By Maro Angelopoulou
The global tour of the Hellenic Music Ensemble, conducted by Panos Liaropoulos and featuring Natassa Bofiliou and Giannis Haroulis, ultimately proceeded with a program exclusively dedicated to the work of Mikis Theodorakis.
The musical journey is set to span nine countries and 22 cities, extending beyond Europe to North America, Australia, and New Zealand—a landmark production by GTP Entertainment.
Initially, however, both the program and the promotional material presented a broader concept: Natassa Bofiliou and Giannis Haroulis, present the music of Greece’s leading composers, Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjidakis, in a worldwide musical celebration. Following the developments that ensued, the tour was rebranded as a Global Tribute to Mikis Theodorakis.
The controversy arose when Giorgos Hadjidakis, the composer’s son and heir, opposed the inclusion of his father’s music, citing his duty to protect his father’s artistic principles.
GTP Entertainment stated that it had lawfully secured performance rights from the composer’s foreign publishers via standard Performing Rights Organization licenses and that, outside Greece, the estate lacked authority to block public performances.
However, a crucial legal distinction is often overlooked. The use of the name “Hadjidakis” in the title or branding of a concert tour requires explicit authorization. Performing a song live is one thing; using the name “Manos Hadjidakis” as a commercial brand to promote and sell tickets is an entirely different legal matter. This falls under the creator’s moral rights and the commercial exploitation of his name—rights that belong exclusively to his heirs. On this basis, Hadjidakis’ son had the unquestionable legal right to refuse the use of his father’s name in the tour.Beyond legality, however, lies a broader cultural concern. While heirs are entitled to manage a legacy as they see fit, limiting access risks marginalizing Hadjidakis’ work. His music is an intangible cultural heritage, sustained not by absence but by presence. Great works are not diminished through performance; they endure because of it.
