Australian Concert Celebrates Greek War of Independence

Hundreds of spectators gathered at Sydney’s City Recital Hall on Friday evening, for a concert dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence.

Popular Greek singer Dimitris Basis, a symphony orchestra, a Greek band and choir, all under the direction of conductor George Ellis, presented a magical, sold-out show.

They performed songs of liberation and empowerment created over several decades by the four great composers of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries: Vasilis Tsitsanis, Manos Hatzidakis, Stavros Xarchakos and Mikis Theodorakis.

Basis is bringing these great composers’ music to life in the grandeur of concert halls throughout Australia.

Greek concert in six Australian cities

The concert is being performed in six Australian cities during the months of May and June. It kicked off in Perth on the 7th of May, before travelling to Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin.

Basis said “I feel very lucky to be able to once again travel to Australia, especially in a year that is so important for Greek people. To be able to celebrate 200 years of freedom through the music of these incredible composers is truly humbling.”

Basis has performed with some of Greece’s finest musicians and is a regular vocalist with the Mikis Theodorakis Orchestra.

With a diploma in Byzantine music, he began chanting the liturgy in the local church before taking his first steps in professional singing at the age of 20. Over the years, he has released a catalogue of many albums that have been a huge success in Greece and internationally.

Australian audiences have embraced Basis warmly in the past and there is great anticipation for these performances.

This event is presented under the auspices of the Greece 2021 Committee.

The program of the event:

Friday May 7 – Perth Concert Hall | Perth
Friday May 14 – City Recital Hall | Sydney
Friday May 28 – Adelaide Town Hall | Adelaide
Saturday May 29 – Melbourne Recital Centre | Melbourne
Friday June 4 – QPAC | Brisbane
Wednesday June 9 – Darwin Entertainment Centre | Darwin

Numbering over 600,000 people, according to recent estimates, Greek-Australians are the seventh-largest ethnic group in Australia, adding their culture, traditions, and language to the fabric of the country.

Many Greek-Australians have made a home in Sydney, Australia’s most populous city, as well, but the community in Melbourne is widely considered the most well-established in the country.

Australian PM Scott Morisson hailed the contribution of Greek Australians in a video message on Greek War of Independence Day.

Morisson said that Australia is proudly home to one of the largest Greek communities in the world.