With all eyes on Elefsina from today for the Opening Ceremony of the Capital of Culture 2023.
Everything foreshadows that this is more than an ephemeral spectacle, since the programme of the Ceremony draws inspiration from the history and mythology of Elefsina in its timelessness, as a place of sanctuary and Mysteries, a place of connection between the Upper and the Underworld, a city with a recent industrial past and inhabitants with multiple origins. In short, the programme of the Capital of Culture, after the efforts of the organisation and having overcome many difficulties, aspires to leave a legacy to the city and its visitors, present and future.
Today, Saturday 4/2, the first day of the Opening Ceremony, four processions arrive and unite at the coastal front of the city, as the spirit of Elefsina dictates: Eleusis, Arrival, Remarkable.
The first procession comes from the sea, with a boat and cultural activities. The float follows the maritime «Sacred» Road starting from Piraeus, from the point where the ships leave for Salamina and arrives at the port of Elefsina, passing through seven municipalities, former and current industrial zones - Drapetsona, Keratsini, Perama, Haidari, Aspropyrgos, Elefsina. The route will be repeated throughout the duration of the Capital of Culture. This original idea of the Elefsina Cultural Capital in cooperation with the Piraeus Port Authority, aspires to become an institution of the city, a cultural itinerary with multiple tourist benefits for Elefsina.
At the same time, the procession of the Imerodromes arrives in Elefsina from the overland Sacred Way, starting from Kerameikos, having walked the distance of 21 km. It has a festive character and the participants, arriving in the city of Elefsina, will walk along the last surviving part of the Sacred Way through the city to the archaeological site, and then they will reach the Old Olive Oil Factory.
The dynamic Eleusinian Movement, is the procession of the ethno-local associations of Eleusis, who will flood the streets with music and dances from 14 different places of their origin, under the artistic curatorship of Jenny Argyriou and Vassilis Gerodimou. The procession starts at 15:30 from eleven different points of the city with more than 600 participants. They will meet at 16:00 at Kanellopoulou Street, at the junction with Kontouli & Nikolaidou Street, and as one body they will head to the Old Olive Oil Factory of Elefsina.
The fourth procession with the Belgian collective Time Circus arrives in the wooden Landship, which moves only by human power. Having travelled from Antwerp, on foot, 3000 km in nine months, in the longest pilgrimage procession in the history of Elefsina, their arrival in the city is a vivid commentary on the twenty-first century of recession, climate change and the direct consumption of natural resources. An action of encouragement, strength, hope and participation of all European citizens.
In a historic moment for the city and the organization, the four processions will meet at the Old Olive Factory at 17:00, with the residents and visitors of the city - this fifth informal procession - to give them a special welcome.
The second phase of Saturday's opening ceremony is marked by the Mystery 0 Mysteries of Transition, a multidimensional spectacle, which unfolds at 19:00 on the coastal front of Elefsina, connecting the land, sea and sky of Elefsina. With Rena Morfi hosting the ceremony, the evocative narration of the «astronaut» of the seabed Kostas Nizamis, with more than 100 Chóres, artistically curated by Marina Satti, and the sounds of the original music of Angelos Triantafyllou, performed by the Athens State Orchestra - KOA, the central scene of the Opening Ceremony will be the sea.
At 20:00 follows the Coastal Cultural Route, along Kanellopoulou Street, with 19 different actions in unexpected places (rooftops, courtyards, car repair shops, taverns, balconies, windows and roofs) and the audience can enjoy experimental projects, choreographies, sound installations, a recital of the Pontian lyre, and seafood treats. At the same time, nymphs unexpectedly make their appearance in the city's alleys, with a cinematographic curation by Konstantinos Rigos and a costume design by Olga Karaverververis.
Saturday's Opening Ceremony will premiere the former Iris factory, opening its doors for the first time at 21:30 with a concert by Stereo Nova (Konstantinos Vitas and Michalis Delta), who are reunited especially for this day, in the heart of West Attica. The concert will be followed by a big dance party at Warehouse 1 of the Old Olive Oil Factory, where the music choices of women DJs from Greece and older cultural capitals of Europe will join together.
The Opening Ceremony will conclude on Sunday 5/2 with the opening of two exhibitions at the Old Olive Oil Factory - «Melina», a tribute to the multifaceted personality of Melina Mercouri, curated by Nikos Kaltsa, and «7 Columns» by the German composer and director Heiner Goebbels. Light and video installations by Lina Bertucci, the performance «Arches» by Euripides Laskaridis, peculiar tours of the archaeological site with «Narrative Archaeology» and free tours of the city, museums, restaurants and the market.
More details at https://2023eleusis.eu
