Francesca Nikita
Soloist, Soprano
She was born in Athens in 1911. SHe studied voice at the National Conservatory (class of Argyro Gkini). She made her debut at the Pallas theatre in October 1932, in Rigoletto. She participated regularly in performances of the Third Greek Opera Company [Trito Elliniko Melodrama] and joined it in its tours. In 1938 she went to Italy on a state scholarship to continue their studies. There she performed in various theaters and, after coming in first among fifty candidates in a contest, she signed a contract for the summer performances in Sardenia of the itinerant company Arma Thespidos (1940). Thereafter, she returned to Greece, where she worked with the Hellenic Radio. Then she was hired in the founding group of GNO soloists. She worked with the newly established institution during the years 1940-1957, interpreting soprano roles in 14 operas and three operettas, staged in 38 productions and/or revivals: Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Konstanze (Die Entführung aus dem Serail), Lauretta (Gianni Schicchi), Trainbearer (Elektra, Odeon of Herodes Atticus, 1942), Violetta Valéry (La traviata), Anita (Giuditta), Arsena (Der Zigeunerbaron), Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Lady Harriet Durham (Martha), Queen (Anatoli by Manolis Kalomiris), Olympia (Les contes d'Hoffmann), Philine (Mignon), Gilda (Rigoletto), Norina (Don Pasquale), etc. Most of the productions in which she participated were first presentations of works by the GNO. She also took part in the commemoration of Dionysios Lavrangas and the tribute concert for the thirty-year career anniversary celebration of tenor Odysseas Lappas (1946). She was married to conductor Lysimachos Androutsopoulos. // Last update of the biography: December 2015 - The list of productions below is continually updated.