National Opera: Protagonists of international fame in “Tosca”

THE National Opera presents one of the most popular operas in the repertoire, the “Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini on July 28, 29, 30 and 31, 2022 at Herodio, with the participation of great international opera stars. The famous tenors Christine Opolais and Liana Haroutounian share the title role, the sought-after tenors Ramon Vargas and Giorgio Berruzzi the role of Cavaradossi and the leading Greek baritones of international acclaim Dimitris Platanias and Tassis Christogiannopoulos the role of Scarpia.

The production is directed by the French chief musician Philippe Haugen, the direction, sets and costumes are by Hugo de’Anna and the revival of the direction by Katerina Pechatodi. The production is implemented with the support of his donation Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) for strengthening the artistic extroversion of the National Opera.

With the revival of the highly successful production of “Tosca” from 2012 directed, set and costumes by Hugo de’Ana, the National Opera completes the 2021/22 season at Herodeo. Floria Tosca, an opera diva, is a woman madly in love, pathologically jealous of her partner. Baron Scarpia, a dark man with absolute power, delights in the pain of his victims. Between the two is the lover and pure patriot Mario Cavaradossi, who is driven to death, not for his ideas, but for possessing Tosca, whom Scarpia lusts after. The machine is well set: no one will escape Scarpia’s traps.

For this production, the National Opera has secured the participation of leading opera stars with international renown. In the role of Floria Tosca, the audience will have the opportunity to see and hear the great sopranos Christine Opolais (28 & 30/7) and Liana Haroutunian (29 & 31/7).

The Latvian treble Christine Opolais she is one of the most popular singers internationally, while she has performed lead roles in Puccini works with huge success worldwide. She gained international attention in 2006 when she made her debut at the Berlin State Opera as Tosca. Since then he has appeared with great conductors and directors all over the world, in famous theaters such as New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Bavarian State Opera, La Scala Milan, Zurich State Opera and London’s Royal Opera House (Covent Garden). At ELS he has performed Cho-Cho-San (Madama Butterfly, 2020) and Tosca (Olympia Theatre, 2007) receiving triumphant reviews.

Armenian tenor Liana Haroutunian is considered one of the greatest Verdi and Puccini performers of her generation. He appears in great theaters around the world such as New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Barcelona Lyceum, Real Madrid, London’s Royal Opera (Covent Garden), Zurich Opera, Hamburg etc. She has recently performed Manon Lescaut (San Francisco), Cho-Cho-San (Madama Butterfly, Chicago), Mimi (Bohème, Gran Canaria), Amelia (A Dance in Disguise, Seville), and is currently triumphant as Madama Butterfly at the Royal Opera House, London . He has performed Tosca in, among others, San Francisco, Malaga and recently at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. In 2013, she sang the role of Duchess Elena in the opera The Sicilian Vespers with great success at the Greek National Opera.

In the role of Mario Cavarandossi two top tenors, Ramon Vargas (28 & 30/7) and Giorgio Berruzzi (29 & 31/7).

The Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas is one of the most important tenors of our time. He made his international debut in 1992 as Edgardo (Lucia di Lammermoor) at the Metropolitan in New York, while a year later he made his debut as Fenton (Falstaff) at La Scala in Milan under the direction of Riccardo Muti. He has been honored with various awards, while he appears worldwide in famous opera theaters, such as New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Paris National Opera, London’s Royal Opera, La Scala, Vienna State Opera, Berlin, Munich, Madrid, Florence, etc. In 2019, he performed the role of Gabriele Adorno in the opera Simone Boccanegra at ELS.

Italian tenor Giorgio Berruzzi, former clarinetist of the Rome Symphony Orchestra and member of the Dresden State Opera (2010-2013), triumphs in theaters and concert halls around the world: Milan’s La Scala, London’s Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), Lincoln Center, Theater Bolshoi, Champs-Elysées Theater, Chicago Lyric Opera, Paris National Opera, Deutsches Opera Berlin, San Francisco Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Rome Opera, Teatro San Carlo Naples, Arena Verona. He has collaborated with distinguished chief musicians such as Zubin Meta, Christian Thielemann, Fabio Luisi, Andris Nelsons, Gustavo Dudamel, Daniel Oren, Gianandrea Nozenda, Nicola Luisotti and Roberto Abado. He collaborated with ELS for the first time in the summer of 2020 at the Opera Gala in Herodeion.

In the role of Scarpia, the two leading Greek baritones with an international career, Dimitris Platanias (28 & 30/7) and Tassis Christogiannopoulos (29 & 31/7).

Dimitris Platanias is one of the most distinguished baritones of our time. He has collaborated with numerous Greek and foreign orchestras. He made his debut at the National Opera as Alfio (Cavalleria rusticana, 2004), and since then he has performed many roles, including Marcello (Bohemian), Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Archonta (The Master), Renato (A Dance in Disguise) , Rigoletto, Germon (Traviata), Scarpia (Tosca), Di Luna (The Troubadour). He has appeared in famous theaters and festivals worldwide such as The Phoenix Theater of Venice, Sao Carlos Theater of Lisbon, Munich State Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Brussels La Monnaie, Bregenz and Salzburg Festivals, London Royal Opera (Covent Garden), Bavarian State Opera, Florence Opera, Queen Sofia Palace of Arts (Valencia) and Stuttgart Opera House. He is currently starring in the doublet Cavalleria rusticana / Clowns at the Royal Opera House in London (Covent Garden) with great success.

The baritone Tassis Christogiannopoulos, who will make his debut in the role of Scarpia, has been starring in productions of the National Opera and the Athens Concert Hall since 1989, as well as worldwide. His repertoire includes leading roles in plays such as The Barber of Seville, Macbeth, Don Giovanni, Don Carlos, Traviata, The Magic Court, Faust, Hamlet, A Dance of Disguise, Falstaff, The Troubadour, Simone Boccanegra, Vocek. In addition to recordings of opera works and songs by French composers (Saint-Saëns, David, Anne, Gounod, Godard, etc.), he has recorded works by Greek composers (Hatzidaki, Theodoraki, Mamagaki, Kouroupou, Mikroutsikou, Markopoulou, etc.). He has been honored by the French Academy Charles Cro as “Best performer of French songs”.

With them the distinguished Greek soloists Tasos Apostolou, Giannis Giannisis, Vangelis Maniatis, Evita Chiotis, Giannis Kalivas.

Hugo de’Anna, who in addition to directing sets and costumes, presents a Tosca that is exciting, dramatic and completely consistent with the spirit of the composer and the historical context to which the libretto refers. The impressive scenery, a huge cross with the crucifix, a holy bank, a painting workshop are framed by spectacular projections of monuments of Rome, religious symbols, but also videos that give a cinematic dimension to the production. De’Anna, who is world famous for his monumental sets and impressive use of lighting and video, has directed at the world’s greatest opera houses such as Deutsche Oper Berlin, Royal Opera London, Opera Seville, Opera Tel Aviv, La Scala Milan, among others. , Verona Arena, Tokyo Opera and Barcelona Lyceum. The revival of the direction is signed by Katerina Petsatodis, Stage Manager of the National Opera.

The production will be conducted by the distinguished principal musician Philippe Oguen, former music director of the Washington State Opera. He studied in Vienna and Florence and has conducted in some of the most important operas in Europe and America in Vienna, Milan, New York, London, but also in leading festivals, such as the Salzburg Festival. He has collaborated with the National Opera several times.

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