Opening Ceremony – Closing Ceremony

Opening Ceremony – Closing Ceremony:

Lights, Camera, Action!!! The preparations for the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 are underway and everybody speaks about an Event where national pride will rise, since we are hosts of these remarkable Games organized for people with intellectual disabilities. The 7.500 Athletes from 185 countries that will march in the packed Panathenaic Stadium on June 25th and in the Panathenaic Stadium on July 4th , will shout to the whole world:

“Let me win! But if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt”.

Fokas Evangelinos and his creative team was awarded the main concept of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies by winning the open contest organized by the Organizing Committee for the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011.

Fokas Evangelinos’ creative team consists from the composer Stefanos Korkolis, production designer Ilias Ledakis, costume designer Elli Papageorgakopoulou and copyrighter Theodore Grigoriadis. Furthermore, production consultants for the Ceremonies are Simon Graveling and Andrew Walsh, whose experience creating many of the world's most memorable events includes the 2004 Olympic Games here in Athens. Fokas’ team is a mix of artists with international impact and with extensive professional experience in the organization of mega events.

BIOGRAPHY:

ELIAS LEDAKIS
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Art Director - Set Designer

www.blonde.gr

During his 17 years of professional experience counts over 100 art directions for theatres, events, TV and LIVE shows. He always goes bigger and better including mega stage for Eurovision Song Contest 2006, which is being referred in international bibliography as case study of stage design (STAGE DESIGN – publisher Daab GMBH – GERMANY).
Following an international call for tender, he was appointed as the Production Designer, for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the SPECIAL OLYMPICS- Athens 2011.

ELLIE PAPAGEORGACOPOULOU

She was born in Athens in1966.
She attended Fine Arts School of Salonica and Drama School of the National Theatre.
As from 1996 she collaborated with very important theatre directors, making stage-design and costumes, for the Free Theatre and Organizations such as National Theatre,
Greek National Opera, Athens Concert Hall and Municipal and Regional Theatres.
She also made costumes for an Opera in Italy and some theatres in England.
She worked for the cinema with prized directors and in publicity for TV.
She has also arranged Concert Stages for well-known singers and made set design and costumes in awards of Salonica International Festival.
As for great events of International Level she designed and created the Costumes of Olympic Games Ending Celebration, Athens 2004 and of the 51st Eurovision Competition, Athens 2006.