The spirit of Greece permeated the Chinese capital on Thursday, July 30, as a special concert was held at the National Museum of China theater to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the legendary Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis.
Singers Tania Tsanaklidou and Maria Papageorgiou, accompanied by six musicians, performed a selection of Theodorakis’ iconic songs for an audience of over 500 people.
This performance honored the late composer’s wish for his work to be heard in China, a country he never had the chance to visit. Maria Papageorgiou also orchestrated the songs, building on her previous creative collaboration with Theodorakis for the album “Correspondence.”
A poignant segment of the performance was dedicated to the Nobel Prize-winning Greek poets, Giorgos Seferis and Odysseas Elytis, whose universally appealing work profoundly inspired Theodorakis. To ensure the Chinese audience could fully appreciate the beauty of the music and lyrics, surtitles in Chinese were provided throughout the concert.
One hundred years ago, on July 29, 1925, Mikis Theodorakis was born on the island of Chios; he would go on to compose the very heartbeat of a nation.
Theodorakis—a name synonymous with Greece’s struggles, triumphs, and enduring spirit—wove melodies that transcended borders, embodying both profound beauty and fierce resistance. As Greece marked a century since his birth, his legacy resonates not only as a composer but as a towering symbol of human dignity and freedom.
A broader cultural exchange
The concert at the National Museum of China theater serves as a powerful testament to the multifaceted nature of Greek culture. This cultural bridge will be further strengthened when the adjacent theater rooms host the National Archaeological Museum of Greece’s exhibition, “The Countless Aspects of Beauty,” starting in November 2024.
The event saw attendance from prominent figures, including Luo Wen Li, Director of the National Museum of China, various ambassadors, diplomats, and high-ranking Chinese officials.
Alexandros Vidouris, Chargé d’Affaires and Ambassador Counsellor on behalf of the Embassy of Greece in China, remarked after the performance: “Tonight’s unique concert with the timeless works of Mikis Theodorakis comes to complete a musical ‘aspect of Beauty’ at the hospitable National Museum of China and to give the Chinese audience a more complete picture of Greek culture, combining the ancient with the modern in a single cultural continuum.”
Beijing marks the second stop on the “Correspondence” musical performance’s tour, following Shanghai, with Nanchang in southern China slated as the next destination.
The tour is made possible through the auspices and financial support of the Greek Ministry of Culture, with additional backing from the Embassy of Greece in China, and the Hellenic Tourism Organization serving as a “gold” sponsor.
