The Onassis Foundation has invited Charlotte de Witte – the first woman to be named the world’s No.1 alternative DJ by DJ Mag and Beatport – to Greece, to play a unique set, without an in-person audience, at the ancient theater in Messene. The set will be beamed around the world, streamed live on the Onassis Stegi’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

“Thanks to its continued belief in the power of electronic music, in bringing past and present together, and in collaborating with others, the Onassis Foundation is creating a moment that will stand as a landmark for music makers everywhere, with a pioneering hybrid arts event of singular cultural importance for Greece. Building on its collaboration and involvement with the ADD Festival, the Onassis Foundation is turning up the volume once more,” the organizers wrote in a statement.

Above: Charlotte de Witte plays a live-streamed DJ set in Porto in November, 2020.

The head of the restoration program at Ancient Messene, Petros Themelis, frequently seeks to open up the archaeological park to serve as a deeply meaningful setting for the work of contemporary artists. Such events, in a sense, wake the impressively preserved ancient city from its dormancy, bringing it into dialogue with the modern world.

Now with de Witte’s upcoming performance at the ancient marble theater, the aim is to unite electronic music lovers around the world, combining the pulsating energy of the DJ’s beats with the timeless aura of one of Greece’s most moving ancient sites for a streaming event free and open to all.

Dubbed “techno’s next-gen superstar,” Charlotte de Witte is known for her otherworldly energy and her intense beats which have gained her a loyal fanbase including 1.5 million-plus followers on Instagram.

In the normal world, sans pandemic, she thrills clubbers across the globe, from underground venues and parties to the world’s biggest festivals. This time, we might be dancing in physical isolation, but dance we will, and we won’t be alone.

The live streaming will begin on February 25th at 20:00 local time (UTC +2).