Wednesday 01 December 2021 19:00
Watch the event:
On Wednesday, December 1, at 19:00, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) is once again transformed into the city’s most magical Christmas destination.
On the first night of December, countless festive lights go off, effusing their glow over the plane trees of the Canal and the decorated fir trees of the Agora. A festival of light dons the nighttime Stavros Niarchos Park in radiant hues: three light installations by renowned artists, foreign and Greek, capture our glances, creating a unique jovial atmosphere that will set the scene for our Christmas memories. Even the Dancing Fountains at the Canal are taking part in the spectacle in their own sensational way!
This special evening marks the opening of SNFCC’s Christmas World, materialized thanks to a grant by Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). After the countdown leading up to the illumination, Master of Ceremonies Dimitris Kouroubalis will be sharing holiday memories of SNFCC guests with the audience gathered at the Agora: The first skating moves on the Ice Rink, a hot chocolate at the Lighthouse with a vista over illuminated Athens, a stroll along the decorated banks of the Canal, smile-filled photos taken in lit-up spots around the Stavros Niarchos Park, colorful balloons at the Agora — “glowing memories” of Christmas past at the SNFCC that visitors will share (captured in photo, video or text) through Facebook and Instagram @SNFCC will be broadcast live during the event.
And all this, like every year, will be staged against the sounds of music, as the evening boasts a special artistic partnership between El Sistema Greece’s multicultural youth symphony orchestra and choir, and ONIRAMA, the fascinating band with the incomparable frontman Thodoris Marantinis. In this surprise joint appearance, the two will perform their much-loved Christmas songs – and other signature tunes – as well as international hits that are associated with this most magical time of the year, in new sensational covers.
The educational music project for social integration El Sistema Greece offers free music education to children and young people, aiming to build a community around music, with no restrictions or discriminations. SNFCC has been supporting El Sistame Greece since its beginnings, and has repeatedly hosted its students, who come from more than 25 different countries, allowing them to participate in high-level concerts and acquire valuable musical experiences.
Authentic, modern and full of positive energy, ONIRAMA stand out for their stimulating live show and timeless hits that have established them as one of the most successful and long-lasting bands in Greece and Cyprus. Unpredictable as ever, the band has made headlines with its imaginative collaborations with popular artists, such as Haris Alexiou, Lavrentis Machairitsas, Dionysis Savvopoulos, Dimitra Galani, Locomondo, George and Nikos Stratakis, Solmeister, et al., which are included in their long-awaited 21-year anniversary album.
Credits: MC: Dimitris Kouroubalis
Music Director: José Ángel Salazar Marín
Performers: ONIRAMA El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra El Sistema Greece Youth Choir (Musical Training: Vagia Papagiannopoulou)
Wednesday 01/12 | 19.00 Agora
Free entrance at a first come-first served basis. No preregistration required.
Maximum number of participants: 4250
Useful Information:
Access information:
The use of the mask is mandatory throughout the event.
Due to public health measures, there may be changes regarding either the staging of the event, or the maximum number of participants.
During the event, access to the other outdoor areas of the SNFCC, including Stavros Niarchos Park, which hosts the festive lighting installations, will remain free.