Kentridge’s art and Monteverdi’s opera meet in Athens

William Kentridge’s exhibition is listed at Athens’ National Archaeological Museum from 30 October, while the Greek National Opera presents Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo in the artist’s staging. Hungarian visitors travelling to Athens can therefore encounter the same artist at two different institutions, with separate schedules and ticket conditions.

The Imitate the Sleep of Stones exhibition runs until 24 January 2027 according to the museum’s announcement of 14 September. It takes the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice as its starting point. The opera house’s current performance schedule lists the next performance for 1 November at 18:30 local time; the production is also a collaboration with Glyndebourne and New York’s Metropolitan Opera.

The shared artist and subject offer an opportunity to compare theatrical time with museum viewing. Exhibition visitors choose how long to spend with a work, whereas an opera’s rhythm guides the audience. This is a consideration for choosing a programme, not a judgement on works we have personally seen.

For Budapest connections, readers can consult our Gauguin exhibition preview and Marcell Jankovics display report. Before travelling, check institutional opening hours and availability of specific opera seats. We reconciled the older museum announcement’s opera timing with the more recent detailed performance schedule; we assert neither booking availability nor personal attendance.