Greek National Opera Will Host International Opera Awards 2025

The International Opera Awards and Greek National Opera have announced that, for the very first time, the event will be hosted in Athens at the Stavros Niarchos Hall of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) on Thursday 13 November 2025. This has been made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to enhance the Greek National Opera's artistic outreach.

The Awards honour exceptional operatic talent from across the globe, celebrating the diverse and collaborative nature of this cherished art form and the annual event has become an important landmark on the international operatic calendar. Founded by philanthropist Harry Hyman in 2012, the Awards aim to raise the profile of opera as an art form, recognize and reward excellence, and help to generate funds for the Opera Awards Foundation, which provides bursaries for emerging operatic talent worldwide.

Following its relocation to the SNFCC in 2017 under the artistic direction of Giorgos Koumendakis and with support from the SNF, the Greek National Opera has evolved into one of the most inspired and creative opera houses in Europe, showcasing a significant number of new commissions, new productions, and international collaborations, along with a remarkable expansion of its repertoire. Thus, hosting the International Opera Awards ceremony is a natural continuation of its prolific activities.

The Artistic Director of the Greek National Opera, Giorgos Koumendakis, notes: “We are delighted that the Greek National Opera is going to host the International Opera Awards ceremony, for the very first time, in 2025 at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. Every year, this globally prestigious event singles out the most remarkable artistic achievements in the realm of opera and rewards younger and already distinguished opera artists along with opera houses worldwide. The event will be conducted under the artistic supervision of the GNO and featuring the GNO Orchestra. I would like to express my gratitude to the Commission, the Opera Awards Foundation, and the Awards Committee for the honor of selecting the Greek National Opera for this role, as well as the Stavros Niarchos Foundation for its support of this ambitious project.”

Harry Hyman, Founder of the International Opera Awards, said: “We're thrilled to bring the International Opera Awards to Athens for the first time, and to continue to celebrate the truly international artform of opera. Our thanks to Greek National Opera for hosting the 2025 ceremony, and I look forward to celebrating with them and the rest of the opera world in November.”

Nominations for the 2025 International Opera Awards open on 30 May 2025, and tickets for the event will go on sale in due course.