BEAUTIFUL CITY
100 Years of Mikis Theodorakis

BEAUTIFUL CITY
"100 Years of Mikis Theodorakis"

Work composition - Direction: Giorgos Valaris

The musical-theatrical ode to the legend of Greek music for the last time at the Herodion!

Sunday, September 28, 2025

The gripping musical-theatrical performance "Beautiful City", which moved audiences and critics alike, returns for one and only - final - night, on Sunday, September 28, at the imposing Odeon of Herodes Atticus, at the foot of the Acropolis.

Directed by the acclaimed creator Giorgos Valaris with the sensitivity and theatrical quality befitting the iconic work of Mikis Theodorakis, the performance is a deep and moving tribute to the late composer, within the context of the "Mikis Theodorakis Commemorative Year", as officially declared by the Ministry of Culture, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of his birth.

As a popular tragedy filled with primordial emotions, "Beautiful City" unites myth, poetic speech, and melodies to create a modern ode to the timeless and multifaceted work of Mikis, through a new artistic composition of top performers specially adapted to the magical stage of the Herodion!

A Beautiful City with new iconic protagonists:

The "priestess" of Mikis Theodorakis Maria Farantouri, having interpreted his greatest works and intertwined her artistic path with his, collaborates with the iconic and beloved performer Manolis Mitsias. Joining them are Martha Frintzila, with her distinctive theatrical and musical presence, and Giannis Dionysiou, one of the most authentic voices of the new generation of folk music. The dramatic structure is enriched by two outstanding actors, the great tragedian Lydia Koniordou and award-winning actor Michalis Sarantis, who artistically seal the composition of this anniversary edition of "Beautiful City".

The performance is complemented by dancers Faidra Daioglou and Kostis Tsiamagkas, who with their bodily expression convey the drama and lyricism of the songs on stage.

Musical direction is undertaken by acclaimed maestro Achilleas Guastor, leading a live 7-piece orchestra that brings Mikis Theodorakis's melodic genius to life on stage.

One Final Bow to Mikis's Work:

The performance "Beautiful City - 100 Years of Mikis Theodorakis" is a redefinition of our collective memory through the music and poetry of our great composer.

The evening at the Herodion marks the final presentation of the performance, concluding this celebratory tribute cycle in the most ideal way.

THE PERFORMANCE

A journey from 1962 to today

The now historic "Beautiful City" was first presented in 1962, marking a turning point in the Greek musical-theatrical scene. In 2020, its renewed version by Giorgos Valaris with top performers and the blessing of Mikis Theodorakis - being also his final performance - received a warm reception from audiences and critics in Athens and Thessaloniki (Megaron, Herodion), and triumphed again with a different cast in the winter season of 2025 with consecutive sold-outs at the Pallas Theater, in Thessaloniki, and Cyprus. For the first time, alongside Mikis Theodorakis's great poetic texts, original prose by Giorgos Valaris and Stelios Papadopoulos is presented, focusing on fundamental existential themes: love, exile, death, Greekness, solidarity, and joy. Through these, the performance takes the form of a modern popular tragedy, where the personal becomes a collective plea. Some of Theodorakis's timeless and greatest songs, such as: "Beautiful City," "Moon, you cast a spell on me," "Justice's Song," "One the swallow," "Make your bed," "Love's blood," excerpts from "Odyssey," etc., are presented with new scenic power, accompanied by a contemporary high-aesthetic audiovisual spectacle.