OPERcussion

Alternative Stage Founding Donor

Major Sponsor of the Greek National Opera

The 2^nd Percussion Festival of the GNO Alternative Stage presents, for the first time in Greece, the internationally famous percussion ensemble OPERcussion – a one-of-a-kind ensemble that extracts the percussion section from the depths of the orchestra pit and thrusts it centre stage by blending rich music history with daring innovation.

In their concert, OPERcussion will present a diverse and dynamic programme of adapted pieces by a wide range of composers who bridge classical music with jazz, Latin music, and traditional forms. The programme will feature compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy, Gustav Mahler, Chick Corea, Dizzy Gillespie, Lira de Cristobal, Astor Piazzolla, and Tania Maria. The concert will conclude with a surprise piece dedicated to the Greek audience.

OPERcussion is a pioneering and versatile percussion ensemble formed in 2008 by members of the Bavarian State Orchestra, one of the earliest and most prominent symphony orchestras in Germany, based in Munich. The ensemble consists of leading musicians Claudio Estay, Maxim Pidoux, Pieter Roijen, Tomàs Toral, and Carlos Vera-Larrucea. Each member contributes their technical skills, knowledge, cultural background, and unique artistic signature to the ensemble. The ensemble was created to bring out the musical polyphony of percussion instruments and to renew the tradition of orchestral music by connecting it to modern forms of expression and improvisatory elements. Their performances are marked by a high artistic standard, theatricality, and an intercultural approach, winning over audiences and critics alike in Europe, Asia, and America. “Our mission is to place percussion at the centre of musical storytelling – not merely as accompanying instruments, but as an equal, expressive, and dynamic voice. OPERcussion dares to cross the boundaries between tradition and experimentation, transforming well-known pieces with new textures, tempos, and volume levels. Where others see accompaniment, we see protagonists.”

OPERcussion has expanded its repertoire by adapting works not originally written for percussion—from the Baroque, Classical, and Impressionist periods—while also drawing inspiration from the musical tradition of Latin America. At the same time, the ensemble collaborates with contemporary composers, commissioning new pieces from them, and often incorporates elements of improvisation in its live performances.

The production “2nd Percussion Festival of the GNO Alternative Stage” is part of the GNO Alternative Stage’s unit of programming titled “CYCLE OF THEMATIC CONCERTS”, which falls under the ACT “FESTIVAL EVENTS OF THE GNO ALTERNATIVE STAGE 2024-2025” » (MIS 6002467) with code 2024ΕΠ08570049 (Priority: “Fostering regional social cohesion through the enhancement of mechanisms and infrastructure to support employment, education, health care and socioeconomic inclusion” of the programme “Attica 2021-2027) and is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and National Resources.