Yannis Houvardas is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (1975). He has also studied direction at the Württemberg State Theatre in Germany next to directors Hansgünther Heyme and Günter Krämer (1979). As a joint founder of Theatriki Syntechnia (1977-80), he both acted and directed, visiting many festivals in Greece and abroad. From 1977 to 1991, he staged more than 30 plays at national and state theatres in Greece and abroad, such as the National Theatre of Greece, the State Theatre of Northern Greece, the Athens & Epidaurus Festival, LaMama E.T.C. in New York, the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Sweden, Theater Tri-bühne in Stuttgart, the National Theatre of Norway, the Norwegian Theatre in Oslo, and the Stockholm City Theatre.
In 1991, he founded the pioneering Notos Theatre Company, which he ran as Artistic Director. Dedicated to producing fresh interpretations of classic works and pursuing international theatrical collaborations during its 17-year existence, Notos attracted some of the most important creative names in Greek theatre, and helped establish a host of young Greek theatre artists. In 1999, while running Notos, he once again started directing abroad, staging productions of theatre and opera at venues including the Burgtheater in Vienna, the Residenztheater in Munich, Thalia Theater in Hamburg, Neumarkttheater in Zürich, the Gothenburg Opera House, the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen, the Globe Theatre in London, and the Stuttgart State Opera.
From 2007 to 2013, he was Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Greece, revitalising it with new energy and setting it on an international course, while continuing to work independently as a director with other companies both in Greece and abroad. 
Since 2014 and to this day, he has been working as a freelance director with major Greek and international theatre and opera companies (mounting among others his own original works), while in the course of his entire career he has directed over 120 productions.

Latest updated: 12/10/2023