In a closing chapter to a near decade-long partnership, acclaimed Greek vocalist Dimitris Basis will return to Australia to perform with students of Newtown High School of the Performing Arts (NHSPA) in what has been billed as their fourth and final collaboration, ‘The Final Encore’.
The performances are scheduled for April 29 and 30, 2026, at the NHSPA School Hall, under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW.
Basis has worked with the school since 2018, when he visited the NHSPA and was impressed by the choir and orchestra.
Over the years, the collaboration has produced a series of sold-out concerts that blended traditional and contemporary Greek music with the talents of Australian students.
“Performing with the students of Newtown High School of the Performing Arts has been one of the greatest honours of my international career,” Basis said in media release.
“Every time I return to Australia, I am moved by their passion and the way they embrace the ‘global language’ of Greek music.
“I have full confidence that this journey will not end here; it is my dream and my firm belief that these talented young artists will soon visit Greece to present their incredible artistic flair on our home soil.”
The Final Encore will feature works spanning Greek history and culture, including:
– Fight for Freedom – honoring the defenders of Messolonghi with music by Yannis Markopoulos and the folk anthem Saranta Palikaria
– Urban Life & Struggle – classics such as Cloudy Sunday by Vassilis Tsitsanis and Roza by Dimitris Mitropanos
– Rebetika & Cinema – exploring 1930s “Greek Blues” by Markos Vamvakaris and music from films such as Z and Never on Sunday
– Global Echoes – international pieces, including Edith Piaf’s Beautiful City and The Beatles’ rendition of Mikis Theodorakis’ The Honeymoon Song.
Basis has been a prominent figure in contemporary Greek music since the late 1990s. He studied Byzantine music from the age of 17 and gained international recognition after the 1997 release of Psithiri Kardias.
In 2001, the legendary composer Mikis Theodorakis returned from a 17-year studio hiatus to record To Tragoudi Tou Nekrou Adelfou with Basis.
The final collaboration will also feature:
– George Doukas, orchestrator and figure in the Australian-Greek music scene
– Emlyn Lewis-Jones, NHSPA orchestra director and former ABC Sinfonia violinist
– Ynping Mak, vocal and choral director with extensive musical theatre experience
– Themelis Samarkos, bouzouki player specialising in authentic 1930s Rebetiko.
The Final Encore is expected to draw audiences from across Sydney, closing out a celebrated collaboration between an international artist and an Australian performing arts school.
For further information visit our Greek Guide events page.
