The awards was held at the GNO through the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s (SNF) support for its artistic outreach. During the ceremony, hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenter Petroc Trelawny, outstanding achievements in opera from five continents were honored, with finalists coming from 25 countries.
20 awards were presented, including the 2025 Opera Company Award, which went to the Austrian opera house MusikTheater an der Wien. On behalf of SNF, Board Member and Senior Legal Advisor George Agouridis presented the Best New Production Award, which honored the co-production of the opera The Adventures of Mr. Broucek, directed by Robert Carsen, between the National Theater of Brno, the Berlin State Opera, and the Royal Theater of Madrid. Introducing the awards, George said, “As admirers and supporters of the work of the Greek National Opera, we share its joy and pride at hosting the awards in Greece for the first time, here at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. Under the inspired leadership of Artistic Director Giorgos Koumendakis and his team, the GNO has established itself as a major presence on the international opera scene. Bravi!”
At last year's event, SNF was honored in the Philanthropy category for its long-standing support of opera, and the GNO received the Best New Production Award for its production of Iphigenia in Aulis & Iphigenia in Tauris, a co-production with the Aix-en-Provence Festival and the Opéra national de Paris. This production was also made possible by a grant from SNF.
SNF has been supporting the GNO for more than a decade, including its broad public outreach before the construction of its new home in Athens at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, the development of its Alternative Stage to engage of new artistic communities, and the welcome it has extended to underserved groups through its educational activities. SNF started supporting GNO’s current artistic outreach efforts in 2019 with a grant for the implementation of a four-year plan to promote the GNO’s work internationally. In 2024, following the completion of this grant, SNF announced the renewal of its support through a two-year grant which includes international tours.