{"id":7,"date":"2015-09-10T12:09:57","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T12:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elenicalenos.com\/?page_id=7"},"modified":"2026-02-03T22:39:53","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T22:39:53","slug":"biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/elenicalenos.com\/?page_id=7","title":{"rendered":"Biography"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t
\n\"_SVD8777okfinal\"<\/a><\/strong><\/em>Greek soprano Eleni Calenos is capturing admiration from critics and audiences for the clarity, warmth and beauty of her voice, and for her dignified characterizations. Of her performance as Tosca, Opera News said: “Eleni Calenos gave a performance for the ages, both vocally and dramatically”, and The Wall Street Journal: “The real standout, however, was soprano Eleni Calenos’ searing performance as Tosca–passionate, mercurial, heart-on-the-sleeve, with all the necessary vocal range, stamina and fire.” In Madama Butterfly, the Houston Press said: “The phenomenon was the Cio-Cio San of Greek soprano Eleni Calenos, whose nuanced characterization was a true wonder to hear. She sailed through her dramatic arias as if buoyed by the stirring music”.\n

This season, Ms. Calenos appeared as the singer in the Greek 1940s war revue “Bravo Colonello” with the alternative stage of the Greek National Opera. She also recorded two operettas \u00a0(“War in War”, and “The Cretan Girl”) by S. Samaras, also projects of the Greek National Opera. She was a recitalist – guest artist in the program “Chansons Populaires” coorganized by Opera in the Heights and Museo Institute of the Medical Arts in Houston, TX. Also, she was a soloist in an opera gala with Orchestra Miami, and performed the role of Tosca<\/strong> with Shreveport Opera. In 2024 she portrayed the roles of\u00a0Sofia and Jeronima\u00a0de las Cuevas<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0El Greco<\/strong><\/em>, a new opera\u00a0-world premiere- by composer George Hatzinasios at Athens Megaro Concert Hall in Greece. She performed\u00a0Tosca<\/strong>\u00a0with Opera Orlando, was a soloist in “LA DIVINA” tribute concert to Maria Callas with Opera Santa Barbara, and in the 75th anniversary gala concert by Shreveport Opera.<\/p>\n

Her upcoming performances include Tosca<\/strong> with Opera Montana, and a Puccini Gala with the Grand Teton Summer Festival, under the baton of maestro Donald Runnicles. She will be performing in recital in Houston, TX, as well as in the Aegina Summer Festival.<\/p>\nRecently, she portrayed Desdemona<\/strong> in Otello<\/em><\/strong> –<\/em>alongside tenor Gregory Kunde, and under the button of maestro Philippe Auguin- with Maryland Lyric Opera, and Tosca\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>with Opera Santa Barbara. In the summer of 2022, she was\u00a0Giulietta<\/strong> in Zandonai’s\u00a0Giulietta e Romeo <\/em><\/strong>with Teatro Grattacielo and the Festival of New York, and\u00a0Liu\u00a0<\/strong>in\u00a0Turandot\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra. <\/i>She was the\u00a0soprano soloist in a 2021 Christmas concert of\u00a0Beethoven’s 9th Symphony <\/strong>with the Athens State Symphony, under the baton of maestro Mihkel K\u00fctson. In the fall of 2021, she performed in The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas,\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>a\u00a0Marina Abramovic project with the Greek National Opera, singing\u00a0Tosca.\u00a0She also created the role of\u00a0Crise Bozzari\u00a0<\/strong>in the world premiere of the opera\u00a0Marco Bozzari\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>by Nikolas Tzanis Metaxas\u00a0with the Athens Philharmonia Orchestra.
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\n<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>In the 2019-2020, she made her debut with the Greek National Opera as Rosalinda <\/strong>in\u00a0Die Fledermaus<\/em><\/strong>. She also appeared as\u00a0Mimi\u00a0<\/strong>in\u00a0La Boh\u00e8me<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>with the Cleveland Opera Theater, as\u00a0Cio-Cio San<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Madama Butterfly\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>with Opera Santa Barbara, was a featured soloist for Opera Omaha’s Opera Outdoors concert. <\/strong><\/em>Due to COVID-19 she was not able to\u00a0resume her role of the\u00a0Countess<\/strong> in Le Nozze di Figaro<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0with Shreveport Opera, as well as the 2020\u00a0fall tour in Glyndebourne as Cio-Cio San<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Madama Butterfly.\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>\n

In past seasons, Ms. Calenos appeared as Santuzza<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Cavalleria Rusticana<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>with the Eptapyrgion Festival in Thessaloniki (2019), Greece, as\u00a0Mimi\u00a0<\/strong>in\u00a0La Boh\u00e8me<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em>with Opera Santa Barbara, and as\u00a0Cio-Cio San<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Madama Butterfly\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>with Shreveport Opera. She was the soprano soloist in the Maria Callas gala anniversary concert with\u00a0the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra of Greece (2018), in her native city, and\u00a0covered the role of Cio-Cio San<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Madama Butterfly<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0at the Glyndebourne Festival. In the fall of 2017, she\u00a0had her debut in Germany with the Wiesbaden Staatstheater as\u00a0Saida <\/strong>in the world premiere of the opera\u00a0Sch\u00f6nerland<\/em><\/strong> by S\u00f8ren Nils Eichberg. Other recent appearances include\u00a0Giorgetta<\/strong> in Il<\/strong> Tabarro<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0and the title role in\u00a0Suor Angelica\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(Opera Delaware & Opera Company of Middlebury),\u00a0Cio-Cio San<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Madama Butterfly<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(Annapolis Opera & Ash Lawn Opera),\u00a0Tosca <\/b>(Opera Idaho & LOFT Opera),\u00a0Mimi\u00a0<\/strong>in\u00a0La Boh\u00e8me<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(Shreveport Opera & Palm Beach Opera),\u00a0Desdemona<\/strong> in Otello <\/em><\/strong>(Phoenicia International Festival), Mica\u00ebla<\/strong> in Carmen<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(Palm Beach Opera), a New Year’s Opera Gala at Athens’ Megaron Concert Hall with the Athens State Symphony Orchestra of Greece,\u00a0Mimi <\/strong>in La Boh\u00e8me<\/em><\/strong> and an Opera in the Park concert (Madison Opera), the role of L’Infante<\/strong> in Le Cid <\/em><\/strong>(Odyssey Opera), and\u00a0Li\u00f9 <\/strong>in Turandot<\/em> <\/strong>(Opera Company of Middlebury).<\/p>\n

Moreover, ms. Calenos has performed Silvia<\/strong> in Mascagni’s Zanetto <\/strong><\/em>(Odyssey Opera), Antonia<\/strong> in Les Contes d’Hoffmann<\/strong><\/em> (Palm Beach Opera), Lia<\/strong> in Debussy’s L’ Enfant Prodigue<\/strong><\/em> (Metro Chamber Orchestra of NY), Li\u00f9<\/strong> in Turandot <\/strong><\/em>(Shreveport Opera & Boston Chorus Pro Musica), Mica\u00ebla<\/strong> in Carmen<\/strong><\/em> (Opera Idaho), Countess<\/strong> in Le Nozze di Figaro<\/strong><\/em> (Tulsa Opera & Austin Opera), Cio-Cio San <\/strong>in Madama Butterfly<\/strong><\/em> (Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Idaho, Shreveport Opera, Mississippi Opera, & Opera in the Heights),\u00a0Nedda<\/strong> in I Pagliacc<\/strong><\/em>i <\/strong><\/em>(Shreveport Opera),\u00a0Gilda <\/strong>in Rigoletto <\/strong><\/em>(Sarasota Opera), Hanna Glawari<\/strong> in Die lustige Witwe <\/strong><\/em>(Zomeropera, Belgium),\u00a0Donna Elvira<\/strong> in Don Giovanni<\/strong><\/em> and Valencienne<\/strong> in The Merry Widow<\/strong><\/em> (Utah Festival Opera), Mimi <\/strong>in La Boh\u00e8me<\/strong><\/em> (Opera Idaho),\u00a0Donna Anna<\/strong> in Don Giovanni<\/strong><\/em> (Shreveport Opera),\u00a0Fiordiligi<\/strong> in Cos\u00ec Fan Tutte<\/strong><\/em> (Barbados Music Festival),\u00a0Medora<\/strong> in Il Corsaro<\/strong><\/em> (Hellenic Music Foundation, NY), Pamina<\/strong> in Die Zauberfl\u00f6te<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0and the title role of Suor Angelica\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>with Boston University’s Opera Institute, as well as Donna Elvira<\/strong> in Don Giovanni<\/strong><\/em> with the Martina Arroyo Foundation. Of her performance, The New York Times said, “Eleni Calenos sang with a strong, clear soprano and was persuasive as a suffering yet haughty Donna Elvira.”<\/p>\n

Equally consummate in the concert\/recital repertoire, Ms. Calenos has performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>and\u00a0Missa<\/strong> Solemnis <\/strong><\/em>(Queens College Choral Society, NY),\u00a0Mahler’s Symphony No. 2<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0(Queens College Choral Society), Verdi’s Messa da Requiem<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, Queens College’s Choral Society, Penn State University, Masterworks Chorale, Boston University Symphony at\u00a0Boston Symphony Hall), Respighi’s Lauda per la Nativit\u00e0 del Signore<\/strong><\/em> and Vivaldi’s Gloria\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra), and Libby Larsen’s cycle Try me, Good King <\/strong><\/em>(National Opera Center, NY). She was also the soprano soloist in The Bells<\/strong><\/em> by Rachmaninov, and in Ein Deutsches Requiem<\/strong><\/em> by Brahms (Lancaster Symphony Orchestra). In the summer of 2013, ms. Calenos appeared at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center as the soloist in J.Rutter’s Magnificat<\/strong><\/em>. Her concert repertoire also includes\u00a0Strauss’ Vier letzte Lieder\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(Cambridge Symphony Orchestra),\u00a0Poulenc’s Gloria<\/strong><\/em>,\u00a0Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915<\/strong><\/em>,\u00a0Nielsen’s Hymnus Amoris<\/em><\/strong> and the title role in H\u00e4ndel’s oratorio Theodora<\/strong><\/em> (Hudson Valley Singers). Eleni participated in the Meyerbeer Retrospective concert with Mo Eve Queler with Opera Orchestra of New York, and \u00a0appeared as the principal soloist with Greek composer A. Paraskevas at Weil Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall (Distinguished Concerts International New York).<\/p>\n

Her recordings include Mascagni’s Zanetto<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0with Odyssey Opera of Boston, and George Tsontakis’ Mirologhia<\/strong><\/em>, which was released on the KOCH International Classics label with the Albany Symphony Orchestra..<\/p>\n

Ms. Calenos boasts a long list of awards including the Gerda Lissner Foundation award (2010), and the “Judges Award” from the Connecticut Opera Guild Competition (2009). She also won the Audience Favorite award at the Irma Cooper Competition in Columbus, Ohio (2008), the Schyler Foundation “Career Bridges” Award (2006-2008). She was a finalist of the Oratorio Society of NY competition (2010), the Renata Tebaldi International Vocal Competition in San Marino (2009), and the Concurso del Canto de Bilbao (2008). She was one of the Young American Artists of Glimmerglass in 2010, and a participant of the Martina Arroyo Foundation program “Prelude to Performance” in 2006.<\/p>\n

Eleni was a member of Boston University’s Opera Institute between the years 2006 and 2008, and holds a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance from Queens College in New York, a diploma in Vocal Performance from the National Conservatory of Athens, as well as a Diploma in Violoncello Performance form the Municipal Conservatory of Thessaloniki, Greece.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Greek soprano Eleni Calenos is capturing admiration from critics and audiences for…<\/p>\n

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