Greek National Opera to Revive Acclaimed Production of Giorgos Koumendakis’ ‘The Murderess’

On December 3, 2021, Greek National Opera will present a revival of their celebrated production of Giorgos Koumendakis’ “The Murderess.” This production will be reconfigured for the venue at GNO’s Renzo Piano-designed opera house, Stavros Niarchos Hall, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. It will be directed by Alexandros Efklidis, with Vassilis Christopoulos conducting the GNO orchestra. Canadian-Greek mezzo-soprano {…}

Oct 6, 2021

Greek National Opera Announces Alternate Stage Programming

The Greek National Opera has announced its 2021 programming for the alternative stage. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on vocal and operatic performances. It all kicks off with the monodrama “Capodistrias” by Calliope Tsoupaki. The work will be conducted by Nicolas Vassiliou and stars Timos Sirlantzis and Marilena Germanou. Performance Dates: Oct. 1-3, 2021 Next {…}

Sep 21, 2021

Sonya Yoncheva, Dmitri Platanias Headline Greek National Opera’s Fall 2021 Season

The Greek National Opera has announced the fall portion of its 2021-22 season, which will also be a return to in-person performances at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. The season’s major theme will be a celebration of the bicentennial of the Greek Revolution. The season kicks off with Pavlos Carrer’s 1969 opera “Frossini” which tells the story of a Greek socialite {…}

Feb 2, 2021

Greek National Opera to Stream New ‘Don Giovanni’ Production

The Greek National Opera has announced that Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” will be the first of GNO’s international co-productions scheduled to be created and premiered in Athens and on the company’s streaming platform. The company announced that due to the pandemic the production was not presented to a live audience but was video recorded in the Stavros Niarchos Hall. The world {…}

Jan 27, 2021

Jonas Kaufmann, Sonya Yoncheva, Kristine Opolais, Matthew Polenzani Headline Greek National Opera’s 2021 Season

The Greek National Opera has announced a program for the 2021 season. For the purposes of this article, our focus will be on opera-related performances. The company will present “The Cornelian Secret” which includes love poems by Lord Byron. The performance will star tenor Christos Kechris, baritone Vangelis Maniatis, and baritone Sotiris Triantis. Streaming Dates: TBA – the performance was {…}

Nov 16, 2020

Greek National Opera to Launch GNO TV

The Greek National Opera is set to launch GNO TV on Nov. 25. The new streaming platform will showcase opera, ballet, music, and musical theater from the company’s historic performances. In a press release the organization noted, that will open its platform with a recent “Madama Butterfly” starring soprano Ermonela Jaho in the title role. “Madama Butterfly” represents the first {…}

Oct 31, 2020

Greece Shuts Down Theaters & Cinemas Due to Surge in COVID-19 Cases

Greece has announced new lockdown restrictions due to the rise of COVID-19. Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that starting Tuesday, Nov. 3, all dining areas will be suspended, except for home deliveries as well as bars, cafes, cinemas, museums, theaters, and indoor gyms. As a result, the Greek National Opera and other concert halls will close for the month, effectively canceling {…}

Oct 19, 2020

Greek National Opera Releases New Video to Enforce Safety Regulations

The Greek National Opera has unveiled a new video to help enforce its safety regulations for upcoming productions. In the video, baritone Haris Andrianos performs an arranged version of Leporello’s famed “Madamina” from “Don Giovanni,” in which he explains rules and regulations that must be observed upon arrival at the Greek National Opera. The video features an all-new adaptation of {…}

Oct 12, 2020

Obituary: Russian Tenor Vladislav Piavko Dies at 79

(Credit: Irina Arkhipova Foundation) Russian tenor Vladislav Piavko has died at the age of 79. Piavko began his career as a student at the Moscow Conservatory before continuing his studies in Milan. The tenor performed major roles at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow for over 25 years, including the role of Radames in Verdi’s “Aida” and Manrico in “Il Trovatore;” {…}

Oct 4, 2020

Greek National Opera to Stream ‘Wozzeck’

(Credit: The Greek National Opera official website) The Greek National Opera has announced that it will stream Alban Berg’s opera “Wozzeck” on Mezzo Live HD. The Greek National Opera premiered “Wozzeck” for the first time in its history in January 2020, before the COVID-19 lockdowns. The cast for the opera included soprano Nadine Lehner in the role of Marie, tenor {…}

Jul 31, 2020

Ermonela Jaho, Kristine Opolais, Gianluca Terranova Headline Greek National Opera Fall 2020 Season

(Credits: Fadil Berisha/ Tatyana Vlasova) Greek National Opera has announced that it will resume artistic activities with full scale live productions from October to December 2020. The autumn season will open on 11 October at the Stavros Niarchos Hall with Puccini, Giacosa and Illica’s “Madama Butterfly.” The cast for the opera includes Ermonela Jaho, Cellia Costea, and Kristīne Opolais alternating {…}

greek national opera