Three days of mourning for Mikis as Greece loses “part of its soul”

Margarita Theodorakis, second left, escorts with relatives and friends the coffin of her father, Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis outside his house in Athens, Greece. Photo: AAP via AP/Panayiotis Tzamaros

“Today we lost a part of the soul of Greece,” Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni wrote following the passing of legendary composer Mikis Theodorakis on Thursday, 3 September, aged 96.

Greece declared a three-day national mourning period to honour the greatest Greek composer in the country’s history. Not only has his music touched generations, it has also been interconnected with the history of the country.

The world adored Theodorakis for his scores, such as “Zorba the Greek” (1964), “Z” (1969) and “Serpico” (1973). But Greeks will forever adore the composer, not just for his inspirational music, but also for his defiance during Greece’s military junta which ruled from 1967-1974.