Friday, 03 November 2023

International opera channel Mezzo presents a new documentary on the Greek National Opera and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation

Greek National Opera Cycle on Mezzo Live HD

Premieres 10 November 2023 at 21.30 (Greek time)

This November and December, the Greek National Opera has the honour of being featured on the international opera channel Mezzo Live HD. This major tribute to the only opera house in Greece will launch with the premiere of a new documentary on both the creative identity of the Greek National Opera and its support by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. Mezzo will also be broadcasting four iconic GNO productions –Madama Butterfly, Wozzeck, The Murderess, and Juditha triumphans– in 80 countries around the world. This GNO partnership with Mezzo Live HD is made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to enhance the Greek National Opera’s artistic outreach.

The latest documentary to be produced by Mezzo presents the multi-faceted output of the Greek National Opera (GNO), with a parallel focus on the longstanding support of its artistic outreach by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), whose major endowment also made the construction of the house’s new facilities at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center a reality. In addition to the Artistic Director of the GNO Giorgos Koumendakis and the Co-President of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Andreas C. Dracopoulos, the documentary also features the internationally acclaimed lead soloists Tassis Christoyannis and Anita Rachvelishvili, GNO Ballet principal dancer Vangelis Bikos, GNO executives Panaghis Pagoulatos, Stella Angeletou, Alexandros Efklidis, and Katerina Petsatodi, GNO Professional Dance School student Konstantina Tsimeka, and former SNF executive Spyros Alexopoulos. The documentary is directed by Jérôme Dupont, with journalistic oversight by Antoine Pecqueur. Vasilis Louras served as a content consultant. The documentary is set to premiere on Friday, 10 November 2023 at 21.30 (Greek time).

That same evening (10/11) at 22.00 (Greek time), Mezzo Live HD will also be screening Alban Berg’s Wozzeck, conducted by Vassilis Christopoulos and directed for the stage by Olivier Py, with Tassis Christoyannis in the title role. The premiere of Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, conducted by Vassilis Christopoulos and directed for the stage by Olivier Py, and with Anna Sohn in the title role –which Mezzo filmed this past June at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus– is to screen on Sunday, 5 November at 22.00 (Greek time). Antonio Vivaldi’s Baroque opera Juditha triumphans, conducted by Markellos Chryssicos and directed for the stage by Thanos Papakonstantinou, and featuring the Armonia Atenea orchestra and the Baroque ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro, is to be broadcast on Saturday, 9 December at 18.00 (Greek time). Last but not least, Giorgos Koumendakis’ The Murderess, conducted by Vassilis Christopoulos and directed for the stage by Alexandros Efklidis, with Mary-Ellen Nesi in the title role, is to be presented on Sunday, 10 December at 22.00 (Greek time).

Mezzo broadcasts in more than 80 countries around the world. From its launch in France back in 1996 right through until today, it has been the world’s leading television network for classical music, opera, and dance, with a devoted following tuning in across the globe. Its programming features the most major opera and dance productions, as well as concerts presented by the foremost opera houses and concert venues on the planet. In Greece, Mezzo is broadcast by Cosmote TV.

Greek National Opera Cycle – November–December 2023 | Mezzo Live HD

Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini

First showing: 5/11 at 22.00 | Broadcast schedule for 2023: mezzo.tv/en

Filmed at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on 4 and 7 June 2023.

Conductor: Vassilis Christopoulos / Director: Olivier Py / Sets, costumes: Pierre-André Weitz / Choreography, movement: Daniel Izzo / Lighting: Bertrand Killy / Chorus master: Agathangelos Georgakatos

Cio-Cio-San: Anna Sohn / Suzuki: Alisa Kolosova / Kate Pinkerton: Diamanti Kritsotaki / B. F. Pinkerton: Andrea Carè / Sharpless: Dionysios Sourbis / Goro: Yannis Kalyvas / Prince Yamadori – Imperial commissioner: Haris Andrianos / The Bonze: Petros Magoulas / Yakuside: Petros Salatas / Official registrar: Christos Lazos / Cio-Cio-San’s mother: Vassiliki Petroyanni / Aunt: Vaia Kofou / Cousin: Vicky Athanassiou

With the Orchestra and Chorus of the GNO

Wozzeck

Alban Berg

First showing: 10/11 at 22.00 | Broadcast schedule for 2023: mezzo.tv/en

Filmed inside the Stavros Niarchos Hall on 31 January and 2 February 2020.

Conductor: Vassilis Christopoulos / Director: Olivier Py / Sets, costumes: Pierre-André Weitz / Lighting: Bertrand Killy / Chorus master: Agathangelos Georgakatos / Children’s chorus mistress: Konstantina Pitsiakou

Wozzeck: Tassis Christoyannis / Drum major: Peter Wedd / Andres: Vassilis Kavayas / Captain: Peter Hoare / Doctor: Yanni Yannissis / Apprentice I: Vangelis Maniatis / Apprentice II: Michalis Psyrras / Madman: Panagiotis Priftis / Marie: Nadine Lehner / Margret: Margarita Syngeniotou / A soldier: Christos Lazos

With the Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus of the GNO

Juditha triumphans

Antonio Vivaldi

First showing: 9/12 at 18.00 | Broadcast schedule for 2023: mezzo.tv/en

Filmed without an audience inside the Stavros Niarchos Hall on 19 and 21 April 2021.

Conductor: Markellos Chryssicos / Director: Thanos Papakonstantinou / Sets, costumes: Niki Psychogiou / Movement director: Amalia Kosma / Lighting: Christina Thanasoula / Chorus master: Agathangelos Georgakatos / Children’s chorus mistress: Konstantina Pitsiakou

Juditha: Roxana Constantinescu / Holofernes: Kristina Hammarström / Vagaus: Inga Kalna / Abra: Theodora Baka / Ozias: Sophia Patsi

With the Armonia Atenea orchestra, the ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro, the GNO Chorus, and members of the GNO Children’s Chorus

The Murderess

Giorgos Koumendakis

First showing: 10/12 at 22.00 | Broadcast schedule for 2023: mezzo.tv/en

Filmed inside the Stavros Niarchos Hall on 3 and 5 December 2021.

Libretto: Yannis Svolos, based on the “social novel” of the same title by Alexandros Papadiamantis / Conductor: Vassilis Christopoulos / Director: Alexandros Efklidis / Associate director: Angela-Kleopatra Saroglou / Sets: Petros Touloudis / Costumes: Petros Touloudis – Ioanna Tsami / Lighting: Vinicio Cheli / Chorus master: Agathangelos Georgakatos / Children’s chorus mistress: Konstantina Pitsiakou

Frangoyannoù (The Murderess): Mary-Ellen Nesi / Maroussò: Anna Stylianaki / Ioassaf: Tassos Apostolou / Delcharò: Myrto Bocolini / Yannis Perivolàs: Vangelis Maniatis / Yannoù: Sophia Kyanidou / Xenoula’s mother: Fylli Georgiadou / Police officer I: Yannis Christopoulos / A magistrate: Yanni Yannissis / Police officer II – Assessor: Nicholas Stefanou / Kriniò: Marilena Striftobola / Toula: Stelina Apostolopoulou / Myrsouda: Miranda Makrynioti / A doctor: Georgios Papadimitriou / Amersa: Maria Konstanta / Konstantìs: Angelos Nerantzis / Lamenting women (polyphonic ensemble): Alkmini Basakarou, Ioanna Forti, Martha Mavroidi, Maria Melachrinou