Stella Greca, the oldest living Greek singer and actress, passed away at 102.
Singer Argyris Nastopoulos shared the sad news, which has deeply saddened the artistic community, via an Instagram post.
Stella Greca was an iconic figure in Greek music and theatre who, at the peak of her career, decided to step away from the spotlight and move to the United States. She also occasionally appeared in films as an actress.
Who Was Stella Greca?
Born Stella Laskou in Athens in 1922, she came from a modest background with nine siblings. Her father was a scenic designer with close ties to key figures in the arts, such as the renowned Panagiotis Horn.
Her artistic journey began at a young age in Athens’ vibrant music scene, and by the time she was 8 years old, she had attracted the attention of the local press.
In 1942, Stella married poet and director Orestis Laskos, who gave her the stage name Stella Greca—as she didn’t want to perform under her birth name, Laskou.
She recorded many hits throughout her career, including "Pame sto agnosto" ("Let’s Go to the Unknown"), "Xthes to vrady" ("Last Night"), "Girise" ("Return"), "Ti ki an hasis" ("What if You’re Lost"), and "To tragoudi tis Marinas" ("Marina’s Song"). However, she famously declined to record the song "Dyo Prasina Matia" ("Two Green Eyes") in 1945, believing its lyrics were too simple—a decision she later regretted. She also refused to record "Ligies Kardies Agapoun" ("Few Hearts Love").
Laskos encouraged her to take part in his film "Ragismenes Kardies" ("Broken Hearts") in 1945, followed by her role in "Prosopa Lismonimena" ("Forgotten Faces") in 1946, directed by George Javellas. She starred alongside Emilios Veakis and Giorgos Pappas. Stella continued her film career with "Marina" (1947), where she again took on the lead role. The film, directed by Giannis Sakellarious and written by Sakellarious and Dimitris Giannakopoulos, became a huge success due to the music Stella performed in it.
However, at the height of her success, Stella Greca left Greece. After divorcing Orestis Laskos, she emigrated to the United States in the fall of 1947, joining her brother Angelos in New York. In 1950, she married Greek-American shipping magnate John Avgerinos.
From then on, she focused on her family life and largely retired from her music career, making only limited appearances in the U.S. Occasionally visiting Greece for summer holidays aboard her private yacht, Stella returned professionally in the 1970s to record two albums for Columbia-EMI Greece.
In December 2013, Michalis Koumbios organized a special concert in Athens to honour Stella Greca. The Concert featured performances from various artists and the 92-year-old Stella herself.
Stella Greca made her final return to Greece in 1987, where she settled in Dionysos, Attica, and lived there until her passing.
Her legacy in Greek music and cinema will always be remembered, and her passing marks the end of an era for a true icon of the arts.