The next stop of the Festival organized by the Region of Crete is Galatas in Chania, the birthplace and final resting place of Mikis Theodorakis.
On Saturday, July 26, 2025, a special concert will be held to commemorate 100 years since the birth of Mikis Theodorakis, featuring the Independent Popular Orchestra “Mikis Theodorakis” and distinguished performers Vassilis Lekkas, Panagiotis Petrakis, Saveria Margiola, and Angelos Theodorakis.
This concert will celebrate Greek music and the rich global cultural legacy left by Theodorakis, a composer who shared Greek culture with the world through his music, ideas, and activism.
The Program
Audiences will hear some of Theodorakis’ most beloved and iconic songs—folk, zeibekiko, romantic, and lyrical melodies—with the highlight being the internationally renowned Zorba’s Dance, loved across the globe.
Musicians and Production Team
Nikos Tatasopoulos, bouzouki
Aris Koukos, bouzouki
Evangelia Mavridou, piano
Xenophon Symvoulidis, oboe, flutes, baglamas
Nikos Giolias, guitar
Artemi Samaras, viola
Lefteris Grivas, accordion
Theodoros Kouelis, bass
Nikos Skomopoulos, drums
Stefanos Theodorakis–Papangelidis, percussion
Angelos Theodorakis, vocals
Michalis Alexakis, sound engineering
Giorgos Aleiferis, sound engineering
Margarita Theodoraki, artistic director
Sophie Hayes, production coordinator
Mary Vintiadou, press and public relations
Venue: Galatas, Chania
Start time: 21:00
Admission: Free
About the “Mikis Theodorakis” Popular Orchestra
The “Mikis Theodorakis” Popular Orchestra was founded in May 1997 by musicians who had collaborated with Theodorakis and knew his work intimately.
First performance: June 1997 at the Aixoni Theater in Glyfada.
Since then, the orchestra has performed:
Across Greece, including remote villages
Internationally in theaters, music venues, and open-air stages
In collaboration with both prominent and emerging artists
With symphonic orchestras and choirs, often under Theodorakis’ own direction
The orchestra has also participated in events for:
Peace
Anti-racism and anti-drug campaigns
Support for prisoners
Humanitarian causes like “Doctors Without Borders”
Mission
To promote the complete body of Mikis Theodorakis’ work
To introduce audiences to major poets like Yiannis Ritsos, Odysseas Elytis, Manolis Anagnostakis, among others
To highlight the connection between Theodorakis’ folk, lyrical, and symphonic compositions
This event in Galatas is more than a concert—it is a heartfelt tribute held in the place where the legendary composer’s life began and where he now rests.
