The 21-member Hellenic Music Ensemble orchestra has announced new stops for its 2026 world tour honouring the 100th anniversary of two giants of Greek music, Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hatzidakis — with Natassa Bofiliou and Giannis Haroulis leading the performances.
The musical journey spans nine countries and 22 cities, expanding well beyond Europe with newly added dates across North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Among the world tour’s standout venues are five iconic stages: London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, New York’s Carnegie Hall, Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall, Washington’s Strathmore Concert Hall, and the Sydney Opera House.
Under the artistic direction of Panos Liaropoulos, the Hellenic Music Ensemble — officially recognised as a Cultural Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic — will present a program dedicated to the timeless work of Theodorakis and Hatzidakis.
“Being able to perform the songs of Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hatzidakis on big stages around the world is a privilege for me and a great honour,” Bofiliou said.
“Their music contains all the dreams, the difficulties, the darkest parts but above all the beauty of our culture. To share these songs globally — and especially alongside exceptional artists such as Giannis Haroulis and Judy Kuhn — feels like a bridge of emotion that connects us all.”
Haroulis echoed the sentiment:
“The songs of Mikis and Manos are part of our soul. They speak of love, freedom and humanity. Singing them in so many parts of the world, with this top orchestra, Natassa Bofiliou, and Judy Kuhn in some North American performances, fills me with emotion. It is a reminder that music has no borders.”
The ensemble’s Australia–New Zealand leg begins in Adelaide on 16 February, followed by Sydney on 18 February, Melbourne on 20 and 22 February, before concluding in Wellington on 25 February.
