Alpha Restaurant transformed into a stage of song and remembrance at midday on Sunday, September 28 as the Australian Hellenic Choir headlined a “Centenary Tribute to Mikis Theodorakis,” honouring the legendary Greek composer on what would have been his 100th year.
Against the backdrop of a packed dining room, guests were treated to a lavish Greek lunch from Alpha’s award-winning kitchen, interwoven with live performances of Theodorakis’ most beloved works — from Zorba the Greek to excerpts evoking Axion Esti and his folk repertoire that came to define modern Hellenic musical identity.
Distinguished vocalists and musicians from the Choir led the program, guiding the audience through numbers that drew enthusiastic applause and moments of reflective silence in equal measure.
Event organiser Jim Tsolakis, President of the Australian Hellenic Choir, said the afternoon set out to celebrate both artistry and identity.
“This was more than a meal or a concert – it was a tribute to one of the greatest cultural icons of the modern Greek world,” he noted. “We were honoured to celebrate his legacy with food, fellowship, and the music that defined a generation.”
Theodorakis’ catalogue – at once symphonic, popular and political – resonated powerfully in the room, with patrons spanning multiple generations of the Greek Australian community.
Blending fine cuisine with choral performance and storytelling, the tribute captured what Theodorakis himself championed: culture as a living, communal act.
