Photo: Heinrich Klaffs / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Mikis Theodorakis, born on July 29, 1925 in Chios, Greece, was a politician, film score composer and songwriter. Death is recorded on September 2, 2021, at the age of 96. Listed accolades include Commander of the Legion of Honour, grand officier de l'ordre de Mérite du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, Lenin Peace Prize (1983) and 5 more. Mikis Theodorakis was associated with Zorba the Greek, Axion Esti and Mauthausen Trilogy.
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
- Occupation
- composer / politician / film score composer / songwriter / recording artist
2. Background
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. 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 | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.mikistheodorakis.gr/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikis%20Theodorakis
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9F%E3%82%AD%E3%82%B9%E3%83%BB%E3%83%86%E3%82%AA%E3%83%89%E3%83%A9%E3%82%AD%E3%82%B9
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q151976
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Mikis Theodorakis born?
Born July 29, 1925.
When did Mikis Theodorakis die?
Died September 2, 2021, aged 96.
Where was Mikis Theodorakis from?
Mikis Theodorakis was from Chios, Greece.
What did Mikis Theodorakis do?
Mikis Theodorakis worked as composer, politician, film score composer, songwriter, recording artist.
What was Mikis Theodorakis known for?
Notable works include Zorba the Greek, Axion Esti, Mauthausen Trilogy.
Composer — see all → · Politician — see all → · More people from Greece →