Thessaloniki State Orchestra: Concert for Peace

Thessaloniki State Orchestra
Concert for Peace
Holy Tuesday 7 April 2026
Starts at: 20.00

Stavros Niarchos Hall of the Greek National Opera
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

A co-production between the Thessaloniki State Orchestra and the Greek National Orchestra  

The Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra and the Greek National Opera present a unique concert dedicated to peace, featuring music that brings together composers and performers who are unfortunately separated by war. The concert, a co-production between the Thessaloniki State Orchestra and the Greek National Opera, will be presented at the Stavros Niarchos Hall, at the SNF, on Holy Tuesday, 7 April 2026, at 20.00.

At the second concert of the Thessaloniki State Orchestra in the Stavros Niarchos Hall, the German-Jewish violinist Liv Migdal, known for her expressive and sensitive performances, and the Iranian-German conductor Yalda Zamani, distinguished for her dynamic and modern musical approach, join forces onstage with the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra to deliver a powerful message of unity and hope through pieces that combine Passion with Decay. The programme features rarely performed musical masterpieces by composers from various countries and cultures, including Bechara El-Khoury (Lebanon), Hossein Dehlavi (Iran), Paul Ben-Haim (Israel), and Richard Strauss (Germany).

The Artistic Director of the Greek National Opera, Giorgos Koumendakis, notes about the concert: “The Greek National Opera is particularly delighted to collaborate once again with the Thessaloniki State Orchestra on an Easter concert of high symbolism. This will mark our second joint event following the concert Christus Symphony, which was held last year during the Easter season, as part of the 2nd Sacred Music Festival. The steady and meaningful partnership between the Greek National Opera and the Thessaloniki State Orchestra is a valuable pillar in enriching our country’s musical culture. This concert in the Stavros Niarchos Hall is dedicated to promoting peace among nations, reminding us of music's power to transcend boundaries and differences, while conveying a message of unity and hope.”

The Director of the Thessaloniki State Orchestra, Simos Papanas, comments on the concert: “The multilayered collaboration between the Thessaloniki State Orchestra (TSSO)  and the Greek National Opera (GNO) in recent years has yielded a multitude of cultural achievements, of which we, at the TSSO, are particularly proud: discography, concerts, opera productions, premieres / original recordings, and the co-organization of festivals and musical events that have left their mark on our country’s musical landscape. Building on this partnership, the TSSO will return to the emblematic Stavros Niarchos Hall of the GNO for a second consecutive year to present a programme featuring musical masterpieces that, although rarely performed in concert halls, convey a powerful message of peace and coexistence through music. Iranian-German conductor Yalda Zamani and German-Jewish soloist Liv Migdal will present works from the Lebanese, Iranian, and Israeli Schools of Music, alongside Richard Strauss’ masterpiece Tod und Verklärung (Death and Transfiguration). Apart from the symbolism stemming from the origin of these works, each piece, in its own way, explores themes of passion and the journey towards death, matching the concert’s atmosphere with that of Passion Week.”

Specifically, the concert programme is outlined as follows:
BECHARA EL-KHOURY (b. 1957)
Symphonic poem
The Contemplation of Christ, op. 2

HOSSEIN DEHLAVI (1927–2019)
Excerpts from the ballet Bijan and Manijeh

PAUL BEN-HAIM (1897–1984)
Evocation (Yizkor), op. 32
Symphonic poem for violin and orchestra (1942)

RICHARD STRAUSS (1864–1949)
Tod und Verklärung, op. 24

Violin
Liv Migdal

Thessaloniki State Orchestra

Musical direction
Yalda Zamani

The Greek National Opera is funded by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture  

Lead Donor of the GNO:  Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)