Les Nuits d’été

Lead Donor of the GNO & Tour Programme Donor

As part of the Greek National Opera’s international tours, the GNO Ballet is travelling for the first time to Cape Town in South Africa to participate in Dance Intersect 2025.For four performances on 2, 3, and 4 October 2025 at the Artscape Theatre Centre, the GNO Ballet will present the work Les Nuits d’été (Summer Nights) choreographed by Konstantinos Rigos. The international tour is made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) [www.SNF.org] to enhance the Greek National Opera’s artistic outreach.

Dance Intersect 2025 is an intercultural celebration of classical and modern dance, initiated by dancer and choreographer Anderson Carvalho. It serves as a global meeting point for dance, showcasing both international companies and talents from South Africa in a festival that celebrates movement without borders. Focused on a pioneering, interactive collaboration model, the programme encourages the exchange of skills and experiences among artists from different generations and cultural backgrounds. Through joint rehearsals, performances, workshops, and events with audience participation, Dance Intersect fosters relationships that transcend borders and creates works that reflect the power of collective creativity. At the heart of Dance Intersect 2025 lies the spirit of artistic exchange. For the first time, this year’s event has invited the Greek National Opera Ballet to South Africa, along with celebrated choreographers and companies from the Netherlands, Brazil, and across Africa.

The famous song cycle Les Nuits d’été is one of Hector Berlioz’s most popular works. The renowned French composer wrote these six songs for voice and piano, setting poetry by Théophile Gautier. His goal was to musically portray love in its most idealised form through delicate melodies. Inspired by the song cycle of the same title, Konstantinos Rigos creates, together with the GNO Ballet, a work about love, loneliness, the quest, and the journey. Gestures and shapes craft a kaleidoscope of our individual inner summer. The work will be performed by internationally acclaimed baritone Tassis Christoyannis, accompanied by Sofia Tamvakopoulou on the piano. The costumes are designed by Deux Hommes.