Julie Ziavras will perform for the ceremony to celebrate of the opening of the Spartan Museum at this beautiful outdoor ancient style amphitheater The Alexander the Great Theater located at the main campus of the University of Connecticut. Afterwards she will perform Greek songs for the fundraising dinner dance reception held by the Pan-Laconian Federation at the neighboring Center for Hellenic Studies “Paideia” at the University of Connecticut. She will accompany herself on guitar, joined by Kostas Psarros, bouzouki and Spiros Cardamis, keyboards. The event is open to the public.

Julie’s musical presentation for the ceremony will include works by the prominent Spartan composer Alekos Panayiotopoulos and a song written to the poetry of the great Spartan poet Nikiforos Vrettakos. The performance will take place at the Alexander the Great Theater, an all marble Classical styled outdoor amphitheatre that was recently completed with seats for over 700 spectators. It is the first authentic classical styled open air theater in America and is a depiction of the Ancient Greek theater of Epidavros with the orchestra, a two-story stage and a colonnade. The event will be attended by the archbishop and many dignitaries from Greece.

For the grand banquet dinner hosted by the Pan-Laconian Federation, Julie will be joined by Spiros Cardamis on keyboard and Kostas Psarros, bouzouki presenting Greek music from the region. The dinner is a $50 donation. This event is a fundraiser for the continuation of the building and development of the museum. All donations are tax deductable.

The new Spartan Museum will emphasize the history and contributions of the Spartans and greater Laconian Region. It will feature a valuable collection of paintings, a newly commissioned statue of Leonidas and a sculpture depicting the Battle of Thermopolae.

This tremendous undertaking was made possible by the vision and volunteer efforts of Professors Ilias Tomazos, Director of Hellenic Studies, Paideia and Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos at UConn, on the board of Paideia, with the help of the Pan Laconian Federation and with the generous donors from the Greek community.

The Hellenic Society “Paideia” is a non profit organization dedicated to educating students of all ages about the Hellenic Language and Culture. “Paideia” is the Greek word incorporating all the ideals of Classical Greece; education, instruction, discipline, culture, ideas, and citizenship. The “Paideia” Center features the Macedonia Educational Building, the Three Hieratchs Chapel and the Alexander the Great Theatre. The Macedonia Educational Building was opened in 1997 and includes multiple classrooms, several offices, student meeting rooms, a community hall, a library and an exhibit hall. The curriculum offers Greek language, culture and history with courses on Modern and Ancient Greek and Byzantine Language, History, Dance, Culinary Arts and study abroad programs to various locations in Greece throughout the year. Visit:www.www.paideiausa.org. Call Paideia at 860-429-8518.

Opened in 1995, the Three Hieratchs Chapel is the first and only Greek Orthodox Chapel inside an American State University and is built in authentic Byzantine order with its interior done by iconographers and mosaic artists from Greece.