Works by Greek Composer Mános Hatzidákis to Be Performed in Havana

As part of the centennial celebrations of renowned Greek composer, pianist, and conductor Mános Hatzidákis, Cuban instrumentalists and opera soloists will perform selections from his vast and diverse repertoire on May 6 at the Minor Basilica of the Convent of San Francisco de Asís, located in Havana’s Historic Center. The concert is part of the Europe Month in Cuba cultural event.

Titled Hatzidákis: 100 años, the concert is curated and artistically directed by Helson Hernández. Among the featured pieces is La sonrisa de Gioconda, one of Hatzidákis’s most iconic works and the title track of one of his best-known albums—widely considered a 20th-century classic in Greek music, according to the official press release.

The program, a tribute to the life and legacy of Hatzidákis—who was also a poet and acclaimed film composer—will include works for piano, string quartet, and guitar. It will also feature two songs performed in the original Greek by soprano Cristina Rodríguez and debut tenor Jorge Guerra. Also participating in the performance are violinist Elizabeth Yodú, who leads the string quartet, pianists Vilma Garriga and Rosa García Oropesa, and acclaimed guitarist Mabel González.

Born in 1925, Hatzidákis drew deeply from Greek musical traditions to shape his compositions. He wrote extensively for film—most notably Nunca en domingo, for which he won an Academy Award in 1960 and which will be included in the program—as well as for ballets choreographed by the celebrated French artist Maurice Béjart. His legacy encompasses a wide and influential discography that continues to resonate today.

Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez