Alternative Stage

Musical theatre without dogmatism
Modern creation, education, social return

The Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre – with director Alexandros Efkleidis at the helm since February 2017 – starting from musical theatre in all its possible forms, has already evolved, during its short period of operation, into a significant cultural agent, whose mark is evident on the three-fold goal it serves: modern creation, education, social return. An equally considerable emphasis is placed on original artistic creation, through a systematic policy of commissions, and on the development of a creative dialogue between younger and established music and theatre artists.

The trial period of operation of the Alternative Stage, which has a capacity of 300-400 seats (depending on the setting of each spectacle), began in the second half of the 2016/2017 season, after the official handing over of the SNFCC from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to the Greek State. It is a multiform hall with excellent acoustics, which has the appropriate infrastructure both for supporting high level productions and encouraging experimentation and innovation.

The founding donor of the GNO Alternative Stage is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which, apart from its first donation for the GNO’s relocation that served as the yeast for the creation of the institution (initially under the guidance of Giorgos Koumendakis), continues to support with a second donation the Alternative Stage and its Educational and Social Activities, recognizing their importance for the GNO’s new era at the SNFCC.