12-07-2025
The Athens Concert Hall returns this year to Ancient Messene—the birthplace of Maria Callas—to present, on Saturday, July 12 at 20:30, at the Ancient Theatre, one of the masterpieces of the Italian operatic repertoire: Vincenzo Bellini’s Norma, in concert performance with an internationally acclaimed cast.
Bellini’s Norma in Maria Callas’s homeland, starring the eminent Karine Deshayes
In the emblematic title role appears Karine Deshayes (Καρίν Ντεέ), one of the world’s leading interpreters of Norma. The performance is conducted by the distinguished Greek maestro George Petrou, at the helm of Camerata – The Friends of Music Orchestra, offering a rare, high-calibre musical experience in the historic setting of Ancient Messene.
With triumphant appearances at the Opéra National de Bordeaux, the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, and in Strasbourg, Karine Deshayes is joined in Ancient Messene by outstanding opera soloists with international careers.
The Spanish tenor Moisés Marín (Μοϊσές Μαρίν) is distinguished for the beauty of his timbre and the dynamism of his singing; he recently sang Pollione at the Bilbao opera.
Mezzo-soprano Raffaella Lupinacci (Ραφαέλα Λουπινάτσι) is among the most important singers of the younger generation (La Monnaie, Dutch National Opera, Hamburg State Opera, Rossini Festival in Pesaro). She is noted for her unique tone color, impressive vocal range, and electrifying stage presence.
The eminent Greek bass Christoforos Stamboglis (Χριστόφορος Σταμπόγλης) has excelled on major stages around the world (Metropolitan Opera, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Covent Garden, Grand Théâtre de Genève) and has left a significant mark on the Greek music scene with his numerous appearances.
The newly founded mixed vocal ensemble, the Athens Chamber Choir, which made its debut in May 2023 at the Handel Festival in Göttingen, Germany, is conducted by maestro Agathangelos Georgakatos.
Bellini’s Norma in Maria Callas’s homeland, starring the eminent Karine Deshayes
Norma: The heroine, Maria Callas, and Ancient Messene
Norma (1831) by Vincenzo Bellini is a landmark of Romantic opera and one of the most demanding vocal achievements of the bel canto tradition.
It is among Maria Callas’s most iconic roles; she sang it in the legendary production of Norma at Epidaurus in 1960.
Maria Kalogeropoulou (Callas) hailed from the small village of Neochori of Ithomi in Messenia, commonly called Niochori, near the archaeological site of Ancient Messene. Presenting Norma at the ancient theatre of Messene pays tribute to the great Greek soprano who, through her personality and artistry, redefined the very genre of opera.
The Druid priestess—fateful and heroic, betrayed yet magnanimous—passes through pain, prayer, and revolt in one of the most compelling scores of the operatic tradition. The famous aria “Casta Diva” is not merely a musical moment—it is both a whisper and a cry.
Bellini’s Norma in Maria Callas’s homeland, starring the eminent Karine Deshayes
The Maestro, the Orchestra, and the Soloists
Camerata – The Friends of Music Orchestra, one of Greece’s most active and renowned ensembles with international appearances and distinctions, stands out for the musical quality of its performances and its imaginative approach to repertoire.
George Petrou appears regularly at the most important concert halls and leading opera houses in Europe (Arena di Verona, La Scala in Milan, Komische Oper Berlin, La Monnaie in Brussels, Frankfurt Opera, Zurich Opera). He is considered one of today’s foremost interpreters of 18th-century opera and Italian bel canto, with performances distinguished by their theatricality and profound musicality.
Concert performance with Greek and English surtitles.
Bellini’s Norma in Maria Callas’s homeland, starring the eminent Karine Deshayes
Ancient Messene: Memory and measure in dialogue with the present
Ancient Messene, one of Europe’s most emblematic and fully restored archaeological sites, is not only a monument of historical significance but a living environment for artistic dialogue. Its stone landscape—full of measure, proportion, and pulse—serves as a natural stage that does not merely host a performance but participates in it. Where hymns to Asclepius once resounded, the voice of Norma now seeks redemption, carrying the audience into a timeless emotion.
Cast / Creative Team
Karine Deshayes, Norma • Moisés Marín, Pollione • Christoforos Stamboglis, Oroveso • Raffaella Lupinacci, Adalgisa • Giannis Kalyvas, Flavio • Diamanti Kritsotaki, Clotilde
Athens Chamber Choir, conducted by Agathangelos Georgakatos
Camerata – The Friends of Music Orchestra
Conductor: George Petrou
Music preparation: Dimitris Giakas
