Greek National Opera Offers 1,500 Free Seats to the Unemployed

Unemployed Greek citizens have been offered free seats to see a dress rehearsal of Puccini’s “Tosca” on May 31, 2024

For the ninth consecutive year, the Greek National Opera (GNO) has offered unemployed Greek citizens the opportunity to attend an opera production at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus for free — with the aim of making the art of opera accessible to everyone.

In total, 1,500 free tickets were made available to unemployed individuals for the dress rehearsal of Giacomo Puccini’s popular opera Tosca, on May 31 at 9 PM at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.  

The tickets were distributed at GNO’s Box Office in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center on May 29 and 30, 2024, between 11 AM to 8 PM, until all tickets were gone. Each unemployment card/certificate holder could receive up to two tickets.

An operatic thriller, Tosca is hailed as one of the most famous operas in the repertoire. According to Tornos News, GNO’s Tosca will also launch the Athens-Epidaurus Festival 2024 events at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

GNO’s production will be conducted by Athens State Orchestra’s Artistic Director Lukas Karytinos, with direction, sets, and costumes designed by the acclaimed director Hugo de Ana. Other personnel include Katerina Petsatodi, GNO’s Stage Manager who brought Tosca to its stage, and an array of Greek and international soloists in the leading roles.

Recently, GNO added a fifth performance of Tosca due to high demand for tickets — the production will now be presented in five performances on June 1, 2, 4, 6, and 11, 2024.