ATHENS: For visitors to Athens, the ancient Odeon of Herod Atticus is the must-see theater at the foot of the Acropolis. Artists revere it for the majestic stage where legends have performed. And for the Greek capital鈥檚 residents it is the touchstone of their summer cultural calendar.

The Odeon of Herod Atticus recently opened the 70th season of the annual Athens Epidaurus Festival, a cherished annual tradition for many Greeks. But this edition marks the last before the theater that鈥檚 more than 18 centuries old shuts down for maintenance and restoration work that is expected to last at least three years.

While theater and dance grace its stage, music is its cornerstone. Renowned artists who have performed here include Luciano Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Coldplay, and Greece鈥檚 own Maria Callas.

Its closure will be a profound loss for spectators who have long enjoyed first-class performances under the stars in one of the world鈥檚 most iconic open-air theaters.

鈥淲hen (people) think of the Athens cultural scene, everyone thinks of the festival and Herodion,鈥� said Katerina Evangelatos, the festival鈥檚 artistic director since 2019, calling the theater by its commonly used Greek name. 鈥淚t has become a synonym of the festival. It is the heart of the festival.鈥�