REVIEWS
„The scenic intensity is matched by an equally electrifying musical performance. With the appointment of Vassilis Christopoulos as Music Director, Graz Opera has made a truly inspired choice. For all the care devoted to meticulously shaped detail — which brought many treasures vividly to light, such as the otherworldly beautiful pianissimo with which principal horn player Athanasios Ioannou introduced Marie’s reading from the Bible — Christopoulos never once lost sight of the larger arc. His command of formal architecture was evident not only in the final great interlude, in which the “Wir arme Leut!” motif swells in a mighty crescendo toward its climax — a culmination whose harsh, timpani-grounded chords extinguish every last glimmer of hope. A major, rapturously acclaimed evening for Graz Opera — and another success for its Artistic Director, Ulrich Lenz, who is restoring the house to renewed brilliance.“
…writes Peter Blaha from Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung about the premiere of the opera Wozzeck on 17 February 2025
The fifteen meticulously conceived scenes, composed in free tonality, have always held audiences spellbound, even though staging the work is complex and fraught with challenges. Musically, this recent premiere at the Graz Opera House succeeds at an outstanding level. Conductor Vassilis Christopoulos not only has both pit and stage firmly under control; Berg’s music clearly lies close to his heart. He draws an extraordinarily wide expressive range from the orchestra pit, from grotesque sharpness to mysterious shimmer, shaped by an immense spectrum of dynamic nuance and at times violent outbursts—without ever endangering the singers. The Graz Philharmonic Orchestra follows him with complete trust; what rises from the pit here is quite simply of world-class caliber.
… writes Martin Exner in KUMA about the premiere of the opera Wozzeck on February 17, 2025.
„High praise is also due to the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra. Under the baton of chief conductor Vassilis Christopoulos, the extremely demanding score—one that poses a formidable challenge for any ensemble—is performed with exemplary transparency, precise assurance, nuanced gradation, and gripping intensity.
Cutting, shrieking, and stirring, with impressive force yet also finely shaded, the sound rises from the orchestra pit. One is swept away by the pull of this music. The audience responded with great jubilation!“
as written by Helmut Christian Mayer in Kurier about the premiere of the opera Wozzeck on February 17, 2025.
„And if this dark scenario were not already enough, an overwhelming force rises from the orchestra pit. Under Vassilis Christopoulos, the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra creates a sharply contoured sonic landscape of cliffs and deep chasms, an electrifying, breathtaking atmosphere that lends additional depth to Titov’s imagery. Opera can hardly be more contemporary or more gripping. A must-see!“
…writes Michaela Reichart from Kronen Zeitung about the premiere of the opera Wozzeck on 17 February 2025
„...a special kind of pleasure, also because Vassilis Christopoulos inspires the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra to iridescent, ethereal playing, and not only in this magical moment.“
...writes Jürgen Otten from OPERNWELT about the premiere of Les Troyens on 18 January 2025
„Chief conductor Vassilis Christopoulos elicited atmospheric richness of colour as well as expressive dynamics from the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra“
...writes the Kleine Zeitung about the two-part ballet evening ‘Sacre!’ at Graz Opera on 26 October 2024
„…the musical performance of the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of chief conductor Vassilis Christopoulos was an absolute highlight of the evening. Instead of simply playing Wagner's work with bombastic force, the conductor opted for a subtle interpretation that impressed with its fine nuances and precise dynamics. The delicate, almost chamber music-like transparency, which brought out the subtle nuances of the score, is especially noteworthy.“
...writes Bachtrack about the premiere of Richard Wagner's ‘Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg’ at Graz Opera on 5 October 2024
„Excitement came from the orchestra pit, where Vassilis Christopoulos with the Graz Philharmonic Orchestra (particularly the excellent wind players) prepared a musical feast .“
„Vassilis Christopoulos, chief conductor in Graz as of this season, leads his Philharmoniker through the ‘sleepless’ 100 minutes with confidence and precision. Hurrah! Such unreserved enthusiasm is rare when it comes to contemporary music.“
Excerpt from the premiere review of the Kronen Zeitung Steiermark - Peter Eötvös ‘Schlaflos’ at the Graz Opera on 13 January 2024
„In Vassilis Christopoulos’ operatic debut in Graz, the orchestra sounded by no means brash, but carefully balanced, with subtle pianos, fine lyricism and dark colours.“
Helmut Christian Mayer (Kurier) on the premiere of Verdi's ‘Macbeth’ at Graz Opera on 25 November 2023
„The orchestra and its new chief conductor Vassilis Christopoulos were euphorically celebrated by the audience with applause that was remarkably long by Graz standards, which is hardly surprising: the evening was a successful start to a new season and era that has aroused curiosity about the projects of the coming months.“
...writes Bachtrack about the opening concert ‘Auftakt’ on 23 September 2023
…the experienced [conductor] Vassilis Christopoulos performed a miracle, drawing a transparent and clear, finely carved and well balanced sound from the musicians of the Greek National Opera…"
Yiannis Svolos ecstatic review about GNO’s double bill with Bartók’s Bluebeard’s Castle and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi in efsyn.gr (in Greek).
"...I've been following the Athens State Orchestra since 1968 and I don't think I've ever heard them play at this level before: as an orchestra of international calibre... Not a single musical bar was meaningless or imperfect..."
Lavish praise from Giorgos Sarigiannis, one of Greece's most respected music and theater critics, about Bruckner's Symphony no. 8 in his blog (in Greek).
”Another reason for the production’s success was the superb playing of the GNO’s orchestra under one of Greece’s top conductors, Vassilis Christopoulos, who is based mostly in Germany and who had also worked wonders here a year ago in Shostakovitch’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. We heard superbly subtle and nuanced playing that highlighted the rare yet very present lyricism in Berg’s score, while holding nothing back in the explosive crescendo in the climax of the drama.”
Opera Now (Original link seems to have expired)
...behind Wozzeck's success at the Greek National Opera was Vassilis Christopoulos, "who combined glittering detail, rich post-romanticism and translucent textures to hypnotic effect, while always making the music’s savage power rumble below the surface"
according to James Imam at the Financial Times - PDF
"Christopoulos proves to be an attentive singer accompanist and a relaxed yet compelling storyteller [...] this is a victorious Shostakovich as he sings and murders – without a single blind spot".
Read more on Manuel Brug's blog, klassiker.welt.de, about Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District at the Greek National Opera (in German).
...of the evening was Vassilis Christopoulos' conducting, who did an exceptional job and obtained an excellent rendition [of "Elektra"] from an orchestra not accustomed to play such a demanding score. From the first bar of the opera, it was clear that he was in perfect command of the task at hand...".
Luis Gago, El País, about the opening night of the Greek National Opera in their new venue with "Elektra" by Richard Strauss (in Spanish). PDF
Raving critique about "Die Frau ohne Schatten" in Wiesbaden (in German).
Gerhard Hofmann - Der neue Merker - Screenshot
An enthusiastic review of the opening concert of the RheinVokal Festival (in German).
Angela Baumeier - Rhein Zeitung - Screenshot