Greek communities across Australia are today mourning the loss of the legendary Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 96.
During his sixty-year career, Theodorakis wrote over 1,000 songs including music for dozens of plays and tragedies, operas and the cinema. He is best-known for scoring the film, ‘Zorba the Greek,’ and for his defiance during military rule.
READ MORE: Legendary Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis, dies aged 96.
Here are a number of tributes from the Greek community of Victoria and South Australia, as well as His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
Victoria:
The Greek Community of Melbourne has issued the following statement after the passing of Theodorakis:
“VALE MIKIS THEODORAKIS
The whole of the Greek speaking and philhellene world is reeling from the death of the great composer Mikis Theodorakis who leaves behind him not only an enormous cultural legacy with his musical works, but also from his public life.
Theodorakis created masterpieces that spoke of individual and social struggle of the times in which he lived. He freely imparted his political views and created music that spoke to the masses in his homeland of Greece and also to people around the world.”
Full statement in English here.
New South Wales:
The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW have issued the following statement to mark the passing of Theodorakis:
“The Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales is saddened by the passing of Mikis Theodorakis and wishes to express to his family its deep and sincere condolences.
One of the greatest Greeks of the post-war period, was world-famous Mikis Theodorakis. We will always remember Mikis Theodorakis as one of the most active fighters, the leader, the composer, the man who made Greece famous around the world. His name is synonymous with “Zorba” and all of us have danced the sirtaki.”
Full statement in Greek here.
South Australia:
The Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia has also issued a tribute to Theodorakis, saying they are “deeply saddened” by his passing.
“Mikis of Resistance and Struggle, Mikis of creation and the great arts, is no longer with us. He passed away on Thursday 2 September at the age of 96.
The Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia is deeply saddened and mourns the passing of Mikis Theodorakis, Greece’s most acclaimed composer whose name is directly associated with struggle, exile and music works that have been adored by millions around the world. Mikis’ love for the arts and his musical genius were inspired during the difficult years of exile where he composed music, representative of a whole era. An era during which Mikis Theodorakis not only was an active participant, he was the protagonist, leading a whole generation who shared the same ideals.”
Full statement in English here.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia:
In a message, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia says the work of Theodorakis will continue to be embraced by the Greek Australian community.
“With his melodies he touched the souls of all Greeks and all people around the world. With his struggles for democratic and patriotic ideals, he inspired and became a timeless model for young people of many generations.
With courage and selflessness, he defended to the end his “great utopia of life,” the unity of the Greek Nation. And with deep devotion to the Orthodox faith, a “leading figure and function of our national conscience,” he defended the rights of our Ecumenical Patriarchate and Patriarch Bartholomew, who are “the symbols of Greek Orthodoxy.”
Full statement in Greek here.
READ MORE: Tributes flow for famed composer Mikis Theodorakis.
