Required fields are marked *. Set against a backdrop of lush landscape, the theatre of Epidaurus is marvelled for its exceptional acoustics. Early theories concluded that the wind carried sound to the viewers, or that masks worn by the actors amplified the sound. Originally, the theatre had 34 rows. Along with the … “The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is the most perfect theatre in the world in terms of aesthetics and acoustics.” – the University of Patras. 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 … 21052 ASKLEPIEION OF EPIDAURUS , ARGOLIS , GREECE. But researchers today have now solved the mystery in a more concrete and scientific fashion. As is usual for Greek theatres (and as opposed to Roma… The Amazing Acoustics of the Epidaurus Theatre Today I found out about the amazing acoustics of the ancient Epidaurus Theatre. and arranged in 55 semi-circular rows, … Pausanias visited the Epidaurus Theatre in the mid-2nd century AD, that is to say at least four … : +30 … Basically, the steps acted as “acoustic traps,” filtering out background noise like wind and the movement of people, which is typically under 500 hertz. The auditorium, however, was preserved under a layer of earth. Originally, the Theatre … The auditorium was carved into the side of Mount Kynortio at an incline of 26 degrees. However, another 21 rows were added at the top, probably during Roman times. 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. 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”. 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. 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. The final wave of restoration wasn’t completed until 1988, involving roping off some of the more fragile sections of the theatre and refurbishing some of the seats. 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. In 1955, the Greek government founded the Athens and Epidaurus Festival, which takes place every summer. Due to its excellent acoustics and condition, this ancient theater … The theater, dating to the 4th century B.C. 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. Because of this, the listeners experienced a phenomenon called “virtual pitch” in which they filled in the missing tone themselves. There, temples, baths, and athletic facilities were constructed as a means of worshiping Asklepios. On the theatre, Vitruvius said. The performances can be in modern Greek, Ancient Greek or a mix of both, while there are very limited plays in different languages. Researcher Nico Declercq and others from the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a series of experiments with ultrasonic waves in the theatre. 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. It is built on the west side of Cynortion Mountain, near modern Lygourio, and belongs to the Epidaurus Municipality. Typical of theatres built in the Hellenistic period, the Epidaurus Theatre has a tripartite structure, meaning it has an orchestra, auditorium, and stage building. 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. Location: Ancient Site. Even individuals sitting farthest from the stage—about 60 meters—are able to hear actors without any amplification. The original 34 rows were extended in Roman times by another 21 rows. “While many experts speculated on the possible causes for Epidaurus’ acoustics, few guessed that the seats themselves were the secret of its acoustics success, where audiences in the back row were able to hear music and voices with amazing clarity, unlike any other theatre.”. 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.”. There have been several attempts to recreate the acoustics of the Epidaurus Theatre throughout history, and none have been quite up to par. “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. It is regarded as the best-preserved theatre in Greece and famous for its exemplary 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. In 1881, the Archaeological Society started to excavate the area and found the theatre relatively well-preserved. The seating section is slightly larger than a semicircle, which consists of 55 rows of seats divided into two by a gangway or … Nowadays, the ancient theatre is beautifully conserved and offers great acoustics.It is still used during the Athens Summer Festival. This is understandable, as the acoustics are … 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. The theatre structure. 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. 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 considered to be the most perfect ancient Greek theatre with regard to acoustics and aesthetics. The festival celebrates Greek history and plays that are over 2,500 years old. 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. Residents in the area also donated acres of fields so that a new road could be built to connect the sanctuary in Epidaurus with the first capital of Greece, Nafplio. Musical and dramatic competitions were held in the monument, as part of the cult of Asclepius. With the additional rows, it can seat around 14,000 people. The Great Theatre of Epidaurus: Amazing acoustics - See 2,468 traveler reviews, 1,944 candid photos, and great deals for Epidavros, Greece, at Tripadvisor. As Asklepios’ following grew, so too did the town. Though the design has been mimicked, the seats were usually made out of wood in the copycats, which is probably why the acoustics weren’t as great. Carved into the side of Mount Kynortio, the … 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. 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 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. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus For most visitors, the main attraction in the archaeological site is the ancient theatre of Epidaurus. 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. 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. Tel. The city of Epidaurus itself is equally important, as it has become a popular tourist destinantion over the last few years due to its coastal location and numerous tourist attractions. The Theater of Epidaurus was built in the 4th century BC by Polykleitos the Younger on the slope of Mount Kynortio at an incline of 26 degrees. 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. The discovery of the theatre coincided with—or perhaps caused—a resurgence of ancient drama. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The incredible acoustics of the Epidaurus ancient theater have been a topic of discussion since the beginning of the theater’s life. The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus … It is said that people sitting in the furthest back row can hear the … As early as 1936, plays were being performed at the Epidaurus Theatre, including those by Sophocles and Euripides. It is only in as recent as 2007 the scientists claimed to have solved the mystery of this perfect acoustics of the … 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 blue curves show the direct and reflected waves at successive time instances indicated by the red dotted lines. 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 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. They found that frequencies up to 500 hertz were lowered, while frequencies that were higher remained the same. 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. The prosperity brought by the asclepeion enabled Epidaurus to construct civic monuments, including the huge theatre that delighted Pausanias for its symmetry and beauty, used again today for dramatic performances, the ceremonial hestiatoreion (banqueting hall), and a palaestra. There is another significant factor, however: the seats themselves. Figure 4: Acoustic wave propagation 2D model for the Epidaurus theatre. They found that the acoustics are more or less the same in both seasons. The theatre remained in use for nearly 1000 years. The theatre, which could hold 12,000 to 14,000 people, is noted to this day for its almost perfect acoustics … The difficulty in achieving audibility to an audience of thousands, disposed around three-fifths … The theatre hosts mostly ancient Greek-style plays as well as contemporary adaptions of old plays and some musical events. Perfect Geometry – Ancient designers used precise design for acoustics, necessary for an outdoor theater. The vast majority of ancient theatres are built on the slope of a hill, so that the slope of the ground favours the amphitheatre configuration of the space. Mystery of Acoustics of Epidaurus Theatre Scientists took long to unravel this mystery. However, the theatre was in use long before that. Some time, temples, baths, and athletic facilities were constructed as means. But the cool thing about the amazing acoustics of the theatre 60 meters—are able to hear actors without amplification. Masks worn by the red dotted lines, email, and none have several... 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