For one more year, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) puts on its holiday clothes and presents a rich program that, as always, has something special for everyone.
The Ice Rink on the Canal, the Lighting Installations in Stavros Niarchos Park, the towering decorated fir trees in the Agora and the illuminated plane trees along the Canal, the Dancing Fountains, the great celebration of December 1st and the always spectacular New Year's Eve are just a few of the experiences that have now become a tradition for thousands of visitors, highlighting the SNFCC as a favorite Christmas destination.
The SNFCC Christmas World comes to life with the donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). All actions and events take place either with free entry or with a very affordable ticket.
The Holiday Lights Are On
On Thursday, December 1st at 19:00, the SNFCC Christmas World comes alive through a glittering celebration hosted by actress Nadia Kontogeorgis. The spaces are dressed with thousands of lanterns, the lighting installations transform the Stavros Niarchos Park into a dreamy setting, the illuminated fir trees dominate the Agora and the festive light pierces every corner with the music traveling with it.
The SNFCC Ice Rink opens its doors and waits for the skaters to dance on the ice. The Fountains dance in the Canal full of color and imagination, while Santa Claus waits to welcome each child individually with colorful balloons.
The appointment is given at the Agora where, initially, the Children's Choir of the National Opera sings festive tunes. Then the American conductor, composer and director of the Young People's Chorus of New York City, Francisco J. Núñez, together with the Chóres of Marina Satti, accompanied by eight male voices and musicians, invite all visitors to sing with them favorite Greek and foreign songs – Christmas and non-Christmas – creating a great festive choir.
This is a special participatory concert (sing-along), which takes place in collaboration with the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York, as part of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation-Lincoln Center Agora Initiative, a partnership to redefine public space in from the Twin Agoras at SNFCC and Lincoln Center. The event will be broadcast live (live streaming) in the lobby of David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, but also on the SNFCC website (snfcc.org, as well as on its Facebook page @SNFCC and its YouTube channel).
The December 1 celebration will also be broadcast online by ERT2. Entry for the public is free.
Bright Pole of Attraction
And this year at Christmas, Stavros Niarchos Park is transformed into a bright attraction. Large-scale lighting installations, visible from a distance, intended for exhibition in a public space, converse dynamically with Stavros Niarchos Park and offer the visitor a unique, impressive experience.
Visitors will have the opportunity to wander around different parts of the Park – the Pine Tree, the Clearing House, the Dome, the Water Jets and the Planted Houses – interact with the lighting installations, take photos with their loved ones and be enchanted by the light .
More specifically, in Xefoto, Jonas Vorwerk's Light Holders create a landscape of light and sound as a tribute to the studios where the music of the 1950s and 1960s was born. Halo by Venividimultiplex (Joost van Bergen, Dirk Schlebusch and Onne Walsmit) shines like a different sun over the Water Jets. In Pefkona, Light Piano 2.0 by Mark Ridder and Arion De Munck is waiting for the audience to compose the most beautiful audio-visual melody. In the Vault, Squidsoup's Submergence project transforms the space into a hybrid environment where the virtual and physical worlds coincide.
Finally, a stop at Planted Houses reveals to the public Pompi/Pompe by Giorgos Nikas and Elenis Maragakis, the Greek participation chosen through an open call. The lighting installations will operate daily from December 1st until January 8th, from 5:00 PM until the closing of Stavros Niarchos Park. The entrance is free.
Ice rink in Kanali
From the 1st of December, the SNFCC Ice Rink is emerging again in the Channel. Skaters can dance on the ice to Christmas tunes, but even those who don't know how to skate have the opportunity to learn in a magical setting.
Visitors meet the Rink at the same point, on the north bank of the Canal, at the height of the Visitor Centre, where they can enjoy the illuminated spectacle of the Canal and the Choreographed Fountains while spinning on their ice skates.
This year, however, the beloved Christmas institution returns with a major change. As part of SNFCC's environmental sustainability strategy, the Rink facility uses synthetic ice, which has zero energy consumption while offering exactly the same beloved experience to all aspiring skaters.
The ice rink will be open daily from December 1st to January 31st, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., weather permitting. Entry to the ice rink is free, with online pre-registration here.
Fireworks and Christmas Stories
From December 1, when the SNFCC is illuminated, to New Year's Eve with the spectacular fireworks show and the big party in the Agora, many surprises await you!
As every year during the Christmas season, Christmas Stories come to life in Faro. "Heavenly Celeste's Suitcase", the new work of the multi-awarded author Vangelis Hatzigiannidis, written especially for the SNFCC, comes on December 23rd for twelve performances, directed by Sofia Vgenopoulos with Elena Topalidou in the title role.
Music events
The SNFCC Christmas World could not be without music, which will flood the Stavros Niarchos Hall. Alexia and the intercultural symphony orchestra of El Sistema Greece will welcome the audience with Christmas songs from the cinema (19/12), while the ERT Contemporary Music Orchestra will give a special concert with the most popular songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals (26/12) and performers Vasiliki Karagianni, Vasia Zacharopoulou and Vassilis Kavaia. The festive season will be closed in the Agora with a concert-tribute to David Bowie (08/01) by the Heroes tribute band.
New Year's Eve at SNFCC
As every year on December 31, the SNFCC Christmas World reaches its peak of brilliance. The famous SNFCC New Year's Eve, now established as the New Year's rendezvous for thousands of visitors of all ages, has it all: skating at the Ice Rink until late, spectacular fireworks, a concert by Jerome Kaluta with his Big Band, a DJ set with the Italian Beppe Loda and, of course, the first road race of the year, the SNF RUN: 2023 FIRST RUN of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), which takes place in collaboration with AMKE "Regeneration & Progress", under the scientific supervision of Sports Excellence/A' Orthopedics EKPA Surgical Clinic. Registration for the race opens on December 1st.
Children and Family Workshops
The SNFCC Christmas World also hosts workshops for children and games for the whole family. Dancing with a led hula hoop, an improvised percussion orchestra, wishes on crepes with chocolate praline (!), a treasure hunt in Xefoto and, of course, like every year, photos with Santa Claus are just a few of the Christmas experiences that await little ones and adults.
At the end of December, the new permanent installation of the SNFCC, the 9-meter high Climbing Wall, is inaugurated, for fans of the sport, but also for those who want to try the experience for the first time.
360° Christmas Pop-Up Bar
From December 23rd until January 8th, from 17:00 to 23:00, as part of Christmas World, the Lighthouse Porch is transformed into the 360° Christmas Pop-Up Bar, the ultimate Christmas meeting point for its visitors SNFCC.
With a panoramic view of the SNFCC and the lighting installations of Stavros Niarchos Park, this is an impressive pop up bar, specially designed for the holidays by architect and set designer Elina Loukou. Well-known DJs and a long list of cocktails complete the experience.
At the same time, guests will have the opportunity to try musky Christmas cookies and cupcakes, delicious cinnamon rolls and panettone, crepes and waffles, hot chocolate and wine, soups and many other festive delicacies at the SNFCC catering points, while the SNFCC Store also offers this year many special gifts.
Members of SNFCC Connecting People and Experiences
And this December the creative community of SNFCC Members is celebrating and enjoying unique privileges. Members will have the opportunity to take a guided tour of the lighting installations of the Christmas World and participate in the unique dine & jazz evening at Delta Restaurant, awarded with two Michelin stars and a Michelin Green Star for Sustainable Gastronomy, with a menu by chefs Thanos Fescos and George Papazacharias , under the Christmas melodies of the jazz duo of Yiannis Cassetas (saxophone) and Apostolos Leventopoulos (guitar).
Also, the Members' Film Club in collaboration with Cinobo will screen Jacques Demy's classic film The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. In the month's workshops, members create animated Odd Bleat cards, draw fluffy hugs, take home a small tree for the New Year and, together with the ELLS, learn "Hoffman's Tales".
Members also continue the guided tours of the Delta Restaurant and go outside the Walls to meet the artists who exhibit their works in the restaurant. However, the member benefits are topped with many other surprises. More information on the SNFCC Membership Program can be found here here.
More information as well as the detailed program of the SNFCC Christmas World can be found at web page and on the SNFCC social media pages.
Source: a8inea.com