“Hadjidakis in Cinema” at the Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall: A film marathon and discussion celebrating 100 years since his birth

To mark the 100th anniversary of Manos Hadjidakis’ birth, the Megaron – The Athens Concert Hall pays tribute to the great Greek composer with a film marathon dedicated to his work for the big screen. The event, taking place on Sunday, November 2, in the Alexandra Trianti Hall, is co-produced with the Friends of Music Society and the Greek Film Archive. It highlights Hadjidakis’ special relationship with cinema, revealing facets of his sensitivity, imagination, and aesthetic that left an indelible mark on both Greek and international film.

Hadjidakis’ music did more than accompany films – it transformed them. Melodies such as Never on Sunday, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Song, became internationally renowned, while The Gioconda’s Smile and The Magnificent Lover stand as artistic manifestos of love, poetry, and Greek lyricism. The marathon features four emblematic films that mark different phases of his cinematic journey, showcasing Hadjidakis not only as a composer but also as a storyteller who painted images with sound and elevated film music into a dramatic element of narration.

As he himself once said: “Good film music always brings the image within us…”

Never on Sunday

Discussion: “Like Old Cinema…”
Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall, 18:00

The tribute is accompanied by an open discussion titled “Like Old Cinema…”, where Maria Komninou, President of the Greek Film Archive, welcomes journalist Fotis Apergis, Renata Dalianoudi (Associate Professor, Department of Audio & Visual Arts, Ionian University), and composer Nikos Kypourgos. Together, they will explore Hadjidakis’ multifaceted relationship with cinema and the timeless resonance of his music.

Screening Schedule

Alexandra Trianti Hall

· 12:00 | Topkapi (dir. Jules Dassin, 1964) – In English with Greek subtitles
· 14:30 | America America (dir. Elia Kazan, 1963) – In English with Greek subtitles
· 18:00 | Discussion “Like Old Cinema…”, Dimitris Mitropoulos Hall
· 19:30 | Never on Sunday (dir. Jules Dassin, 1960) – In Greek with Greek and English subtitles
· 21:30 | The Magnificent Lover (O Megalos Erotikos) (dir. Pantelis Voulgaris, 1973) – In Greek