Following a busy winter full of temporary exhibitions and special events, the Benaki Museum started the current season with a new concept: the Benaki Summer Festival.
For all of those who happen to be in Greece at this time of the year, you might consider of taking the opportunity and visiting the festival, running till 27 July in Athens.
A new and exciting three week cultural event sees the atrium of the Benaki Museum – 138 Pireos – transformed into an atmospheric and classy open air cinema and concert venue, lit by award winning Greek lighting designer Alekos Yiannaros.
Focusing on the visual arts, fashion, music, theater and food, highlights from the festival’s documentary and film screening program include a screening of a Moscow opera gala with soprano Anna Netrebko and baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, a virtual tour of “Munch 150,” a retrospective on Edvard Munch at his namesake museum in Oslo, which is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth, as well as a screening of Alex Gibney’s behind-the-scenes documentary “We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks.”
A screening of “Bruce Springsteen & I,” a novel documentary on the American artist, is scheduled to take place on Monday, July 22. Produced by Oscar-nominated director Ridley Scott, the film opens at some 300 cinema theaters around the globe on the same day.
For the duration of the festival, the museum is putting together live Saturday gigs, featuring, among others, local acts the Burger Project and Maraveyas Ilegal.
Visitors are offered a complimentary welcome drink, while comfortable “Love Couches” for two are also available during screenings.
Benaki Museum Pireos Street Annex is located at 138 Pireos & Andronikou. Tickets can be purchased at the museum itself, at Public stores and online at www.public.gr. For more information, go to www.benaki.gr.