Alternative Stage Founding Donor

Major Sponsor of the Greek National Opera

The female choral ensemble CHÓRES and the National Women's Youth Choir of the Netherlands, two youthful choirs from the opposite ends of Europe, come together on stage to present a unique concert at the Greek National Opera Alternative Stage in the SNFCC on Tuesday, 11 November 2025, at 20.30. Titled "From the Baltic to the Mediterranean: A Choral Exchange," this concert highlights the power of the voice as an agent of cultural expression and dialogue. Its diverse programme runs through Scandinavia, Central Europe, and the Baltic, featuring music ranging from Verdi and Reger to Vasks and Tormis, culminating in modern adaptations of Greek and Balkan traditional songs.

This concert represents the culmination of an intensive artistic exchange that took place through a series of workshops and open rehearsals guided by Irene Verburg, László Norbert Nemes, and Eirini Patsea. By blending different vocal traditions, techniques, and aesthetics, the two choirs create a musical landscape where the strictness of the North meets the expressiveness of the South on a shared sound canvas. Despite the geographic distance between them, the two choirs share a common core of artistic perception and pedagogical philosophy. Since its formation by Marina Satti in 2018, the female choral ensemble CHÓRES has served as an artistic hub for women and teenagers, focusing on fostering the holistic development of the performing arts and empowering artistic expression through collective effort. Meanwhile, the National Women's Youth Choir of the Netherlands, established in 1996, emphasizes developing its members' artistic independence and cultural awareness, providing high-quality musical training in an environment that encourages collaboration and creative dialogue. Both ensembles experiment with the interaction between traditional and contemporary elements, aiming not only for technical excellence but also to shape mindful young artists with social responsibility and cultural awareness. Both also rank among the most vital artistic forces in their respective countries, active at the intersection of music and social action.

The concert programme includes pieces by the following composers: P?teris Vasks, Giuseppe Verdi, Giannis Giannakos, Jürgen Golle, Petros Klampanis, Suzanne Konings, Miklós Kocsár, Jaakko M?ntyj?rvi, Martha Mavroidi, Alkis Baltas, Margarita Papadimitriou, Max Reger, Christos Samaras, Veljo Tormis, and Angelos Triantafyllou. The female choral ensemble CHÓRES is conducted by Eirini Patsea, and the National Youth Orchestra of the Netherlands is led by László Norbert Nemes and Irene Verbug.

Workshops and open rehearsals
As part of the collaboration between the female choral ensemble CHÓRES and the National Women's Youth Choir of the Netherlands, a two-day event featuring intensive workshops and open rehearsals will be held in the Rehearsal Hall of the GNO Chorus at the SNFCC on 8 and 9 November 2025. This high-class workshop programme intends to enhance the bonds between these two vibrant European choral communities. The workshops are aimed at conductors, choristers, music educators, and music students, providing a dynamic setting for the exchange of knowledge and artistic experience.

A few words about the National Women's Youth Choir of the Netherlands
The National Women's Youth Choir of the Netherlands [Nationaal Vrouwen Jeugdkoor] was founded in 1996 and consists of young women aged between sixteen and thirty years. The choir often performs music from the 1500s to the present day on professional stages in the Netherlands and abroad. The singers are vocally coached by Irene Verbug. The choir frequently takes part in professional concert cycles, including Saturday Mornings, AVROTROS Friday Concerts at TivoliVredenburg, and Sunday Morning Concerts with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Internationally, the choir has performed with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, the Venice Baroque Orchestra, and the Berliner Philharmoniker. It has also toured Japan, Spain, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Denmark. From 2006 to 2015, the choir sang for 8 consecutive years at the National Remembrance Ceremony on the 4th of May at the New Temple in Amsterdam. Music for this occasion was written specifically for this choir by composers, including Roen van Oosten, Theo Loevendie, Theo Verbey, Iván Fischer, and Matthias Kadar. It has also released numerous albums. Last April, the choir received the Concertgebouw Young Talent Award. It is one of the four Dutch national choirs supported by the Netherlands Vocal Talent Foundation, whose mission is to identify and encourage young vocal talents to flourish. The choir is conducted by Irene Verbug and László Nemes.

A few words about the female choral ensemble CHÓRES
The female choral ensemble CHÓRES is an artistic hub founded by Marina Satti with the goal of developing its members' skills in music, dance, and acting, and shaping them into artists with a broad education and social awareness. CHÓRES explores the connection between different aesthetic and cultural elements, transcending geographical and age barriers, while utilizing various forms of expression. The ensemble consists of over 150 women aged 15 to 60 who train regularly across the entire spectrum of performing arts. Their diverse repertoire features traditional Greek songs, music from the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as original compositions and adaptations of traditional songs by Greek and international composers, many of which have been written specifically for CHÓRES. The ensemble collaborates with the Greek National Opera as a guest group, participating in numerous concerts, theater performances, chorus festivals, and learning and participation events in Greece and abroad.