Live at the Acropolis

Performance

This was Yanni's first live album and utilizes the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra under the supervision of conductor Shahrdad Rohani, in addition to his core band. Yanni said, Ever since I left Greece more than two decades ago, it has been my dream to return and perform at the Acropolis. This project took more than a year and a half to plan and accomplish, and I would like to thank my band and crew, and the scores of people involved in helping my dream become a reality.

In a 2004 interview, drummer Charlie Adams was asked to point out which shows stood out in his mind in the last 25+ years of working with Yanni. Adams replied, "Obviously the most exciting one for me was Live at the Acropolis. Playing in front of over 10,000 people every night, right below the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The thing that made it so exciting was it was the first time for Yanni to be playing at home in front of his fellow Greek citizens it made you feel warm in the heart for him. Also, I was playing a drum solo in front of a majority of people who did not speak English yet responded to my drums, I really felt that the drums communicated with them, you know. Like drumming and music is in fact an international language. A great experience that will stay with me the rest of my life."

Similarly, keyboardist Bradley Joseph recounts, "When I reflect back over the years, one of the high points that stand out include performing at the Acropolis with Yanni. Imagine all these different cultures coming together with the challenges of language, equipment, travel, and weather problems. I still picture the police running their dogs through the dressing rooms to sniff out any bomb possibilities right before the show. People still come up to me and comment how that show has affected their lives."

From this appearance and others with Yanni, violinist Karen Briggs gained the title "The Lady in Red".

Critical reception

Reviewing for AllMusic, Jonathan Widran writes, "It's no surprise that Yanni is most identified with this amazingly powerful experience (also presented as one of PBS's most popular concerts ever), because it seems like the musical project he was most destined to make. After making millions stateside, he returns to the historic ancient Acropolis of his Greek homeland to share his sweeping music with his countrymen. One of the most impressive aspects of Yanni in this live setting is the way his beautiful piano passages blend with the occasional boom of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Shardad Rohani)."

Conversely, Robert Christgau gave the soundtrack album a "D+" grade in his consumer guide for The Village Voice, and called the performance "Affluent spirituality cum cornball romanticism from a florid New Age keyboard maestro" with little to say.

Album

This album peaked at #1 on "Billboard's "Top New Age Albums" chart and at #5 on the "Billboard 200" chart in the same year.

RIAA certification

Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Gold and Platinum database entries:

Film

The film version of Live at the Acropolis, released in 1994, was broadcast throughout the U.S. on public television and was one of the top fundraising subjects for PBS. It was seen in 65 countries by half a billion people, and has almost continuously remained on the charts since its release. It is also the second best-selling music video of all time, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide.

The video production received an Emmy nomination in 1994 for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries or a Special". This accomplishment was credited to Dietrich Juengling, Lee Rose (lighting designer), Richard Ocean (lighting director/designer), and David 'Gurn' Kaniski (lighting director/designer).

Katie Tamms of AllMovie writes, "Before a sold-out crowd on September 24, 1993, new age musical artist Yanni, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, performed the first of three historic concerts at the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Himself a native of Kalamata, Greece, Yanni had returned to perform in his homeland after more than 20 years in America. This video production, headed by award-winning director George Veras, includes a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the live video, as well as backstage interviews with Yanni and some of his musical entourage." The video was released on DVD in 1999 by Windham Hill Records.

Track listing

1. "Santorini"
2. "Until the Last Moment"
3. "Keys to Imagination"
4. "The Rain Must Fall"
5. "Felitsa"
6. "Within Attraction"
7. "One Man's Dream"
8. "Marching Season"
9. "Nostalgia"
10. "Acroyali/Standing in Motion (Medley)"
11. "Aria"
12. "Reflections of Passion"
13. "Swept Away"
14. "The End of August"

RIAA certification

Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) Gold and Platinum database entries:

Personnel

Band

Production