Early Ventures and Ideas Leading to The Greek Festival of Ancient Drama

During the 19th century, as the newly formed Greek state was shaping its national identity, the concept of Greekness emerged in a compelling, almost existential way. Gradually, the preservation and restoration of the ancient monuments, theatres, odea, and stadiums where the events, feasts, and dramatic and athletic competitions of antiquity were held became a matter of great national importance. The use of ancient monuments and their connection with the events of modern Greece surged during the first international extroversion action: the organisation of the first Olympic Games of 1896 at the Panathenaic Stadium11, reflecting the same ideological point of view. The emergence of the first Greek stage directors saw the dissociation of the interest in ancient drama from its national calling and its inclusion in the repertoire of professional troupes. In the years that followed, amidst the difficulties generated by the Asia Minor disaster and the distant vision of cultural development and international promotion, the couple Eva Palmer and Angelos Sikelianos organised and financed the Delphic Festivals (1927 and 1930). The “sanctity of the space,” specifically for Epidaurus, raised concerns regarding the limitations on the use of the “monument.” Since its inception, the Epidaurus Festival has been associated with performances of ancient drama, reigniting the debate about this theatrical genre.