The International Opera Awards ceremony to be hosted for the first time by the Greek National Opera

13 November 2025
Stavros Niarchos Hall of the GNO – SNFCC

Presented by BBC Radio 3 host Petroc Trelawny
Conductor Konstantinos Terzakis
Featuring soloists, polyphonic ensemble, the Orchestra, Chorus, members of the Ballet and Children’s Chorus of the GNO

Showcasing a panorama of Greek art music and featuring the full range of its artistic forces, the Greek National Opera is set to host the International Opera Awards Ceremony at the Stavros Niarchos Hall in the SNFCC on Thursday, the 13th of November 2025 at 19.00. With nominees from 25 countries across five continents, this year’s International Opera Awards celebrate the international spirit of the art of opera, inviting us to applaud the award-winning creators, performers, creative teams, productions, and opera houses, as a recognition of the exceptional artistic work they produce. The event is made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to enhance the GNO’s artistic outreach.

Remarkable works by Spyridon Samaras, Paolo Carrer, Theofrastos Sakellaridis, Nikos Skalkottas,  Mikis Theodorakis and Giorgos Koumendakis will be featured in an anthology of Greek art music, which will be presented by the Greek National Opera during this grand international opera celebration that will take place on the 13th of November at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. The International Opera Awards Ceremony, an institution that has been rewarding exceptional operatic talent from all over the world for 13 years, honours the diverse and collaborative nature of this supreme art form. The event will feature distinguished and emerging soloists, Vassiliki Karayanni, Maria Kosovitsa, Dimitri Platanias, and Yannis Christopoulos, along with a polyphonic ensemble and the Orchestra, Chorus, members of the Ballet, and Children’s Chorus of the GNO. Conducting will be Konstantinos Terzakis.

Naturally, the International Opera Awards Ceremony has big surprises in store, to be revealed on the evening of the 13th of November. Leading opera artists of our time who are nominated for these prestigious awards will perform excerpts from famous operas, while a legendary figure from the opera world will be called on stage to receive a lifetime achievement award. The ceremony will also be honoured by the presence of representatives from the globe’s most important opera houses, among others.

The 21 award-winners of this year’s awards ceremony (artists, cultural organisations, foundations, productions, recordings, etc) will be selected by an esteemed international jury of opera critics, opera house administrators, and performers, chaired by John Allison, editor of Opera Magazine with Opera News, the Founding Media Partner of the Awards.

Along with the audience at the Stavros Niarchos Hall, the ceremony will also be broadcast to opera fans worldwide via live streaming on the OperaVision online platform (www.operavision.eu).

Founded by philanthropist Harry Hyman in 2012, the International Opera Awards aim to highlight and elevate the profile of opera, as well as recognise and reward excellence. At the same time, this institution helps raise funds for the Opera Awards Foundation, which provides scholarships to talented emerging opera creators and performers worldwide. This year, for the first time, the International Opera Awards Ceremony will be hosted by the Greek National Opera in Athens, placing Greece at the centre of attention on the global opera stage.

Additionally, the Greek National Opera has taken on the task of designing this year’s awards, which are highly symbolic and inspired by Greece’s rich cultural heritage. This design is based on a striking Early Bronze Age artefact found in the Cyclades, depicting an elegant, violin-shaped figurine. Produced in collaboration with the Museum of Cycladic Art, where the original figurines are displayed, each replica will be crafted in marble and mounted with a customised plaque for the International Opera Awards.

Tickets from 15€ for the International Opera Awards Ceremony: ticketservices.gr

Detailed information – Nominees: www.operaawards.org

The Greek National Opera is funded by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture

Lead Donor of the Greek National Opera & Production donor
Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)