On June 17, as part of the Farewell Celebrations of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, audiences will once again encounter the extraordinary world of Manos Hatzidakis. A world of depth, imagination and musical brilliance, illuminated beneath the columns of the ancient Roman theatre and under the Athenian night sky.
For this special concert, Raining Pleasure revisit Reflections, twenty-two years after recording their celebrated interpretation of the album in Cologne, joined by David Lynch and Elli Paspala, who appear in the closing track, Noble Dame. The evening will also feature pianist George-Emmanuel Lazaridis performing Rhythmology, Hatzidakis’ remarkable cycle of six pairs of piano pieces.
Manos Hatzidakis in America
Hatzidakis arrived in the United States in late 1966, following the success of Jules Dassin’s musical Ilya Darling, for which he composed the score.
His years in New York between 1966 and 1972 proved both turbulent and creatively fertile. During this period, he encountered some of the era’s most influential musical figures, including Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane, while immersing himself in a radically new musical landscape shaped by young artists who believed they were creating the soundtrack to a different world.
Amid this environment, Hatzidakis sought ways to engage with contemporary musical developments without abandoning the essence of his own artistic language.
A pivotal moment came with his encounter with the New York Rock & Roll Ensemble. Their unique combination of classical training and rock energy sparked a creative dialogue that soon developed into an artistic project of its own.
The result was Reflections, one of the most distinctive recordings of Hatzidakis’ American period. Combining progressive rock influences with the lyrical and deeply human qualities that defined his work, the album achieved a rare synthesis of Greek identity and universal musical expression.
Reflections and Raining Pleasure
More than three decades later, in 2005, Raining Pleasure brought Reflections to a new generation. Their interpretation of the album not only established them as one of Greece’s most significant English-language bands but also expanded their international recognition.
Formed in Patras in 1990, Raining Pleasure emerged as the most successful Greek English-language rock band of their generation. Following acclaimed albums such as Flood and Forwards + Backwards, they accepted an invitation from Manos Hatzidakis’ son to reinterpret Reflections in 2004. The album sold more than 35,000 copies and remains a landmark release in contemporary Greek music.
Twenty years after its release, Raining Pleasure return to this historic work, revisiting Hatzidakis’ American masterpiece in a unique performance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
Rhythmology: A Game of Modes and Rhythms
Rhythmology is among the most personal and idiosyncratic works in Hatzidakis’ catalogue. Consisting of six piano pieces inspired by the rhythmic and melodic traditions of rebetiko music, the work draws its titles from the zodiac and the moon: Hasapiko in Aries, Hasapiko of Taurus, Hasapiko of Gemini, Hasapiko in Aquarius, Hasapiko of the Moon and Hasapiko in Virgo.
Recorded in New York in 1971, Rhythmology balances memory, abstraction and tradition. Hatzidakis himself described it as “a game of modes and rhythms”, deeply influenced by both the Orthodox musical tradition and the world of rebetiko song.
The work was dedicated to Nobel Prize-winning poet George Seferis, whose influence Hatzidakis acknowledged throughout the creative process. Rather than a memorial, the composer described the piece as a celebration of a living Seferis, whose voice continued to resonate through Greek culture.
The performance will be given by internationally acclaimed pianist George-Emmanuel Lazaridis, whose long-standing engagement with Hatzidakis’ musical language has earned widespread recognition. With a distinguished international career spanning more than three decades, Lazaridis is regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of the composer’s work.
2026: The Year of Manos Hatzidakis
The Greek Ministry of Culture has officially declared 2026 the Year of Manos Hatzidakis, honouring one of Greece’s greatest composers, whose work transformed post-war music by bringing together classical composition, folk traditions and popular culture.
The America of Manos H – Part II will take place at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus as part of the Athens Epidaurus Festival 2026.
