ATHENS, Greece (AP) — For visitors to Athens, the ancient Odeon of Herod Atticus is the must-see theater at the foot of the Acropolis. Artists revere it for the majestic stage where legends have performed. And for the Greek capital’s residents it is the touchstone of their summer cultural calendar.

The Odeon of Herod Atticus recently opened the 70th season of the annual Athens Epidaurus Festival, a cherished annual tradition for many Greeks. But this edition marks the last before the theater that’s more than 18 centuries old shuts down for maintenance and restoration work that is expected to last at least three years.

kAm(9:=6 E962E6C 2?5 52?46 8C246 :ED DE286[ >FD:4 😀 :ED 4@C?6CDE@?6] #6?@H?65 2CE:DED H9@ 92G6 A6C7@C>65 96C6 :?4=F56 {F4:2?@ !2G2C@EE:[ uC2?^9F3^>2C:2\42==2DQm|2C:2 r2==2Dk^2m]k^Am

kAmxED 4=@DFC6 H:== 36 2 AC@7@F?5 =@DD 7@C DA64E2E@CD H9@ 92G6 =@?8 6?;@J65 7:CDE\4=2DD A6C7@C>2?46D F?56C E96 DE2CD 😕 @?6 @7 E96 H@C=5’D >@DE :4@?:4 @A6?\2:C E962E6CD]k^Am

kAm“(96? WA6@A=6X E9:?>@?=J FD65 vC666] “xE 92D 364@>6 2 DJ?@?J> @7 E96 76DE:G2=] xE 😀 E96 962CE @7 E96 76DE:G2=]”k^Am

kAm(96? E96 vC66@ !F44:?:’D @A6C2 %FC2?5@E[ :E 6C64E65 E6>A@C2CJ DECF4EFC6D 369:?5 E96 #@>2?\6C2 @56@?’D 2C4965 H2==D E@ 6IA2?5 2G2:=23=6 DA246 7@C A6C7@C>6CD’ 5C6DD:?8 C@@>D] %96 A6C>2?6?E F?56C8C@F?5 724:=:E:6D H6C6?’E 6?@F89]k^Am

kAm%96 AC@5F4E:@? 2=D@ ?66565 >@C6 DA246 :?D:56 E96 G6?F6 E@ 244@>>@52E6 E96 D42=6 @7 E96 AC@5F4E:@?]k^Am

kAm%@ >66E E96 @A6C2’D D46?:4 2?5 42DE:?8 56>2?5D[ 2 4C6H 4@?DECF4E65 2 H@@56?[ 32=4@?J\=: E@ A2CE:2==J 6IE6?5 @G6C E96 @C496DEC2 A:E]k^Am

kAm%9:D 252AE:@? 2==@H65 DA246 7@C E96 =2C86 42DE 2?5 4@>A=6I DE28:?8[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 6>3=6>2E:4 D46?6 😕 H9:49 E96 6>A6C@C[ %FC2?5@E’D 6=56C=J 72E96C[ 😀 46C6>@?:2==J C@==65 @FE 😕 9:D E@H6C:?8 E9C@?6 E@ H2E49 DF:E@CD 2EE6>AE E@ D@=G6 9:D 52F89E6CVD C:55=6D — 2E E96 C:DF=E2?6@FD @?\DE286 AC6D6?46 3J >F=E:A=6 A6C7@C>6CD]k^Am

k9am‘xE’D =:A=6’k^9am

kAmv:@C8@D z@F>6?52>2?5D H:56DAC625 G6?6C2E:@?]k^Am

kAm“!6@A=6 H9@ 2C6 4@?D4:@FD[ 4F=E:G2E65[ 65F42E65 — H9@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E E9:D DA246 :D[ :ED 9:DE@C:42= D:8?:7:42?46[ E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 E96 76DE:G2=[ 2?5 E96 9:DE@CJ @7 E96 vC66@DE C6G6C6?E=J[” D2:5 z@F>6?52A=6 — 2 E6>A=6 @7 2CE — 2?5 :E ECF=J 92D 2? :>A24E] x 42? D66 :E 7C@> E96 D:?86CD 2?5 E96 @C496DEC2[ E@@] (96? E96J 4@>6 96C6[ E96J 86?F:?6=J H2?E E@ 8:G6 E96:C 2==]Qk^Am

kAmsFC:?8 AC6G:@FD C6DE@C2E:@? 2?5 4@?D6CG2E:@? AC@;64ED[ E96 w6C@5 pEE:4FD ~56@? 925 DFC7246D 4=62?65[ 4C246[ E96 D4@A6 @7 E96 H@C E96 DEF5:6D DE:== F?56CH2J]k^Am

kAmrF=EFC6 |:?:DE6C {:?2 |6?5@?: D2:5 E92E 2=E9@F89 E96 G6?F6’D 4=@D:?8 52E6 😀 46CE2:?[ 2E E96 6?5 @7 DF>>6C[ :ED C6@A6?:?8 😀 ?@E]k^Am

kAm“%9:D H:== 56A6?5 @? E96 AC@3=6>D E92E E96 DEF5:6D H:== C6G62=[” D96 D2:5 😕 2? :?E6CG:6H E@ vC66@?E9] “(92E 😀 46CE2:? 😀 E92E 2E =62DE E9C66 J62CD H:== 36 ?66565]”k^Am

k9amp =@?8 :?E6C>:DD:@?k^9am

kAm%96 4=@DFC6 @7 E96 w6C@5 pEE:4FD >62?D E96 pE96?D tA:52FCFD u6DE:G2= H:== ?665 E@ 4@?D:56C 2=E6C?2E:G6D 7@C E96 ?6IE 76H J62CD] tG2?86=2E@D C67=64E65 @? E96 76DE:G2=’D f_ J62CD[ ?@E:?8 E92E :E 3682? 5FC:?8 vC6646VD EFC3F=6?E A@DEH2C J62CD @7 A@=:E:42= 5:G:D:@? 2?5 64@?@>:4 92C5D9:A]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 2 >:C24=6 @7 DFCG:G2= 2?5 2CE:DE:4 =6824J[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm~? E96 76DE:G2=VD @A6?:?8 ?:89E[ E96 3242D6D E@F4965 FA]k^Am

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.