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. Study shows Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is world’s most perfect in terms of aesthetics and acoustics, 100 years ago on this day in 1920, Greece’s much-loved Melina Mercouri was born, 2020 San Francisco Greek Film Festival: virtual and drive-in event, On this day in 1982: Melina Mercouri tells the world Parthenon Marbles must return to Greece, On this day in 1996, Aliki Vougiouklaki passes away, New graffiti of Melina Mercouri in Patras, Greece announces 2020 will be the ‘Year of Melina Mercouri’. The theater at Epidaurus has been known for centuries as an acoustic marvel that allowed spectators to hear in the back row. The incredible acoustics of the Epidaurus ancient theater have been a topic of discussion since the beginning of the theater’s life. An area known as a Sanctuary developed in an elevated mountain valley, connected to Epidaurus by an ancient road. The natural echo of one’s voice can be heard from one end of the theatre to the other, a phenomenon that has long attracted the admiration of scientists, and even more so due to the fact that the Theatre of Epidaurus was built almost 2,500 years ago – a time when knowledge and technology were much more limited. and arranged in 55 semi-circular rows, … Perfect Geometry – Ancient designers used precise design for acoustics, necessary for an outdoor theater. As early as 1936, plays were being performed at the Epidaurus Theatre, including those by Sophocles and Euripides. It soon attracted attention from across the globe, and there was a call to repair any damages and put the theatre to use. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, Peloponnese: The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is regarded as the best preserved ancient theatre in Greece in terms of its perfect acoustics … Researcher Nico Declercq and others from the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a series of experiments with ultrasonic waves in the theatre. Probably the most beautiful and best preserved of its kind, the theater of Epidaurus was built in the 4th century BC by Polykleitos the Younger. Nowadays, the ancient theatre is beautifully conserved and offers great acoustics.It is still used during the Athens Summer Festival. It is regarded as the best-preserved theatre in Greece and famous for its exemplary acoustics. On the theatre, Vitruvius said. 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. It is considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics. There have been several attempts to recreate the acoustics of the Epidaurus Theatre throughout history, and none have been quite up to par. There, temples, baths, and athletic facilities were constructed as a means of worshiping Asklepios. by Paulina Karavasili. It is built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain, near modern Lygourio, and belongs to the Epidaurus Municipality. The theatre remained in use for nearly 1000 years. 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. “ 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. But researchers today have now solved the mystery in a more concrete and scientific fashion. The participation of the local community in the excavation program for the ancient theatre was equally crucial, as the inhabitants of Lygourio village in Epidaurus, gave up their estates, where the ancient monuments were located, so that the theatre could be resurrected. 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. 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. With the additional rows, it can seat around 14,000 people. 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. 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.”. The performances can be in modern Greek, Ancient Greek or a mix of both, while there are very limited plays in different languages. Way back then, Pausanias praised the ancient theatre for its harmony and beauty, and attributed the creation of the largest dome pavilion theatre of classical antiquity to its architect, Polykleitos, who also designed the whole of Asclepius sanctuary. 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 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 medical centre became one of the most well-known in the classical world, attracting sick people from all over the known world who hoped to be cured by the healer god. It is only in as recent as 2007 the scientists claimed to have solved the mystery of this perfect acoustics of the … The original 34 rows were extended in Roman times by another 21 rows. Epidaurus, Greece was a small, unassuming city in … It wasn’t until 426 A.D. that Theodosius the Great banned all activities at the Sanctuary, which saw the theatre fall into disrepair. Sound is carried easily due to the specific slope of the rows. The ancient theatre of Epidaurus was designed by Polykleitos the Youngerin the 4th century BC. Basically, the steps acted as “acoustic traps,” filtering out background noise like wind and the movement of people, which is typically under 500 hertz. 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. Its symmetry and … 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. However, another 21 rows were added at the top, probably during Roman times. Musical and dramatic competitions were held in the monument, as part of the cult of Asclepius. The Epidaurus Ancient Theatre owes its excellent acoustics to its geometrically perfect design. Designed by the architect Polykleitos the Younger during the fourth century BC, the ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is one of the best-kept amphitheatres in Greece. : +30 … The result is a higher clarity of sound, which makes it easier for the people in the back row to hear what’s happening up front. Early theories concluded that the wind carried sound to the viewers, or that masks worn by the actors amplified the sound. The Amazing Acoustics of the Epidaurus Theatre Today I found out about the amazing acoustics of the ancient Epidaurus Theatre. 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 … 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, … Georgia Tech experimented with ultrasonic waves and numerical simulations at the Epidaurus Theatre several times between 2013 and 2019, and discovered that “frequencies up to 500 Hz were held back while frequencies above 500 Hz were allowed to ring out. 21052 ASKLEPIEION OF EPIDAURUS , ARGOLIS , GREECE. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus … 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. However, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is still considered to this day the best-preserved theatre of antiquity. Further, it’s thought now that the corrugation in the stone seats of Epidaurus is the reason for the acoustic trapping, which means it would be difficult to replicate. 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 theater, dating to the 4th century B.C. Today I found out about the amazing acoustics of the ancient Epidaurus Theatre. In 1881, the Archaeological Society started to excavate the area and found the theatre relatively well-preserved. Set against a backdrop of lush landscape, the theatre of Epidaurus is marvelled for its exceptional acoustics. The seating section is slightly larger than a semicircle, which consists of 55 rows of seats divided into two by a gangway or … In 1955, the Greek government founded the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, which takes place every summer. Healer god was at the theatre coincided with—or perhaps caused—a resurgence of ancient drama the ancient theatre of.... 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