“I was in this world, but I was not
of this world”
HYPATIA
A theatrical experience beneath
the stars of the Attic sky.
Within the historic grounds of the National Observatory of Athens,
on the Hill of the Nymphs,
HYPATIA: Cartography of
Memory receives its world
premiere.
Written and performed by Marianna Lampiri and directed by Dimitris Komninos, the production will be presented for six performances, from 8 to 13 July 2026, with performances beginning at 9:30 p.m.
About Hypatia
Astronomer.
Philosopher.
Mathematician.
Teacher.
Astronomer, philosopher, mathematician and teacher, Hypatia of Alexandria was one of the most remarkable intellectual figures of Late Antiquity and among the last great representatives of the Hellenic tradition in Alexandria.
At a time when philosophy and public scholarship were almost exclusively the domain of men, Hypatia stood at the heart of Alexandria’s intellectual life. The daughter of the mathematician and astronomer Theon, she became head of the renowned Neoplatonic School of Alexandria, where she taught philosophy, mathematics and astronomy to students of different faiths and social backgrounds. Her reputation spread far beyond the city, reaching throughout the Mediterranean world.
Her brutal murder in AD 415 by a fanatical mob during a period of profound political and religious upheaval transformed her into an enduring symbol of the struggle between knowledge and intolerance.
THE PERFORMANCE
Astronomer.
Philosopher.
Mathematician.
Teacher.
The play unfolds through fourteen theatrical tableaux, each revealing a memory from Hypatia's life. Teachers and students, mathematics and the stars, philosophical inquiry, political conflict and human passion emerge one after another like constellations illuminating the night sky of memory. Marianna Lampiri's poetic text, the original score by Telemachos Mousas, and the Observatory's own celestial setting come together to create a theatrical experience where science meets poetry and history becomes a living encounter. Rather than presenting Hypatia as a distant historical figure, the performance reveals her as a living human presence whose voice speaks directly to our own time.
Said
"After Hypatia, the first complete vision of understanding the world through philosophy, science and art remained suspended for nearly a thousand years."
Dr. Markos Dendrinos
From his book Hypatia (Armos Editions).
"The closer I came to Hypatia, the more I discovered a woman who sought not simply knowledge, but the wisdom that governs all things."
Marianna Lampiri
iWriter and performer
"On the Hill of the Nymphs, where people have observed the heavens for more than two centuries, Hypatia returns to remind us that every great discovery begins with a single observation."
Dimitris Komninos
Director
AFTER THE PERFORMANCE
Guided astronomical observation
Following each performance, audiences are invited to enjoy a guided astronomical observation through the telescope of the National Observatory of Athens.
CREATIVE TEAM
Dr. Markos Dendrinos Professor of History and Philosophy of Science,
University of West Attica
Under the auspices of
Institute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing
International Astronomical Union Office for Astronomy Outreach in Greece
