FULL CALLAS AT THE HERODIUM Athens 2023 Anna Pirozzi, Catherine Foster, Vassiliki Karayanni, Nina Koufochristou

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: CALLAS AT THE HERODIUM  
• Composer: various  
• Libretto:
• Venue & Opera Company: various  
• Recorded: 2023
• Type: Concert Live
• Singers: Anna Pirozzi, Catherine Foster, Vassiliki Karayanni, Nina Koufochristou
• Conductor: Philippe Auguin  
• Orchestra: Orchestra of the Greek National Opera  
• Stage Director:   
• Costume Designer:   

Information about the Recording

• Published by: gno  
• Date Published: 2024  
• Format: Streaming
• Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
• Subtitles: nosubs  
• Video Recording from: gno tv     FULL VIDEO
•  

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

GALA PROGRAMME

Manolis Kalomiris, The Masterbuilder
— Overture
— “The sun, the sun”
Smaragda’s aria from Part II – Vassiliki Karayanni

Ludwig van Beethoven, Fidelio
— Overture
— “Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin? … Komm, Hoffnung” / “Monster! Where are you hurrying? … Come, hope”
Leonore’s recitative and aria from Act I – Catherine Foster

Ambroise Thomas, Hamlet
— “À vos jeux, mes amis” / “To your games, my friends”
Ophélie’s “mad scene” from Act IV – Nina Koufochristou

Giuseppe Verdi, La forza del destino
— Overture
— “Pace, pace, mio Dio” / “Peace, peace, my God”
Leonora’s aria from Act IV – Anna Pirozzi

Gaetano Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor
— “Regnava nel silenzio” / “Reigning in the silence”
Lucia’s aria from Act I – Vassiliki Karayanni

Giuseppe Verdi, Il trovatore
— “D’amor sull’ali rosee” / “On the rosy wings of love”
Leonora’s aria from Part IV – Anna Pirozzi

Richard Wagner, Tristan und Isolde
— Prelude and Isolde’s “Liebestod” – Catherine Foster

Warm applause for the Greek National Opera Gala featuring arias
performed by Callas at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in 1944 and 1957.

With the President of the Hellenic Republic, Ms. Katerina Sakellaropoulou, in attendance, and as part of the tribute programme marking the centennial anniversary of Maria Callas’ birth, the Greek National Opera presented the “Callas at the Herodium” opera gala on Saturday, 16 September –46 years to the day from her death– inside a packed Odeon of Herodes Atticus. The exceptionally difficult repertoire that Callas performed as part of her three historic appearances at this venue –Kalomiris’ The Masterbuilder and Beethoven’s Fidelio in 1944, and a recital featuring arias by Verdi, Donizetti, Wagner, and Thomas in 1957– was singularly revived by the great sopranos Anna Pirozzi, Catherine Foster, Vassiliki Karayanni, and Nina Koufochristou, with the GNO Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Auguin.

The internationally acclaimed Greek National Opera coloratura soprano Vassiliki Karayanni performed Smaragda’s aria from Kalomiris’ The Masterbuilder and the first-act aria from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.
The dramatic soprano Catherine Foster, darling of the Bayreuth Wagner Festival, performed Leonore’s first-act aria from Beethoven’s Fidelio, and Isolde’s “Liebestod” from the Wagner opera Tristan and Isolde.
The up-and-coming Greek coloratura soprano Nina Koufochristou performed Ophélie’s “mad scene” from Thomas’ Hamlet.
The great Italian dramatic soprano Anna Pirozzi sang the Leonora aria from the first act of Verdi’s La forza del destino, as well as the Leonora aria from the fourth part of his Il trovatore.
All four sopranos drew the warmest of applause from their audience for their exceptional performances of the hugely demanding repertoire Callas performed at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, making full use of her remarkable vocal range and singular virtuoso abilities to leave a mark that has never been surpassed.
The GNO Orchestra, under the inspired lead of the conductor Philippe Auguin, gave excellent renditions of the overtures to The Masterbuilder, Fidelio and La forza del destino, and of the prelude from Tristan and Isolde.