Georgian mezzo-soprano, οne of the most acclaimed opera singers of our time, she studied piano and singing at her homeland. She received a scholarship from the President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and in 2007 she won the Paata Burchuladze Prize. While still a student at the conservatory, she debuted at the Tbilisi Opera as Maddalena in Rigoletto and as Olga in Eugene Onegin, subsequently joining the ensemble of the theatre in the fall of 2006. She came to international attention when she performed Carmen at La Scala, Milan (2009), opposite Jonas Kaufmann under Daniel Barenboim. Since then she has sung numerous roles to great acclaim all over the world. Frequently also heard in concert, she has performed with many leading conductors including Riccardo Muti, Christian Thielemann, Antonio Pappano and Semyon Bychkov. This is the sixth time she performs in Greece with the GNO: in 2018 she sang to great acclaim the role of Carmen at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, in 2020 she gave a recital at the Roman Agora of Athens, in 2021 she participated in the Verdi Gala at the Panathenaic Stadium, in 2023 she sang Charlotte (Werther), while last October she sang the role of La Cieca (The Blind One) in La Gioconda by Ponchielli.

The admission exams for the Professional Dance School of the Greek National Opera for the academic year 2026-2027 will be held in two rounds. The first round of selection will take place on 20 and 21 September 2026, and the second and final round will take place on 22 September 2026. All candidates must be present in both rounds.

The time and candidate groups for the first round of exams will be announced in the “NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS” section of the Greek National Opera’s official website (https://www.nationalopera.gr/nea-anakoinoseis) by Thursday, 10 September 2026. Candidates will be listed in each group in alphabetical order. Successful candidates of the first round will pass to the second round. The students of the new academic year will be selected from the successful candidates of the second round. Candidates will take an exam in classical ballet, modern dance, and rhythmics, in the presence of a jury panel.

Prior to the exams, a round of preparatory courses will be held from 16 to 19 September to acquaint participants with the techniques in which they will be tested. Candidates who will not attend the preparatory courses will still be entitled to participate in the admission exams. Candidates interested in attending the preparatory courses must indicate this in their application form and attend all classes.

• Each candidate will be listed in groups by the School. Candidates will not be allowed to change groups, unless in exceptional circumstances and after prior communication with the School.
• On the first day of the preparation round, candidates should be at the School at least 45 minutes prior to the start of the classes.

The detailed programme of the preparation round, as well as the candidate groups, will be announced in the “NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS” section of the Greek National Opera’s official webpage (https://www.nationalopera.gr/nea-anakoinoseis) by Thursday, 10 September 2026.

Classes will be held at the premises of the GNO Dance School at the SNFCC.

Latecomers will not be allowed to enter the classes.

Candidates must be wearing:

Girls:

Ballet

• Black leotard
• Pink tights
• Soft ballet shoes
• Pointes

Modern Dance

• Black leggings or footless tights
• No shoes

Boys:

Ballet & Modern Dance

• White T-shirt
• Black leggings
• Black or white ballet shoes (only for the ballet class)

Applications:

Eligible to participate in the admission exams are all candidates who have not exceeded 25 years of age. For those who already hold a diploma from a higher educational institution, the age limit is 30 years.

The application period for the admission exams for professional courses is from 4 July to 7 September 2026. Applications for the academic year 2026-2027 can only be submitted via email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

The secretariat will remain closed during the August holiday period.

You are kindly requested to send the supporting documents as clearly scanned attachments in PDF format.

Applications submitted after the specified deadline will not be accepted.

Necessary supporting documents:

• Application form and GDPR consent form duly filled in and signed
• Photocopy of an identity card or passport
• Photocopy of high school diploma

You can download the admission exams application form here.

You are kindly requested to ensure that you have received the reference number of your application (via email) by the application deadline, as you will need it to access the results announcement.

Notice: Applying to the Greek National Opera Dance School does not substitute the application that candidates must necessarily submit to the Ministry of Culture. (Information: Department of Theatre & Dance Training, Ministry of Culture, tel: 210-8201758)

Placement exams:

Eligible to participate in the placement exams are candidates who hold a diploma or degree in Dance or Dance Teaching from an accredited Higher Vocational Dance School in Greece or abroad.

Necessary Supporting Documents:

• Application form and GDPR consent form duly filled in and signed
• Photocopy of an identity card or passport
• Photocopy of a diploma or degree in Dance or in Dance Teaching from an accredited Greek or foreign Higher Vocational Dance School
• Photocopy of high school diploma

Holders of foreign qualifications should moreover submit:

• Official translation (from the Translation Service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) of their qualifications in Greek
• Certificate of studies (stating the place, the duration of studies, the curriculum, and hours of teaching), accompanied by its official translation in Greek
• Curriculum vitae

Candidates who are non-Greek nationals must moreover submit:

• Residence permit
• Official document stating their father’s name
• Official translation of this document in Greek

You can download the placement application here.

Transfers:

Transfer applications are intended for students at vocational schools accredited by the Ministry of Culture.

The necessary supporting documents are:

• Admission exams application form and GDPR consent form duly filled in and signed
• Transfer application
• Photocopy of an identity card or passport

You can download the admission exams application here.

You can download the transfer application here.

Secretariat:
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
364 Syggrou Avenue, Kallithea
Tel. 213088-5971, -5974 (extension 5971, 5974)
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Public hours: Monday-Friday 10.00-15.00

You are kindly requested to enter through the Dance School entrance. The School’s premises are on the 6^th floor.