance at this historic amphitheatre, which seats almost 14,000 people. Plan ahead, and you could be among them.

Once seated, you’ll feel the anticipation of thousands around you. As the sun sets behind the orchestra—the circular stage—the chatter fades, leaving only the hum of cicadas and the distant calls of nightbirds. Then, a hush falls. Sometimes, you might even hear the actors' footsteps as they approach, just as they did 2,600 years ago.

This year’s Epidavria continues this tradition with eight performances, seven of which are world premieres. You can check out what’s been announced so far by clicking here.

As part of the Contemporary Ancients series, the Festival will showcase innovative and modern interpretations of ancient tragedies, performed at the Little Theatre of Epidaurus, offering a fresh perspective on timeless works. Read more about this here.

Acclaimed German director Ulrich Rasche returns to Epidaurus after his celebrated 2022 production of Agamemnon. This time, he brings Sophocles’ enduring tragedy Antigone to the stage, featuring a prestigious Greek cast.

A defiant and resolute figure, Antigone is driven by unwavering loyalty to family and a deep moral conviction. She challenges authority and faces death to honour her brother’s memory. The play’s relevance continues today, making it a popular choice for contemporary theatre productions and adaptations.

This compelling co-production between the National Theatre of Greece and Munich’s Residenztheater marks the world premiere of Rasche’s Antigone and kicks off the 70th-anniversary celebrations of the Athens Epidaurus Festival.

In conjunction with the premiere, don’t miss the exhibition Antigone: Law and Disobedience, exploring 70 years of productions of this iconic tragedy.