Aegina, Saturday, August 8, 2026 — The Ancient Orchesis concert at the Temple of Aphaia in Aegina, featuring works by internationally renowned composer Panagiotis Karousos, was held with great success, attracting the admiration and enthusiastic applause of visitors from around the world.
The exceptional artists who participated in the concert — Rhea Voudouri, Maria Grigoriou, Maria Kioroglou, Giannis Darios, Aggeliki Pitsoli, and Giannos Kotzias — gave a memorable performance at the historic archaeological site. Approximately 200 tourists who were visiting the Temple of Aphaia attended the presentation and warmly applauded the artists, expressing their congratulations and admiration for the artistic event.
The concert formed part of a wider cultural activity in Aegina by the Ancient Orchesis Musical Ensemble “Rhapsodes”, which continued its program with a special appearance at the inauguration of the new Museum of Aegina. The ensemble presented works by Panagiotis Karousos as part of the cultural program accompanying the opening event.
Inauguration of the Exhibition “Distant Mountains and Rivers: Spiritual Homeland”
The Ministry of Culture, the Ephorate of Antiquities of Piraeus and the Islands, and the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) in Beijing inaugurated the exhibition “Distant Mountains and Rivers: Spiritual Homeland.”
The exhibition features 20 works of art by 11 Chinese artists and is being presented at the historic building of the Kapodistrian Orphanage / Former Prison of Aegina, located at the intersection of Kapodistriou and Faneromeni Streets. The building is destined to house the Diachronic Museum of Aegina of the Ministry of Culture.
The inauguration was attended by representatives of the Embassy of China in Greece, Dr. Anna-Vasiliki Karapanagiotou, Head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Piraeus and the Islands, Yannis Zorbas, Mayor of Aegina, Ioannis Maronitis, President of the European & North American Federation of Clubs and Associations for UNESCO, internationally renowned composer Panagiotis Karousos, Yannis Galanis of ENPAN – Associations for Culture & Development and the World Philosophical Forum, as well as a large audience.
Honorary Awards to the Artists
Following the presentation, Ioannis Maronitis, President of the Club for UNESCO of Piraeus and Islands and international action Art, presented honorary plaques to the organizers of the museum event and to the participating artists of the Ancient Orchesis Musical Ensemble “Rhapsodes.”
The artists honored were:
- Rhea Voudouri
- Maria Kioroglou
- Maria Grigoriou
- Giannos Kotzias
- Giannis Darios
- Panagiotis Karousos
The awards recognized the artists’ contribution to the cultural program and their participation in an artistic event that connected ancient Greek culture, music, poetry, and contemporary international cultural exchange.
Ancient Greek Poetry Set to Music
The lyrical concert of ancient Greek poetry featured musical settings by composer Panagiotis Karousos, drawing from important works of ancient Greek literature.
The program included “Love Invincible in Battle,” the famous hymn to love from the third stanza of Sophocles’ Antigone, as well as arias, duets, and choral works from the operas “Prometheus Bound,” based on the tragedy attributed to Aeschylus, and “Homer’s Iliad.”
The program also included the “Hymn to Virtue” by Aristotle and “Eternal Fire – Everything Flows,” inspired by the philosophical thought of Heraclitus.
Through the combination of ancient Greek poetry and contemporary musical composition, the Ancient Orchesis project seeks to bring the spirit of ancient Greek culture to modern audiences and international visitors at historically significant archaeological sites.
A Cultural Journey Through Greece
The Ancient Orchesis concert by composer Panagiotis Karousos has previously been presented at several important archaeological sites, including the Great Propylaea of the Archaeological Site of Eleusis, the Temple of Nemean Zeus in Ancient Nemea, the Temple of Artemis Brauronia (Great Stoa of Artemis Brauronia), and the Sanctuary of the Egyptian Gods at Nea Makri (Brexiza).
Its presentation at the Temple of Aphaia in Aegina, followed by the ensemble’s participation in the inauguration of the new museum exhibition, added another significant chapter to this ongoing cultural journey.
The successful events in Aegina highlighted the enduring international appeal of ancient Greek poetry, philosophy, and mythology, while demonstrating how contemporary music can create a dialogue between Greece’s ancient heritage and audiences from around the world.
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