Following the successful participation of the Ballet and the Higher Professional Dance School of the Greek National Opera in the 31st Kalamata International Dance Festival, the presence of the Greek National Opera in the capital of Messinia was further expanded within the framework of the two-year cooperation agreement between the Greek National Opera, the Municipality of Kalamata, and the “FARIS” Municipal Public Benefit Enterprise, supported by a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), aimed at strengthening the artistic outreach of the GNO.
In the autumn of 2025, the Greek National Opera travelled to Kalamata with a multidisciplinary programme of performances, educational, and social activities hosted at the Kalamata Dance Megaron, with free admission for the public. The presence of the Greek National Opera in Kalamata began on 1 November 2025, with two educational programmes for children: “Dad… Shall We Dance?”, designed and presented by Giannis Stavropoulos and Thania Antoniadi, and “Musical Narratives” by the “Goats Know the Way” ensemble (Ellie Giannaki, Dimitris Kourtis, Nikos Karydis), inviting children and adults on a journey into the magical world of storytelling.
On 4 November, the GNO Alternative Stage presented two morning performances for schools (09:30 and 11:00) of the musical “Silence, the King Is Listening” by Nikos Kypourgos, featuring a libretto by Thomas Moschopoulos and directed by Thodoris Abazis. This musical theatre experience introduced audiences to the basic concepts of music through play.
On 6 November, the shadow puppet opera “Karagiozis Rigoletto”, musically adapted by Lina Zachari and written by Dimitris Dimopoulos and Alexandros Melissenos, was presented for schools (09:30 and 11:00). The beloved hero of shadow puppet theatre undertook a… lyrical mission: to perform Verdi’s Rigoletto.
On the same afternoon (18:30 and 21:00), the operetta “I Want to See the Pope” by Theophrastos Sakellaridis was presented, directed by Natasa Triantafylli and orchestrated by Michalis Papapetrou, featuring a small musical ensemble.
On 22 November, the GNO Ballet presented the dance triptych Return of the Summer, featuring “Boléro” by Konstantinos Rigos, “Point of No Return” by Giannis Mavridis, and “Les Nuits d’été” by Konstantinos Rigos, set to music by Ravel, Koumendakis, and Berlioz respectively.
On 23 November, the “ Rigoletto Pocket Opera”, an educational programme for infants and toddlers aged 1–3, was presented. This multisensory experience, inspired by Verdi’s Rigoletto, combined sound, image, and movement, introducing children to the world of opera through sensory exploration and active participation.
All performances in Kalamata were offered free of charge, with admission by priority ticket, as part of the programme “The GNO Travels Across Greece”, supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF).