Alban Berg’s Wozzeck is considered to be one of the 20th-century’s lyric theater masterpieces, both due to its importance for the history of modernism as well as the quality of its music. The opera, one of the first extensive operas of the 20th century written in an atonal idiom with the use of Sprechgesang - a type of vocalization between speech and song - will be presented for the first time by the Greek National Opera in a new production directed by the top French director Olivier Py.
The opera is based on Georg Buchner’s unfinished play Woyzeck, which recounts scenes from the miserable life of soldier Wozzeck. Driven by jealousy, he kills his wife and after that, in a state of delirium, he drowns in a lake. The title role will be portrayed by the internationally acclaimed Greek baritone Tassis Christoyannis who will sing, for the first time, one of the most taxing roles in the modern repertory.
Oliver Py’s directorial approach has a strong political and metaphysical aspect. The director aimed to create a work that looks like an ancient Greek tragedy, except it is not about a king, but speaks of a simple man who becomes an unhappy hero. Berg gave Buchner’s play a metaphysical dimension, turning Wozzeck into a kind of modern Christ. Having as a steady collaborator scenographer and costume designer Pierre-André Weitz, Py has presented this highly successful opera production at some of the most important opera houses.
The opera will be conducted by Vassilis Christopoulos, one of the most important conductors of the younger generation. The production is made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to enhance the Greek National Opera’s artistic outreach.
The distinguished Béjart Ballet Lausanne presents Magic Flute, Mozart’s most famous opera, for the first time in Greece, revealing the deeper meaning of movement through a choreography that remains faithful to the opera’s exceptional musical work and beautiful libretto. The eternal conflict between the sexes, which can only be resolved if man and woman know themselves, is expressed comically, which is evident in the choreography that masterfully showcases innocence and childlike perspective as opposed to the rigidness and seriousness that characterizes adults. The main theme is the power of love, presented through a series of conflicts between good and evil, truth and lie.
The Béjart Ballet Lausanne is a Swiss ballet company, founded in 1987 by renowned choreographer Maurice Béjart, who had previously founded and managed the Ballet of the 20th Century in Brussels; as of 2007, Gil Roman is the artistic director. The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composed in 1791, to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. The work was premiered in 1791 in Vienna, achieving great success. Since then, it has made triumphal progress through the most prestigious opera houses around the world and it always manages to enchant its audiences! Enjoy a unique performance for the entire family at the Athens Concert Hall.
One of the most important operas of Verdi’s mature period, Don Carlo returns to the stage of the Greek National Opera. The grandiose production is directed by the internationally acclaimed British director Sir Nicholas Hytner, with sets and costumes by Bob Crowley, a famous set designer who has won seven Tony Awards and two Olivier Awards. The performance will be conducted by the celebrated conductor Philippe Auguin, one of the most sought-after conductors of his generation with an extraordinary career conducting masterworks in the most prestigious opera houses worldwide. The outstanding cast includes globally renowned soloists such as Argentine tenor Marcelo Puente as Don Carlo, distinguished bass opera singer Alexander Vinogradov as Filippo II, and great operatic baritones Tassis Christoyannis and Dimitri Platanias portraying the role of Rodrigo. The demanding female roles are portrayed by successful Italian soprano Barbara Frittoli, Romanian soprano Cellia Costea, mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova, who achieved immense critical success when she played Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde, and prominent Russian mezzo-soprano Elena Zhidkova.
Based on Friedrich Schiller’s play of the same title, Don Carlo offers a deeper insight into human nature, featuring deeply human characters who struggle to achieve a balance between their feelings and duty. The multi-dimensional play discreetly expresses the conflict between secular power and church, and at the same time between liberalism and absolutism, which was of particular interest to Verdi. However, Verdi doesn’t refer to known historical events but instead, he uses made-up characters to highlight political issues. Hytner’s ingenious directorial approach remarkably contributes to highlighting the separation of church and state, leaving the audience and critics speechless.
The Thread, a hugely successful Greek/international production, that held audiences and critics spellbound at the Mecca of dance, at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, returns to the Athens Concert Hall for five performances in November and two performances in early December. The Thread combines two worlds that are seemingly contrary and disparate, but essentially inextricably intertwined. The world of tradition, representing stability and extroversion, meets the world of modern movement, which requires continuous introspection and sheds light upon deep affinities that people hesitate to accept.
Director and choreographer Russell Maliphant manages to deconstruct and recompose the dance forms of the past and create a new form that harmoniously brings together traditional and contemporary dance. The choreography is based on Vangelis Papathanasiou’s original music, while costume design is by the rising and highly creative designer Mary Katrantzou, and Michael Hulls, the ‘choreographer of the light’, creates a unique setting that will leave audiences speechless.
Event Dates: November 20 - 24 & December 3-4 2019 - Alexandra Trianti Hall, Megaron
