The Athens State Orchestra Christmas Gala

The Athens State Orchestra Christmas Gala is an annual orchestral concert series presented in late December at the Christos Lambrakis Hall of the Megaron Athens Concert Hall. Greece’s oldest orchestra, the Athens State Orchestra descends from the Athens Conservatory’s symphony orchestra of the late nineteenth century and was formally established on 28 February 1943. The gala has held its late-December date across editions: George Petrou conducted the 2018 gala, Anastasios Symeonidis the 2019, and Byron Fidetzis the 2022.

The 2025 edition, titled Around the World in 80 (and a Few) Minutes, was given on 29 and 30 December, conducted by Alexandros Myrat. The programme drew from Gershwin’s Variations on “I Got Rhythm”, works by Skalkottas, Shostakovich’s second waltz, John Williams’s Viktor’s Tale, Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso, Morricone, and Villa-Lobos. Five soloists performed, among them the clarinettist Spyros Mourikis, the soprano Dimitra Kotidou, and the pianist Charalambos Angelopoulos.