ATHENS – The Greek National Opera on Friday announced that scheduled performances of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Don Carlo” in December will go ahead on the same dates as before but based on a production designed by Sir Nicholas Hytner, instead of Graham Vick as originally announced.

Vick was forced to back out of the direction of the performance due to serious back problems, the national opera said.

Noting that the public had already expressed great interest in “Don Carlo”, the national opera decided to put it on using the production first presented by the Royal Opera House in London in 2008, with sets and costumes by Bob Crowley. The specific production is a collaboration between the Royal Opera, the Metropolitan Opera of New York and the Norwegian National Opera.

The performances are supported by a donation from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and are scheduled to take place on December 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 28 and January 2 and 5.