The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) has excluded renowned singer Glykeria from an upcoming concert at the Kallimarmaro Stadium, honoring the 100th anniversary of composer Mikis Theodorakis’ birth, due to her scheduled performance at a festival in Israel.
The tribute concert, organized by KKE’s Central Committee and Theodorakis’ family, will feature prominent Greek artists, including Christos Nikolopoulos, Pitsa Papadopoulou, Stelios Dionisiou, Eleanna Papaioannou, and Katerina Tsiridou. However, Glykeria’s participation was revoked following backlash over her planned appearance in Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Several artists originally set to perform in Israel’s Meridiano Festival have since withdrawn, citing humanitarian concerns. Stelios Dionisiou, speaking on the show Super Katerina, explained: "We booked this concert in Israel four months ago, during a ceasefire. As a group, we decided to cancel our June 16 performance. Glykeria was scheduled for a different date—I don’t know if she’ll still go. Everyone has their perspective—both artists and the public. From what I see, many Greek performers are still going to Israel."
KKE’s General Secretary, Dimitris Koutsoumpas, will deliver a speech at the event, highlighting Theodorakis’ legacy and activism. Meanwhile, Glykeria has not publicly addressed her exclusion, despite heavy criticism on social media.
The controversy underscores the polarizing debate over cultural engagements in conflict zones, with artists facing pressure to take political stances. The tribute concert proceeds without Glykeria, as tensions over international artistic collaborations continue to rise.
(Sources: Greek media reports, social media reactions)
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