Mikis Theodorakis, born on July 29, 1925, on the Greek island of Chios, stands as one of Greece’s most esteemed composers and songwriters. With over 1,000 songs to his name, Theodorakis is celebrated as Greece’s foremost living composer.
From a young age, Theodorakis showed an immense passion for music, teaching himself to compose before he even had access to musical instruments. His formal music education began with lessons in Pyrgos and Patras, and by the age of 17, he had already formed a choir and performed his first concert in Tripolis.
Theodorakis’s early symphonic works, including his Concerto for Piano, First Suite, and First Symphony, received international acclaim. His achievements were recognized in 1957 when he won the Gold Medal at the Moscow Music Festival. In 1959, after the successful performances of his ballet “Antigone” at Covent Garden, Darius Milhaud nominated him for the American Copley-Music Prize as the Best European Composer of the Year.
During World War II, Theodorakis was an active resistance fighter. He later studied at conservatories in Athens and Paris. His compositions from the late 1950s, including several symphonies, reflect his deep understanding of classical and traditional Greek music.
Theodorakis’s work extended beyond classical compositions; he created popular music that resonated with many, including the iconic “Zorba the Greek.” However, his career faced a significant challenge in 1967 when a fascist regime took control of Greece. During this period, Theodorakis went underground to oppose the government, forming a revolutionary group and facing arrest, exile, and internment. His release in 1970 was secured thanks to a global solidarity movement led by figures such as Leonard Bernstein, Dmitri Shostakovich, Arthur Miller, and Harry Belafonte.
Even while exiled, Theodorakis continued to be a powerful ambassador for Greek music, performing thousands of concerts worldwide throughout the 1970s. Following the fall of the fascist regime, he returned to Greece, where he served as a member of parliament and as the general musical director of the Hellenic Radio and Television’s symphony orchestra and chorus.
In June of this year, a remarkable tribute to Theodorakis was held at the Panathinaic Stadium. It featured a choir of 1,000 members conducted by Panagis Barbatis and attended by 50,000 spectators. Theodorakis himself took the stage, making history as people of all ages came together to honour him.
See his webpage https://www.mikistheodorakis.gr