I Want to See the Pope!

Alternative Stage Founding Donor

Major Sponsor of the Greek National Opera

The legendary operetta I Want to See the Pope! by Theophrastos Sakellaridis, creator of The Godson – the most popular Greek operetta of all time –, is coming to challenge Athenian audiences a century later, in a new, ambitious production.

The work I Want to See the Pope! (1920) delves deeply into the contemporary urban issues explored by Sakellaridis, who also penned the libretto, while undermining the foundations of bourgeois life and strongly questioning the institution of family.

During her honeymoon trip in Italy, Anna, a newlywed bride, expresses the desire to see the Pope up close. When her husband doesn’t meet her wish, their marriage comes on the verge of falling apart. Upon their return to Athens, those close to them blatantly intervene in the couple’s shaken relationship, revealing in a comic-tragic light all the malaises and hypocrisy of the bourgeois class.

Following the genre’s standards, the composer exhibits a special musico-theatrical resourcefulness in the portrayal of his characters, who sabotage the constants of family life. The libretto of the operetta is a domestic adaptation of Maurice Hennequin’s farce Les joies du foyer (1894). Through a flowing theatrical language, Sakellaridis brings to life Hennequin’s densely-woven farce, achieving an ideal musico-theatrical dramaturgy, and enriching the plot with fifteen musical numbers.

Fully accessible performances of the operetta I Want to See the Pope!

The performances of the operetta I Want to See the Pope! will be fully accessible on the 9th and 15th of February 2025, providing an inclusive audiovisual experience for all audiences in collaboration with ATLAS E.P. In this context, there will be designated seats for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and use Greek Sign Language, places for those who rely on captions (CAPS) covering the entire audio channel, as well as seats for individuals who are blind or have limited access to the visual channel of communication and use the audio description (AD) service. Guide dogs for the visually impaired will also be permitted.

The full accessibility services for this production are funded by the Ministry of Culture, as part of the project“SUB.1.1.6 Attracting 65+ individuals and persons with disabilities to events of the Greek National Opera”. This project is implemented as part of the “Greece 2.0 - National Recovery and Resilience Plan” with funds from the European Union-NextGeneration EU.

Audience members who wish to use the accessibility services are requested to purchase their tickets at the GNO Box Office, over the phone at 2130885700, or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you need assistance with your reservation, you can also contact ATLAS E.P. at 6993507553 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The production “I Want to See the Pope!” is part of the GNO Alternative Stage’s unit of programming titled “MUSIC THEATRE DAYS”, which falls under the ACT “FESTIVAL EVENTS OF THE GNO ALTERNATIVE STAGE 2024-2025” » (MIS 6002467) with code 2024ΕΠ08570049 (Priority: “Fostering regional social cohesion through the enhancement of mechanisms and infrastructure to support employment, education, health care and socioeconomic inclusion” of the programme “Attica 2021-2027) and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and National Resources.