RETURN

Anna Tassopoulis/Tassopoulos

Soloist, Soprano
She was born in Patra on 2/3/1917. She debuted in Spyridon Samaras’ opera La martire (I martys) at Kyveli Theater, Athens (1933). She studied at the National Conservatory, receiving her diploma along with a “Marika Kotopouli” award for extraordinary genius (1936). While still a student, she successfully interpreted leading roles, such as: Gilda (Rigoletto), Violetta (La traviata), Mimi (La bohème) and Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly). In 1936, upon an invitation by the German Government, she moved to Germany, where she pursued further studies under Margarethe Funk. That same year, she made her debut in the German Opera of Berlin, winning widespread acclaim for her performance as Cio-Cio San (Madama Butterfly). She stayed on the staff of the German Opera of Berlin from 1936 to 1943, while at the same time she was on the staff of the Opera of Breslau (1940-1943) and made guest appearances at the Opera of Rome (1945-1948). She was also a member of the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz (1949-1950) and the Opera of Düsseldorf (1950-1957). In addition, she appeared in Alexandria, Cairo, Brussels, Vienna, Belgrade, Hamburg and elsewhere. Om 1953, she appeared in the Bayreuth Festival as First Flowermaiden (Parsifal). She also excelled in the interpretations of roles, such as: Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress), Liù (Turandot), Oscar (Un ballo in maschera), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande), Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice), Marguerite (Faust), Rusalka (Rusalka), etc. She was awarded the Gold Cross of the Legion of Benefaction by the Greek State. She was married to bass Thanos Bourlos. She passed away on 28/2/2007 in Cologne (Germany). At the GNO, she appeared as Madama Butterfly (1948/49, 1953/54), as Mimi (1953/54, 1958/59) and as Eurydice (Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Athens Festival 1955).