Mikis Theodorakis

Mikis Theodorakis (born July 29, 1925, Chios, Greece; died September 2, 2021, Athens) composed dozens of film scores and concert pieces but is best remembered for one of the most enduring movie themes of all times: Zorba the Greek (1964). Theodorakis joined the Greek Resistance during World War II; later imprisoned and exiled during the Greek Civil War. He had an international breakthrough in 1960 with the song cycle Epitaphios. From 1967 through 1974 he was imprisoned, banned, and exiled after opposing the Greek military junta; he became an international symbol of resistance. Among his scores at this time were for Costa-Gavras’ Z 1969), The Trojan Women (1971), State of Siege (1972), and Serpico (1973).