Exhibition opening: – Kolymbari “Renato Mordo. Jew, Greek and German. The life of an artist in the age of extremes” – Kolymbari 19th November

The opening of the Photographic Exhibition for Renato Mordo, the first director of the National Opera of Greece, will take place at the premises of the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAK), Kolymbari.

WHEN: 19th November 18.00
The Exhibition will be hosted at the OAK until the middle of January 2023 .
WHERE: Orthodox Academy Kolymbari
Entrance: free

For more information, you can contact the Exhibition Manager Aikaterini Karkala, Scientific Associate of the OAK: 2824022245 or E-mail: oac@oac.gr.
The Exhibition is held in collaboration with the Municipality of Platanias and the Jewish Synagogue of Chania “Etz Hayim”, while other parallel events around Renato Mordo will be announced.

About Renato Mordo:

Renato Mordo, of Jewish origin from Smyrna and Corfu, was born in Vienna in 1894. His father’s Greek nationality (citizenship) helped him throughout his turbulent life, especially when is forced to leave Germany, due to the Nazi threat. after studying at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts Arts of Vienna, and important positions in the field of Music and Theatre.

In Prague (1932) he became the Director of the German Theatre and Professor at the University. He met Manolis Kalomoiris, who recommended him for the position of director of the Athens Opera House. With the invasion of the Nazi troops in Greece, he was arrested in 1944 and imprisoned in Haidari, with the intention of being sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp. He was released from prison in 1944 and transformed his experience into the play “Chaidari”. Returning to Germany, he took over the Artistic Directorship of the Opera at the Municipal Theatre of Mainz. He died on 5th November 1955.

The Exhibition is of particular importance for the local community of Crete, that suffered during the German Occupation as we observe in Renato Mordo’s face the same anxiety and fear of persecution, imprisonment and destruction of the Cretans.

The Exhibition is held in collaboration with the Municipality of Platanias and the Jewish Synagogue of Chania “Etz Hayim”, while other parallel events around Renato Mordo will be announced.

Source: OAC