Innovative Performance for Return of Parthenon Marbles

An innovative demonstration in the form of a performance took place at the British Museum the previous weekend, entertaining many visitors who happened to be there. The internationally famous soprano Sonia Theodoridou together with six more Greek women entered the museum playing the role of the Caryatid statues who were looking for their missing sister.

Dressed in white to resemble the statues, the six beautiful Greek artists drew the attention of tourists and visitors who were wondering what was going on. The women, followed by the famous conductor Theodoros Orfanidis and the composer Pandelis Pavlidis, walked in the room, where the Parthenon Marbles are exhibited and searched for their sister, the missing Caryatid. When they finally found her, they were extremely moved.

Sonia Orfanidou stated “ Me and my husband Theodoros Orfanidis have organized the project “Beautiful Greece” since 2010 to attract people’s attention and reverse the negative attitude they hold towards Greece. We are artists, not politicians. We don’t have great power but what we did in the British museum proved that we can do something big. I will never forget what I saw when we entered the museum, the crowd’s silence, the thousands of people who made space for us to walk through.”

Afterwards, the Greek team filled Hyde Park with flags asking the British “to return the Caryatid back to its homeland.”

Meanwhile, a short yet meaningful musical-theatrical performance was presented outside Hagia Sofia in London on Whit day, aiming to raise people’s awareness of the Parthenon Marbles’ return. The performance was directed by Elda Panopoulou and the music was composed by Pandelis Pavlidis.

Although the performance was welcomed by the people, the organizers faced some difficulties as the church failed to provide electricity and adequate space for the performance.