This year, more than any other year, directors at the forefront of opera internationally will put their stamp on top lyrical works – some of which have been on display for decades.
Ten new productions opera and ballet, a new opera work, five revivals of older producers, concerts, great co-productions with the world’s top lyric theaters, collaborations with top directors and distinguished conductors and long-awaited debuts of top lyric performers National Opera the ambitious artistic program of the period 2022/23, which is signed by its artistic director George Koumentakis.
In the new program 2022/23 -which is implemented with the support of the donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (ISN) for the strengthening of the artistic extroversion of ELS, the National Opera develops a creative collaboration with a global network of leading lyric theaters and presents co-productions with Metropolis , the Opera of Canada, the Opera of Chicago, the Comic Opera of Paris, the La Monnai of Brussels, the Opera of Gothenburg and the Royal Opera of Denmark.
“The artistic period 2022/23 – the sixth of my term – sums up all the goals I set by assuming the position of artistic director of the National Opera, at the beginning of 2017. Expanding the repertoire of the National Opera is no longer a plan on paper, but a key axis of programming, which has borne great fruit over the years, with a great impact on the public “ says George Koumentakis, who aspires to bring the art of opera into dialogue with society, through a keen eye and contemporary reflection on classical masterpieces that ask questions and seek answers.
In fact, this year, more than any other year, directors who are at the forefront of opera internationally will put their stamp on top lyric works – some of which have to be presented for decades. In particular, Krystov Varlikowski “reads” Offenbach’s “Hoffmann Tales” through the prism of the seventh art, Sir David McVicar gives a monumental and timeless reading of “Medea” by Cherubini Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly”, confronted with the Herodian stage, Steven Langridge brings Verdi’s “Falstaff” to England in the 1930s, dismantling the social classes of the time, John Fulgames Moaz in the microcosm of a hotel in a vast capital, while Laurent Pellie leaves behind the long-suffering Earth to make a trip to the Moon with Offenbach’s eponymous phantasmagoria.
The Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendonimentions, among other things, in its greeting for the new program of ELS: “Going through the ninth decade of its life, the National Opera continues to be a living, creative institution, which inspires and teaches music education, while gaining new friends and concluding important international alliances. In recent years, the National Opera has been “orchestrating” its extroversion with precision. Under the successful artistic direction of the charismatic George Koumentakis, he dares, pioneers and is consistently distinguished with international recognition and trust. If the main goals of a state cultural institution are the strategic collaborations with corresponding bodies abroad, then the National Opera is undoubtedly one of the cultural organizations that sought and achieved it. Year after year, ELS systematically and dynamically conquers an international audience. With a stable and carefully structured program of extroversion, the Lyric Stage spreads its wings in the international arena with ambitious, quality, demanding productions. This is reflected in the artistic program of the period 2022-2023. I want to congratulate all the contributors of this year’s program and especially George Koumentakis. Obviously, ELS is experiencing its rebirth, a fact that makes us optimistic about its future, gaining step by step a place among the largest lyric theaters in the world “.
“A few years ago, when together with the National Opera (ELS) we envisioned the creation of the ELS extroversion support program, we firmly believed that there are all the necessary specifications, perspectives, live material and of course the vision and inspirational guidance of its artist director, George Koumentakis, to hear the Lyric all over the world, from New York to Paris, and from Denmark to Canada. Today, not only is her name heard, but her work is emblematic on the world’s most important lyric stages, such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Opéra Comique in Paris. What we believed from the beginning is now a common truth for all. The Lyric Stage is National but now plays a leading role in the international art scene, enriching its work and expanding its audience. We are sure that George Koumentakis and the whole family of Lyriki will continue to move us, to surprise us and to make us proud, from her home in Greece and from every lyrical scene in the world “ points out President of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (ISN), Andreas Drakopoulos.
The program at a glance
From September 2022 to July 2023 at Stavros Niarchos Hall and to Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the Greek audience will have the opportunity to get in touch with the artistic work of some of the most important and most sought after opera directors in the world, such as among others Krzysztof Varlikowski, Olivier Puy, David McVicar, Laurent Pelljen, Still , but also important Greek directors, such as Natasa Triantafylli and Themelis Glynatsis. The productions will be directed by important Greek and foreign chief musicians, such as, among others, Vassilis Christopoulos, Loukas Karytinos, Paolo Cariniani, Pierre Giorgio Morandi, Philip Ogen, Jacques Lacombe, Ondrej Olos, Elias Voudiouros, Nikos.
In the leading roles of the producers of the new season we will have the opportunity to see and hear great Greek and distinguished foreign singers, such as Dionysis Sourbis, Tselia Kostea, Vassilis Kavagias, Petros Magoulas, Adam Smith, Giannis Christopoulos, Nicole Se, Vasiliki Karagianni, Michel Lozier, Marisia Papalexiou, Christoforos Stampoglis, Dimitris Platanias, Tassi Christogiannopoulos, Tassos Apostolou, Francesco Demuro and others. The top mezzo-soprano of our time Anita Ratsvelisvili will make their debut in two emblematic roles in Athens in the role of Charlotte in “Werther” and the great vocalist Anna Pirotsi in the role of Medea in the opera of the same name.
In the new opera productions of the year we find Cherubini’s masterpieces “Medea” (directed by David McVicar), Offenbach “Hoffmann’s Tales” (directed by Krzysztof Varlikowski) and “Journey to the Moon” (Fernesti) Steven Langridge), Bartok “The Tower of the Cyanide” (directed by Themeli Glynatsi), Mozart “Don Giovanni” (directed by John Fulgames) and Puccini “Madame Butterfly O’Neill” (staged). The ELS Ballet will present two new productions, the classical ballet “Don Quixote” and another, which will be announced soon.
A new project – her assignment ELS– will make its world premiere in the period 2022/23: “Andrei”, a new opera by Dimitra Trypanis dedicated to the leading filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky.
Among the revivals of older producers are Jules Massenet’s “Vertheros” – a tribute to the great director and former artistic director and president of ELS Spyros Evangelatos – Verdi’s “Nabucco” directed by Leo Muscato, by Leo Muscato Doussi – Eugeniou Triviza, the dance triptych “3 ROOMS” choreographed by Girzi Killian, Ohad Naharin and Konstantinos Rigos, and Puccini’s “Janni Ski” directed by John Fultzames.
The “Mikis Theodorakis” Cycle continues in the 2022/23 season with the presentation of the Second Symphony and the Spiritual Expedition, as well as songs by Mikis Theodorakis.
The pre-sale for the productions September – December 2022 will start on July 29, 2022 and will take place at the Funds of ELS and at ticketservices.gr.
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