The Greek National Opera (GNO) continues to present one of the season’s most striking and ambitious productions: Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca, staged at the grand Stavros Niarchos Hall of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC).
Under the direction and scenography of the acclaimed Nikos S. Petropoulos, the production reimagines Puccini’s drama within the bleak and politically charged atmosphere of Rome in 1944, during the final phase of the Second World War. Musical direction is led by the distinguished Italian conductor Paolo Carignani, whose interpretation drives the work’s emotional and orchestral intensity.¹
The GNO Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus deliver a tightly unified performance, providing powerful dramatic support to Petropoulos’s vision.¹
Athens, 7 December 2025 Performance:
The Alagna–Kurzak Effect
The 7 December performance featured two of the most celebrated names in today’s international opera world:
- Aleksandra Kurzak — Floria Tosca
- Roberto Alagna — Mario Cavaradossi
This evening marked Alagna’s sole appearance in the GNO’s Tosca run, generating significant anticipation in Athens and drawing heightened international attention to the production.³
Audiences and critics described the dramatic chemistry between Kurzak and Alagna as “unforgettable”—a dynamic pairing that elevated the emotional stakes of the performance. Their vocal authority, stage presence, and expressive nuance were widely cited as turning the evening into one of the defining operatic moments of the 2025–26 season.
Director’s Vision: A Modernised, Cinematic Tosca
Petropoulos’s staging relocates the opera from its original 1800 setting to the Nazi-occupied Rome of 1944, transforming Puccini’s melodrama into a historical thriller charged with political relevance.⁴
The reinterpretation is supported by:
- atmospheric, period-accurate set designs,
- detailed WW2-era costumes,
- expressive film-noir–inspired lighting,
all of which create an immersive environment reminiscent of mid-century European cinema.
Reviews in both Greek and international media have described the production as “realistic, intense, and cinematic,” praising Petropoulos’s assured directorial language and the visual cohesion of the revival.⁵
Audience Response and Digital Attention
Demand for Tosca was exceptionally high: the initial slate of performances sold out rapidly, prompting GNO to add an extra performance on 9 January 2026.⁶
Following the 7 December performance, social-media platforms saw a surge of enthusiastic reactions, with audience members and opera commentators posting praise, photos, and backstage moments. Backstage images shared by Kurzak, Alagna, and other cast members generated strong digital engagement and expanded international visibility for the production.⁷
International Criticism: A Balanced Perspective
While Kurzak’s previous interpretations of Tosca have received varied critical responses globally, reviewers noted that her performance in Athens showed exceptional dramatic focus and vocal control.
Alagna, returning to one of his signature roles, delivered a performance marked by emotional clarity, firm vocal projection, and refined phrasing, elements repeatedly singled out as essential contributors to the evening’s success.⁸
A widely shared sentiment among opera observers was clear: “Athens hosted one of the most important operatic events of the season.”
Cast Information (from the official GNO program booklet)*⁹
Floria Tosca — a celebrated singer
- Aleksandra Kurzak — 27, 30 November; 2, 7 December
- Celia Costea — 20, 23, 27 December; 4, 7, 9 January
Mario Cavaradossi — a painter, Tosca’s lover
- Marcelo Puente — 27, 30 November; 2, 20, 23, 27 December; 4, 7, 9 January
- Roberto Alagna — 7 December
Baron Scarpia — Chief of Police
- Dimitri Platanias — 27, 30 November; 2, 7 December; 7, 9 January
- Tassis Christoyannis — 20, 23, 27 December; 4 January
Other Roles
- Cesare Angelotti — Petros Magoulas
- Sacristan — Yanni Yannissis
- Sciarrone / Prison Guard — Georgios Papadimitriou
- Shepherd Boy — Penny Rizou
- Spoletta — Yannis Kalyvas
Production Team (from the official GNO program)
- Music: Giacomo Puccini
- Libretto: Giuseppe Giacosa & Luigi Illica
- Director / Set & Costume Design: Nikos S. Petropoulos
- Conductor: Paolo Carignani
- Lighting Design: Christos Tziogkas
- Chorus Master: Agathangelos Georgakatos
- Children’s Chorus Mistress: Konstantina Pitsiakou
- Revival Director: Ion Kseoulis
- Venue: Stavros Niarchos Hall, SNFCC
- Curtain Time: 19:30 (Sundays: 18:30)
A Cultural Highlight of the Athens Season
With its bold political reframing, star-driven casting, and polished musical execution, the Greek National Opera’s Tosca stands out as a major cultural high point of Athens’s 2025–26 arts calendar.
The electrifying 7 December performance, in particular, demonstrated how a classic operatic masterpiece can be revitalised through contemporary visual language and historically attuned dramaturgy.
The production continues at SNFCC through January 2026.¹⁰
Footnotes
- Greek National Opera — Tosca Programme: https://www.nationalopera.gr/en/stavros-niarchos-hall/sn-opera/item/7428-toska
- GNO News Announcements: https://www.nationalopera.gr/en/news-features
- Operabase — Tosca Cast & Performances: https://www.operabase.com/productions/tosca-370599
- Opera Online — GNO 2025/26 Season Overview: https://www.opera-online.com
- Visit Greece — Tosca Event Listing: https://www.visitgreece.gr/events/music/tosca-2026
- GNO Extra Performance Announcement: https://www.nationalopera.gr/en/news-features/item/7731-an-extra-performance-of-tosca-january-9
- GNO Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NationalOperaGreece
- Music & Opera News — Reviews and Coverage: https://actualites.music-opera.com
- Official Programme Booklet (PDF): https://www.nationalopera.gr
- SNFCC Event Calendar: https://www.snfcc.org
