Popi (Kalliopi) Javara-Tsirigoti
Soloist, Mezzo-Soprano
She was born in Pyrgos, Ilia and died in Athens in 1998. She studied at the Athens Conservatoire and the National Conservatoire of Greece under Elvira de Hidalgo and Er. Varatasi, graduating with honors in 1949. In 1948 she appeared at Perouze Theater as a replacement for K. Dimasioti. In 1952 she gave a radio concert for the Thessaloniki Radio Station. In 1939 she was hired as a chorister at the Opera of the National Theater of Greece, subsequently renamed to Greek National Opera (GNO) and she later became a soloist. During the period 1942-1960 she worked with the GNO as soloist in about 40 productions and/or revivals. She interpreted main and leading contralto roles in 18 operas such as: Ulrica (Un ballo in maschera), Azucena (Il trovatore), Madame Flora (The medium), Amneris (Aida), Curra (La forza del destino), Mama Lucia (Cavalleria rusticana), Ortrud (Lohengrin), Laura (La Gioconda), Shepherd Boy (Tosca), Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), Dido (Dido by Lavragas), Cloclo and Sylvia (Die lustige Witwe), Mary (Der fliegende Holländer), Hata (Prodaná nevěsta), Maria Cel (Das dreimädelhaus) and Empress Euphrosyne (Kassiani by Sklavos), Madalena (Rigoletto) etc. Outside of Greece she interpreted Amneris and Azucena. She recorded many works by Greek composers, mainly for the Greek State Radio (EIR). // Last update of the biography: November 2020 - The list of the productions below is continually updated.