Yannis Markopoulos: “Free Besieged” at the Athens and Thessaloniki Concert Hall

The masterpiece of the great Greek composer with poetry by Dionysios Solomos.

Yannis Markopoulos’ iconic work “The Free Besieged,” a folk liturgy for symphony orchestra, mixed choir, lyrical singers (tenor, baritone, basso-baritone), and narrator, is considered a landmark of modern Greek music.

The renowned composer from Crete studied “The Free Besieged” and crafted the libretto by selecting parts from all the drafts of the poem, including prose, verses, and narrative sections. Markopoulos’ engagement with the work of our national poet spanned nearly a decade, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, a time of significant political upheaval in the country.

Narration:
– Maria Kavogianni

Soloists:
– Marios Fragoulis
– Tasos Apostolou
– Harris Andrianos

Mixed Choir of Thessaloniki

Choir of the Municipality of Athens

Symphony Orchestra of the Municipality of Thessaloniki

Music Direction:
– Anastasios Simeonidis