George Koumentakis, Artistic Director of the Greek National Opera, was born in Rethymno in 1959 and is one of the most gifted and multifaceted Greek composers. In addition to his numerous works of symphonic and chamber music,, a large part of his artistic career has been devoted to composing music for the performing arts (theater, film, dance, opera, and installations).
He has composed and staged four operas, the most notable of which is the two-act opera* The Murderess (2014, with a libretto by Yannis Svolos, based on the eponymous “social novel” by AlexPapadiamantis), which was writtencommission by the Greek National Opera and combines the Greek musical tradition with the contemporaryEuropean identity of the genre.
His major accolades date back to 1985, when György Ligeti selected him and commissioned him to compose the work Symphonia No. 5, and a few months later he participated in the Venice Biennale. In 1987, he collaborated for the first time with the renowned French contemporary music ensemble “Ensemble InterContemporain” and began a rise to international recognition that led, in 1992, to the prestigiousPrix de Rome scholarship, which included a one-year residency and creative period at the French Academyin Rome (Villa Medici).
That same year, he began his long-standing collaboration with choreographer-director Dimitris Papaioannou and the “Edafos Group,” which culminated in 2004 with the opening and closing ceremonies of the AthensOlympicGames, where he served as musical director, composer, and creator of the musical score.
She has collaborated with renowned artists from the worlds of theater, opera, and dance, including, among others, Karolos Koun, Stefanos Lazaridis, Yannis Houvardas, Roula Pateraki, and Rallou Manou.
He has served as artistic director of the musical ensemble “Nikos Skalkotas,” the Kyklos Ensemble, and the Rethymno Renaissance Festival, as well as head of artistic programming at the Tinos Cultural Foundation.
His works have been performed around the world at major concert halls and opera houses, including, among others: Salle Olivier Messiaen, Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Teatro La Fenice, Alte Oper, Benesse Museum (Naoshima), Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), Purcell Room, Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing), Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ (Amsterdam), Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid), Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (Maryland), Piccolo Teatro (Milan), and Guarnerius Art Center (Belgrade).
From 2015 to February 2017, he served as the artistic programming director of the Alternative Stage of the Greek National Opera, where he designed innovative programs and productions centered on artistic, educational, and social themes.
