12/12/2025
Hellenic Music Ensemble will not be performing the music of Manos Hadjidakis as part of its global tour. The concert will celebrate Mikis Theodorakis, in a performance worthy of his significant contribution to Music.
GTP Touring Ltd, the producer of the tour, was in a legal position to perform the music of Manos Hadjidakis, outside of Greece. It did not need approval from the Estate, for this reason we did not seek it. Our legal position was confirmed by the foremost legal experts in the field of intellectual property.
Contrary to the statement made by Giorgos Hadjidakis, we did not request permission to perform the music of Manos Hadjidakis. The Estate did not forbid us to perform Hadjidakis' music at our concert in a legally binding way with immediate effect.
Musical Director Panos Liaropoulos, shared with the Estate our plans for the global concert tour and asked if they wished to collaborate creatively with us. The answer of the Estate was " there is no suggestion of yours that interests us.". This is fact, a matter of written record and not an opinion.
It is also fact, a matter of written record and not an opinion, that there was no legal pathway for the Estate to stop us honoring the music of Manos Hadjidakis in a first-class concert tour.
These last two weeks we have seen some questionable actions happen "behind the scenes". This includes - on the 25th of November 2025 - licensing for public performances of the catalogue of Manos Hadjidakis being moved between UK and Greece.
Internationally accepted rules dictate that a rights move like this has a 3-month (minimum) notice period. This allows a planned concert to take place and ongoing licensing procedures to be completed. This notice period would expire on the evening of our final concert in New Zealand, on the 25th of February 2026, so again allowing us to perform the planned setlist, in any event paying in full all royalties attributed to the rightsholder through the relevant CMOs and PROs in each country.
Rights and rules are generally accepted as frameworks allowing companies to safely produce shows, while acting in good faith.
Sadly, two days ago I discovered the rules have been bent in a hopeless attempt to "win" the argument between GTP Touring Ltd and the Estate from the public opinion's point of view . In my experience, when rights and rules can no longer be relied on it is time to change course.
All keyboard warriors who rudely and disrespectfully insulted our singers, questioned our morals, while making grandiose ethical statements, should bear in mind that the outcome of their efforts resulted in Manos Hadjidakis' music not to be performed in a world tour worthy of his legacy.
On with the show......
On behalf of GTP Touring Ltd
Michel Boersma
CEO / Executive Producer
