An artistic event of international influence is presented by the National Opera from March 23, 2023 for six performances in the Stavros Niarchos Hall, at the SNFCC.

“Vertheros” by Jules Massenet, directed by the late Spyros Evangeliatos, brings to the National Opera the leading mezzo-soprano of our time, Anita Ratchvelisvili, who will compete for the first time in her career with the role of Charlotte.

The internationally renowned Canadian conductor Jacques Lacomb conducts, while the title role is performed by the great Italian tenor Francesco Demuro.

Jules Massenet’s Werther, one of the most popular operas in the French repertoire, was written about a century after Goethe’s epistolary novel on which it is based.

The opera tells the story of the dead end love between the young Werther and Charlotte.

When Werther realizes that he has no hope, he kills himself.

Charlotte, who has realized the criticality of the situation, rushes to him and catches up with him just before he passes out.

Just like Goethe’s “Faust” (which as a lyric work became mainly known from Gounod’s version), “Vertheros” also conquered the opera world having been set to music by the great French composer Jules Massenet.

Masnet’s opera, which skillfully outlines the poetic character of the idealistic Werther and the social dictates of Charlotte, was a huge success at the time it was written, translated into many languages ​​and influenced everything from the morals to the fashion of the time.

The operatic Vertheros follows its own rules, taking substantial distances from the original.

It retains the conflict with the environment and social conventions, but leaves aside the philosophical pursuits.

The story of Goethe’s hero inspired the French composer to music of great lyricism and rare tenderness, which is not lacking in strong dramatic outbursts.

Massenet’s melodic inspiration for Vertheros is particularly rich. Through it, he penetrates the psychology of his main characters, creating vivid personalities.

As the opera progresses and from the innocence and simple joys of family and social life the play focuses on the emotional lives of the two main characters, so the music moves from describing their external, public image to rendering their complex, dark inner world .

“Vertheros” is the last opera directed by Spyros Evangeliatos, an iconic form of theater and opera in Greece, and was first presented by ELLS in 2014 at the Olympia Theatre.

Spyros Evangeliatos, son of the leading Greek musician Antiochos Evangeliatos, was for many years artistic director and chairman of the Board of Directors. of ELLS, while, parallel to his course in the theater, he directed with particular success famous operas by Verdi, Bizet, Puccini, Rossini, Mozart, Britten, etc. The revival of the direction is signed by Ion Kesoulis.

The sets and costumes of the production were signed by another leading figure of modern Greek culture, the unforgettable stage designer and costume designer of theater, opera and cinema, Giorgos Patsas. The revival of the sets and costumes is signed by Tota Pritsa.

It is conducted by internationally acclaimed Canadian conductor Jacques Lacombe, who has conducted Werther at, among others, the Metropolitan in New York, Vancouver, Nice, France and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris.

The title role will be performed by the distinguished Italian tenor Francesco Demuro, who enthralled the audience in the recent “Rigoletto” of ELLS at Herodeo.

Demuro, one of the most sought-after tenors in Europe and America, has carved out an impressive career in the world’s greatest opera houses.

Making her long-awaited debut as Charlotte will be leading mezzo-soprano Anita Ratchvelisvili, whom Riccardo Muti described as “the best mezzo on the planet today” in a New York Times article entitled “A young singer captivates the opera world ».

Ratchvelisvili, a true opera star, has been performing spectacularly in the most important opera theaters of the world with huge success and rave reviews from the world’s biggest media.

Rachvelisvili, from her historic debut at La Scala in Milan as a selection by Daniel Barenboim and within a decade, has managed to stand out internationally with her commanding and dynamic stage presence, her voice of impressive quality and volume, her extremely careful repertoire choices, its absolute consistency and dedication to the lyrical art.

After her sensational first appearance in Greece in July 2018 in ELLS’s Carmen, she developed a close relationship with the National Opera and returned to Athens in 2020 for a historic concert in the Roman Agora, watched online by over 1,000 .000 spectators all over the world, but also in 2021 at the unique Verdi Gala of ELLS in Kallimarmaro, together with A. Netrebko, G. Eivazov and D. Platanias.

In the role of Albert, Nikos Kotenidis, of the Commander, Yiannis Giannisis, of Smit, Nikolas Maraziotis, of Johan, Marinos Tarnanas, of Mprylman, Ioannis Kontellis, of Sophie, Chrysa Maliamani, and of Katehen, Emilia Tsimidaki. The ELS Children’s Choir is directed by Konstantina Pitsiakou.

The production is implemented with the support of the donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to strengthen the artistic extroversion of the National Opera.