The Athens Epidaurus Festival returns for 2026 with one of its most ambitious programs to date, showcasing over 100 productions from 26 countries. Under the new Artistic Director, Michael Marmarinos, the festival will run for 92 days, beginning May 29, and will feature more than 2,500 artists at venues across Athens and Epidaurus.

This year’s edition places a strong emphasis on avant-garde opera, contemporary dance, and experimental storytelling. Piraeus 260, marking its 20th anniversary, will once again serve as the festival’s vibrant creative hub, hosting performances, live music events, midnight screenings, and new artist showcases.

One of the most highly anticipated productions is “Einstein on the Beach,” the legendary avant-garde opera by Robert Wilson and Philip Glass, to be presented in concert form on May 30 at Piraeus 260. Widely regarded as one of the most influential experimental works of the 20th century, the production is already generating significant audience interest.

The festival officially opens with Heiner Goebbels’ “Schliemann III,” a hybrid musical theatre work inspired by Troy and Heinrich Schliemann’s excavations, running from May 29 to June 1. Combining opera, electronic soundscapes, and ancient epic storytelling, the production promises an immersive theatrical experience.

International audiences are also expected to flock to Angélica Liddell’s provocative “Seppuku. The Funeral of Mishima or the pleasure of dying,” inspired by Japanese author Yukio Mishima and themes of ritual, death, and the human body. The production will be staged at Venue D on June 29 and 30.

Other standout international performances include South Korean creator Jaha Koo’s “Haribo Kimchi,” blending food, politics, and personal storytelling, and “Medea’s Children” by Milo Rau and NTGent, which revisits the myth of Medea through the perspective of children and modern social trauma.

Contemporary dance remains central to this year’s festival, highlighted by Michael Keegan-Dolan’s acclaimed “MÁM” and Dutch artist Nicoline van Harskamp’s “Prosody,” a performance exploring artificial intelligence, language, and the human voice.

Greek productions are also expected to attract strong demand, particularly Lena Kitsopoulou’s radical interpretation of Euripides’ “The Bacchae,” running from July 20 to 22. Combining music, existential satire, and Dionysian chaos, the production already stands among the most discussed Greek performances of the summer.

At the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, this year’s program balances classical works with innovative contemporary approaches. The season opens on June 20 with the Greek National Opera’s production of Cherubini’s “Medea,” starring acclaimed Italian soprano Anna Pirozzi.

Sophocles’ “Antigone,” directed and choreographed by renowned Norwegian creator Alan Lucien Øyen, is expected to become one of the defining cultural events of the summer when it arrives at Epidaurus on August 7 and 8. Combining ancient tragedy with contemporary dance and performance language, the production has already drawn significant international attention.

The festival promises an unforgettable summer of art and culture, with many performances expected to sell out well in advance.