Giorgos Koumendakis

Giorgos Koumendakis is one of Greece’s most gifted and versatile composers. He has composed numerous pieces of symphonic and chamber music, four operas—The Murderess most prominent among them—and music for the performing arts. In 1985, György Ligeti chose him to compose Symmolpa V., and shortly afterwards, he participated in the Venice Biennale. In 1987, he worked with the Ensemble InterContemporain, thereby launching an international career that earned him the Prix de Rome in 1992. That same year, his collaboration with Dimitris Papaioannou began, culminating in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, where he served as music director, composer and creator of the musical scenario. He has worked with leading artists, and his works have been performed worldwide. In 2015, he assumed the role of artistic programmer at the GNO Alternative Stage, and since February 2017, he has been the longest-serving Artistic Director of the Greek National Opera. In 2023, he was appointed Minister of Culture & Sports in the caretaker government of Ioannis Sarmas, and in 2025, he received the title of Honorary President of the Greek Composers’ Union.