The Magic Pillows

The Magic Pillows

George Dousis / Eugene Trivizas

Available for on-demand streaming until 31 December 2023

on nationalopera.gr/GNOTV/en

Ticket: 10€

The Magic Pillows - a hugely successful opera production for all the family is transferring to the small screen to reach children, and adults too, on their phones and tablets, their computers and television sets, premiering on GNO TV on 5 December. This well-known work by Eugene Trivizas - which met with great success both as a novel (translated into many other languages, and the winner of numerous awards) and as a theatre play - was adapted by the author himself to debut as an opera for all the family, set to music by George Dousis, and breathing life into the dreams of young and old alike. This production is made possible by a grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) to enhance the GNO's artistic outreach.

This hopeful, moving, and meaningful fairy tale by Trivizas tells the story of some children at an unloved school and their inspiring teacher, who together take a stand against the greedy King Glorious the Omnificent, quite determined to reclaim their lost dreams.

The emotionally rich and melodious music of George Dousis winningly winds its way around breath-taking palace halls, neglected classrooms, and gloomy emerald mines, breathing life into this spirited band of characters. Meanwhile, the fast-paced, funny, and emotion-filled staging by Natasha Triantafylli goes straight to the poetic heart of this redemptive and limitlessly rich classic tale.

Recorded in the GNO Stavros Niarchos Hall at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center on 18 and 19 December 2021. Subtitles are available in Greek and English.

Music George Dousis
Libretto Eugene Trivizas
Conductor Nicolas Vassiliou
Director Natasha Triantafylli
Sets Tina Tzoka
Costumes Ioanna Tsami
Movement coach Dimitra Mitropoulou
Lighting designer Giorgos Tellos
Children's Chorus Mistress Konstantina Pitsiakou


Christofer the Teacher Nicolas Maraziotis
King Glorious the Omnificient Nikos Kotenidis
Sir Syrup Superlick (Honorary Royal Groveler) Dionisios Melogiannidis
Baron Bulimian Lustblast (Supreme Commander of the Imperial Guard) Vangelis Maniatis
Reptilious Serpentilious (Chief Palace Sorcerer) George Mattheakakis
Erebus (Guardsman) Kostis Rassidakis
Ugur (Guardsman) Yannis Kavouras
Dorela Angeliki Tamvakopoulou
Carleto Marios-Gregory Paschalis
Mateo Markos Levogiannis


Vocal ensemble:
Olga Balomenou, Varvara Biza, Efi Papadopoulou, Anna Smerou, Dimosthenis Vlachos, Konstantinos Zabounis, Andreas Karaoulis, Stamatis Pakakis, Vassilis Dimakopoulos, Georgios Papadimitriou, Marinos Tarnanas


With a small instrumental ensemble and the GNO Children's Chorus in the scope of its educational mission

With a 10-euro ticket, viewers can enjoy this production from the comfort of their homes at tv.nationalopera.gr/en, at any time they choose, on their computer, ipad, TV or mobile phones. The ticket offers the possibility to access the performance for an unlimited number of times over the course of a 30-day period starting from the first streaming.

Lead Donor of the Greek National Opera and Founding Donor of the GNO TV

Stavros Niarchos Foundation