Photo: Heinrich Klaffs / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
To me, Theodorakis is one of those rare artists whose music and conscience were never separate things. We all know the Zorba theme, but I'm more moved by the fact that a man credited with over a thousand works also put his body on the line as a politician and resistance figure. Winning a BAFTA for Z, scoring Serpico, earning the Lenin Peace Prize, all while staying defiantly Greek to his core, that combination is almost unheard of. He felt less like a composer than a national soul set to melody. When he died in 2021 at 96, an entire century of Greek struggle and song went with him.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mikis Theodorakis
- Name (Japanese)
- ミキス・テオドラキス
- Reading
- みきす・ておどらきす
- Born
- July 29, 1925 – September 2, 2021
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Ox
- Origin
- Chios, Greece
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / politician / film score composer / songwriter / recording artist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- Commander of the Legion of Honour
- grand officier de l'ordre de Mérite du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg
- 1983 Lenin Peace Prize
- 1970 BAFTA Award for Best Original Music
- Lenin Komsomol Prize
- honorary doctor of Tel Aviv University
- honorary doctorate of Salzburg University
- honorary doctor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Zorba the Greek | — | |
| Notable work | Axion Esti | — | |
| Notable work | Mauthausen Trilogy | — | |
| Notable work | Pneumatiko Emvaterio | — | |
| Notable work | Canto General | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Mikis Theodorakis born?
July 29, 1925 – September 2, 2021.
Where is Mikis Theodorakis from?
Mikis Theodorakis is from Chios, Greece.
What does Mikis Theodorakis do?
Mikis Theodorakis works as composer, politician, film score composer, songwriter, recording artist.
What is Mikis Theodorakis known for?
Notable works include Zorba the Greek, Axion Esti, Mauthausen Trilogy.
Composer — see all → · Politician — see all → · More people from Greece →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.