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In July 2003, English National Ballet visited Athens to take part in the Hellenic Festival - an exhilarating finish to a very busy year. 'Our Man in Athens' Jim Fletcher, Head of Public Affairs, packed his shorts and promised to send an email diary back to London to keep everyone up to date with events under a very hot sun...


Text message: 21 July 2003 13:04:36

 Sent: Tuesday 22 July 2003 3:04pm
We arrived last night and were met by people from the Hellenic Festival Office, the promoter John Iannakis and Koula Galioni from the Ministry of Culture. Following check in, I made my way towards the Herodes Atticus Theatre, hurrying past the snowy white columns of the Parthenon to meet with the PR people to find out about the press conference scheduled for today.

Accompanying us to Athens is Paul Rogers, a photographer from The Times. In countries like Greece the sun is extremely fierce by 9am and so outdoor photography should be done at dawn or dusk. We've planned to work with eight of the dancers from 8am on Wednesday. At 6am this morning Paul and I meet to 'reccie' the suggested site of tomorrow's photocall - Filopappou Hill, with the Acropolis in the background. Paul explains that the sun would be in the 'wrong place', rendering the Acropolis a silhouette, so back to the drawing board. Meanwhile, time to change out of my shorts and get to the press conference!

Pericles Koukos, President of the Hellenic Festival, performs the introductions for the 25 journalists and then he hands over to me. 'Kalemera sas efharisto pou irthate stin sinendefksi tipu' or 'Good day to you and thank you for coming to the press conference', I stutter, causing a murmur of 'oohs' and 'aaahs'! Matz Skoog, Artistic Director, gives a beautiful description of the repertoire we are performing and introduces the dancers and music staff present. The organisers seem thrilled by our performance so far.

We decide to ask if any dancer would be available for a photo shoot that evening and Begoña Cao agrees. The light is a fantastic fusion of pink, peach and mauve as the sun sets behind the hills of Attica. The shots are perfect... modern sleek classical meets ancient classical in the cradle of Western Civilisation.

Because of the intense heat, class takes place at 6pm - what a sight. Dancers are dressed as if for the beach - some in shades, others in bikini tops..

 Sent: Wednesday 23 July 2003 4:48pm
Up again at 5.45am. Very sleepy - zzzzzzz. We have cut down the number of dancers in this morning's photoshoot to try and make life easier - wild creativity with lots of dancers will be impossible due to the fierce light and the need to highlight a major monument. Desirée Ballantyne and Adela Ramirez are real troopers, with Matz directing them. By 9.15am we're all done so we head back to the hotel to see Paul's amazing photos. Time to get out and see a bit of Athens now. It is 31oC as I wander the streets of the ancient Plaka district with all the souvenir shops and souvlaki stands, trying to imagine what it was like before any tourists arrived. I say goodbye to a smiling Paul, promising to meet up in London. He's enjoyed being around the Company and regrets not being able to stay for the performance.

Begona Cao in Athens
Photograph by Paul Rogers ©

 Sent: Thursday 24 July 2003 1:14pm
Wow! 4200 in the audience last night, almost a full house, and the sense of expectation each side of the footlights was electric. The audience were very slow getting to their seats (apparently they have a congestion charge scheme similar to London's which is causing difficulties) and so the show didn't actually start until about 9.20pm. The gentle comedy of Coppélia was welcomed by an eager audience, and laughter punctuated the warm evening air. Principals Elena Glurdjidze and Dmitri Grudzyev gave an amazing performance: Russian classical bravura combined with moments of Ealing Comedy! The whole Company performed with beaming smiles. The promoters were delighted, describing the audience's response as 'an ovation'. Koula Galioni, who has gone out of her way to make this visit successful and enjoyable, says that the staff of the Herodes Atticus theatre, well experienced with working with international artists, have been bowled over by the enthusiasm, joy and professionalism on show among everyone in the Company.

The drama of the day came after the performance when dancer Laura Tong scalded her tummy in a hotter than expected shower. Following a check-up from the doctor, she felt much better and this morning she tells me with a smile that she's fine, and only 'soft boiled'!

 Sent: Friday 25 July 2003 4:38pm
Today everyone disappeared to the beach, a nearby island or the hotel pool. Class and rehearsal began at 6pm so plenty of time to soak up some sun. Wonder what our chances are of a good position in tomorrow's edition of The Times?

 Sent: Saturday 25 July 2003 11:46pm
Tension is tangible today as we approach our big night: the overseas premiere of Hampson's Double Concerto and Mark Morris's Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes, and to end the evening, MacMillan's The Rite of Spring. Lady Macmillan (Sir Kenneth's widow) is attending tonight with their daughter, Charlotte.

I wander across the forecourt to greet the British Ambassador to Greece and his wife, Sir David and Lady Madden. Following introductions to Matz and our chairman, Angela Rippon, we hear the gongs - a curious custom here is to bang three gongs before starting the show - and so it is time to take our seats. Everything is a great success, with hooting and hollering from the audience... they won't let them leave the stage!

I lead Angela, Matz, Ambassador and Lady Madden backstage where they meet and chat with the dancers, musicians and staff and we take a 'family portrait' below the Acropolis in the glorious midnight moonlight - a perfect ending to a wonderful week.

Text message: Saturday 26 July 23:52pm