Cosmos | New YearΆs Gala with a Viennese flair

Cosmos | New Year's Gala with a whiff of Vienna

Featuring the Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra (National Symphony Orchestra of ERT)

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) and the Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra (National Symphony Orchestra of ERT), with the collaboration of distinguished soprano Danae Kontora and under the musical direction of conductor Michalis Economou, are welcoming the public on Monday, December 28, at the Stavros Niarchos Hall, for a glamourous New YearΆs Gala with a flair of Vienna.

A fascinating musical journey across beloved Viennese waltzes, lively polkas, and dazzling arias, in the spirit of the holiday season. An evening of elegance, glamour and festive mood, to prepare for the advent of the New Year with lots of music and optimism. The program includes works by Johann Strauss and other Viennese composers, as well as popular arias and excerpts from beloved operas and operettas, transporting us to the glamorous, festive atmosphere of Vienna.

Danae Kontora is one of the most distinguished Greek sopranos of her generation, with a significant presence at Europe's top opera houses. She has appeared at the Vienna State Opera, the Paris National Opera, the Frankfurt Opera, and the Dresden State Opera, among others. She has collaborated with major orchestras, and has participated in international festivals such as the Edinburgh International Festival and BBC Proms. In 2024, she played the role of Musetta in Puccini's La bohème at the Greek National Opera, while in 2026, she participated in the role of Glauce in the reimagining of the 1961 production of Luigi Cherubini's Medea, staged by the Greek National Opera at the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus.

The Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra (National Symphony Orchestra of ERT)

It was founded in 1937, and is one of the most important symphonic ensembles in Greece, boasting a rich performance history in the Greek and international classical repertoire. It has collaborated with distinguished conductors and soloists of international acclaim, including Dimitri Mitropoulos, Yehudi Menuhin, Gina Bachauer, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, and Angela Gheorghiu. The Orchestra has performed in prominent venues and festivals in Greece and abroad-from the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Athens Concert Hall to the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the Beijing Poly Theater-and is considered one of the most active high-level musical ensembles in Greece. Since 2023, the Music Director of the Greek Radio Symphony Orchestra is Michalis Economou. 

PROGRAM
J. Strauss: Der Zigeunerbaron, Overture
É. Waldteufel: Les Patineurs, Waltz
F. Lehár: Meine Lippen sie küssen so heiß
J. Strauss: Tritsch-Tratsch, Polka
J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus Quadrille
J. Strauss: Spiel' ich die Unschuld vom Lande
J. Strauss: Rosen aus dem Süden, Waltz
J. Strauss: Éljen a Magyar, Polka
J. Strauss: Frühlingsstimmen
J. Strauss: Kaiser-Walzer
E. Kálmán: Höre ich Zigeunergeigen
J. Strauss: Unter Donner und Blitz, Polka