Due to its excellent acoustics and condition, the ancient theater is still used today, most notably under the framework of the annual Epidaurus … The festival celebrates Greek history and plays that are over 2,500 years old. The theatre was designed by Polykleitos the Younger in the 4th century B.C., a period that saw construction of many of the Sanctuary’s buildings. Their goal was to create mental uplift as a means of healing for the people, who very much emphasized the importance of mental health, as a result of the combination of a healthy body and a healthy mind. The theatre, which could hold 12,000 to 14,000 people, is noted to this day for its almost perfect acoustics … The Theatre at Epidaurus Including its Acoustics The Theatre at Epidaurus is recognised as the finest example of an ancient Greek theatre and the meticulous attention that was paid to its design and construction delivered acoustics … Some of the most famous and prestigious Greek movie stars have played in Epidaurus over the years, such as Melina Mercouri, Katina Paxinou, Alekos Alexandrakis, Manos Katrakis, Anna Synodinou, Kostas Kazakos, and of course the “national Greek star” Aliki Vougiouklaki. Since 1988, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, along with all findings in the archaeological site of the sanctuary of Asclepius, have been added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO due to their significant influence and value to the world’s cultures and arts. With the additional rows, it can seat around 14,000 people. It is regarded as the best-preserved theatre in Greece and famous for its exemplary acoustics. The first 34 rows are original, excavated at the end of the nineteenth century. If you liked this article, you might also enjoy our new popular podcast, The BrainFood Show (iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Music, Feed), as well as: Your email address will not be published. They found that the acoustics are more or less the same in both seasons. The theatre structure. The research adds that, “as the ancient Greeks were placing the last few stones on the magnificent theatre at Epidaurus, they couldn’t have known that they had unwittingly created a sophisticated acoustic filter. The corrugated surface of the seats was creating an effect similar to the ridged acoustics padding on walls or insulation in a parking garage.”, Leader of the study, professor Nico Declercq, explained that the audience could hear the lower frequencies of an actor’s voice “simply because the human brain is capable of reconstructing the missing frequencies through a phenomenon called virtual pitch.”, “Virtual pitch helps us appreciate the incomplete sound coming from small loudspeakers (in a laptop or a telephone), even though the low (bass) frequencies are not generated by a speaker.”. Because of this, the listeners experienced a phenomenon called “virtual pitch” in which they filled in the missing tone themselves. “ The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is the most perfect theatre in the world in terms of aesthetics and acoustics, ” stated the University of Patras in its most recent study. Set against a backdrop of lush landscape, the theatre of Epidaurus is marvelled for its exceptional acoustics. Acoustic diffraction effects at the Hellenistic amphitheater of Epidaurus: Seat rows responsible for the marvelous acoustics Nico F. Declercqa and Cindy S. A. Dekeyser Georgia Institute of Technology, … “The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is the most perfect theatre in the world in terms of aesthetics and acoustics,” stated the University of Patras in its most recent study. Even in the first century B.C., architects like Rome’s Vitruvius were scratching their heads about it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Great Theatre of Epidaurus: Amazing acoustics - See 2,468 traveler reviews, 1,944 candid photos, and great deals for Epidavros, Greece, at Tripadvisor. In 1881, the Archaeological Society started to excavate the area and found the theatre relatively well-preserved. As suspected, the architecture of the auditorium allows the sound to be carried from the stage to viewers sitting in the very back row. By the rules of mathematics and the method of music, they sought to make the voices from the stage rise more clearly and sweetly to the spectators’ ears… by the arrangement of theatres in accordance with the science of harmony, the ancients increased the power of the voice. The auditorium was carved into the side of Mount Kynortio at an incline of 26 degrees. That same year, it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first systematic excavation in the theatre began in 1881 by the Archaeological Society of Greece, and it took several years to complete, since the whole area of the hill was densely wooded and inaccessible. The choice of location was a crucial element and, in addition to aesthetic enjoyment, it allowed the viewer not only to admire the natural environment, but it also was meant to serve worship or therapeutic purposes. A study by the Georgia Institute of Technology makes the observation that “the elusive factor that makes the ancient amphitheatre an acoustic marvel, is not the slope, or the wind — it’s the seats.”. The construction of the theatre was completed in two main construction phases and its capacity was initially for 13,000 – 14,000 people, making it the largest theatre at the time. The way the medical centre at the Sanctuary worked was ailing patients would spend a night in a big sleeping hall called, Despite seeing so much prosperity in the 4. The awe that someone feels once they enter the theatre is remarkable. The Theatre of Epidaurus has a 20-meter wide circular orchestra, 55 rows and a seating capacity of up to 14,000 people. A team of six professors from the University of Patras conducted extensive research on the ancient theatre and concluded that “the measurements confirm the theatre’s excellent acoustics and speech intelligibility, for all the typical listener positions tested.”. Its symmetry and … The theatre of Epidaurus is considered the most perfect theatral structure of antiquity, thanks to the harmony of its proportions, the symmetry of its parts and its exceptional acoustics. There is another significant factor, however: the seats themselves. The ancient theatre of Epidaurus was designed by Polykleitos the Youngerin the 4th century BC. Musical and dramatic competitions were held in the monument, as part of the cult of Asclepius. The theatre remained in use for nearly 1000 years. And yes, the acoustics of the theatre seem to work just as well as they did when it was first built. Whisper it – Greek theatre's legendary acoustics are a myth Tour guides may tell you that a pin dropping can be heard in every seat of the ancient theatre of Epidaurus – but scientists disagree … The Theatre is famous of its perfect acoustics where even the slightest sound like the dropping of a pin, or a heavy breath can be heard clearly by spectators in the top rows of seats. According to Greek traveller and geographer, Pausanias however, the story of the Epidaurus Theatre stars long before that during the 4th century BC. It is only in as recent as 2007 the scientists claimed to have solved the mystery of this perfect acoustics of the … The study showed that in whichever seat someone sits within the theatre, either at the very front or at the last seat at the top of the theatre hill, they will be able to clearly hear the actors speak – who of course, never use microphones or any kind of sound boost equipment during plays. Nowadays, the ancient theatre is beautifully conserved and offers great acoustics.It is still used during the Athens Summer Festival. As Asklepios’ following grew, so too did the town. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is the crown of cultural activity in Greece during the summer months and remains to this day one of the most important and globally recognizable monuments of antiquity. Pausanias visited the Epidaurus Theatre in the mid-2nd century AD, that is to say at least four … I had to go and get the mic to do a recording (video below)… The ancient theatre of Epidauvrus … Due to its excellent acoustics and condition, this ancient theater … The difficulty in achieving audibility to an audience of thousands, disposed around three-fifths … Not only that, but it would also filter the lower frequencies of actors’ voices. Typical of theatres built in the Hellenistic period, the Epidaurus Theatre has a tripartite structure, meaning it has an orchestra, auditorium, and stage building. Originally, the Theatre … The discovery of the theatre coincided with—or perhaps caused—a resurgence of ancient drama. The architecture of the Epidaurus Theatre is not much different to that of most ancient Greek theatres, which are seen today as characteristic creations of Ancient Greek art. 2020-11-15. Earlier in 2020, Epidaurus was also praised by global media as the town that “beat COVID-19” since it reported zero cases of the novel coronavirus, and thus it continues every day to leave its significant mark on the world map, for a plethora of reasons. The amazing sound produced in the theatre has been the subject of speculation for some time. Foreign directors of international acclaim, like American Robert Wilson and Belgian comedy-tragedy movie maker Ivo Van Hove have said that creating plays for the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus was a “life goal”. Later, with the First and Second World Wars, all plans for the restoration of the theatre were cancelled, and it was not until the early 1950s that the Epidaurus Theatre came to life again. As is usual for Greek theatres (and as opposed to Roma… Theatre of Epidaurus. It wasn’t until 426 A.D. that Theodosius the Great banned all activities at the Sanctuary, which saw the theatre fall into disrepair. But perhaps the best-known method of worshiping the healer god was at the theatre. The theatre of Epidaurus (Greece) is one of the best preserved ancient theatres, dating back to 4th century B.C, and is world famous for its exceptional acoustics. The blue curves show the direct and reflected waves at successive time instances indicated by the red dotted lines. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus For most visitors, the main attraction in the archaeological site is the ancient theatre of Epidaurus. by Paulina Karavasili. However, another 21 rows were added at the top, probably during Roman times. The theater, dating to the 4th century B.C. The famous ancient theatre of Epidaurus was constructed in the late 4th century BC, around the time when Athens was flourishing in art, philosophy, science, and of course theatre, and can seat more than 12,000 spectators. Epidaurus, Greece was a small, unassuming city in ancient times, best known for being the supposed birth place of Apollo’s son, Asklepios the healer. There, temples, baths, and athletic facilities were constructed as a means of worshiping Asklepios. In 1955, the Greek government founded the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, which takes place every summer. Theatre - Theatre - Acoustics: Much recent study has centred on the problem of acoustics in the ancient theatre. 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