Kleovoulos Klonis

He was born in Koutali of Propontis in 1907. He grew up in Piraeus and studied at the School of Philosophy of the University of Athens, while also attending drawing classes at the National Technical University of Athens. In the 1920s he cooperated with the Journals Neoi Vomoi und Dianoisi and published articles in the newspaper Vradyni. He first worked as a set designer in 1926. In 1929, having been referenced by Alexis Minotis and Dimitris Rontiris, he was hired by Marika Kotopouli to work at the theatre company “Eleftheri Skini” [Free Stage]. Upon the recommendation of National Theater of Greece director Fotos Politis, he was hired by the National Theater as resident set designer and worked there for half a century (1931-1981). He is among the first to have successfully dealt with the set design requirements of ancient drama revivals back in the 1930s on the stages of the ancient theaters of Epidaurus and Delphi as well as in the Odeon of Herodes Atticus (Herodeion). Nearly always in collaboration with costume designer Antonis Fokas, he created the set designs for more than 500 Greek and foreign works, thus co-developing the image of the long tradition of the National Theater of Greece. He created the set designs for 50 ancient drama productions. As manager of the National Theater’s technical services and workshops, he repaired and renewed the stage equipment and launched several technical innovations (1935-1981). He was the teacher of a new generation of set designers. He was honored with several prizes by Municipal Authorities and associations and was awarded the silver medal of the Academy of Athens (1982). He collaborated with the GNO from its establishment in 1939 until 1973. He created set designs and costumes for 30 operas, operettas and ballets staged in 106 new productions or revivals, most of them first presentations by the GNO: The Bat [Die Fledermaus], Madame Butterfly [Madama Butterfly], The Godson [O vaftistikos], The Power of Fate [La forza del destino], The Mother’s Ring [To dachtylidi tis manas], The Merry Widow [Die lustige Witwe], Carmen, Mignon, La Bohème, The Shadowy Waters [Xotika nera], The Bartered Bride [Prodaná nevěsta], Il Trovatore, Fidelio, etc.

Source: National Opera – Educational Virtual Museum