In 2022, I was invited by Thodoris Abazis, a distinguished Greek director and composer, to create and perform the music for a stage adaptation of Solaris, inspired by Stanislaw Lem’s book and Tarkovsky’s iconic film. The performance was set in an old wing of an asylum for chronic illnesses, unfolding along a narrow, elongated corridor, where occasionally the action would move into rooms or wards.
Watching Tarkovsky’s film and visiting the asylum immediately evoked a specific sonic landscape for me, an atmosphere that would carry and complement the performance. Thodoris’ guidance was instrumental; with his extensive experience in theater composition, he provided clear direction and precise descriptions of each scene as he envisioned them, making it easy for me to capture the tone and essence of the work and its soundscape.
The music took shape swiftly, completed within just two weeks, leaving me ample time during rehearsals to refine the tonal textures, dynamics, and to collaborate closely with the actors. The aim was for the music to blend seamlessly into the performance, not as a background element but as a conversation with Natalia Manta’s unique set design and the actors’ presence on stage. The intention was for the music to dissolve the boundaries between sound, space, and story, allowing each to resonate with and amplify the others.
For instrumentation, I employed an electric guitar, various synthesizers, a drum machine, a musical saw, a soundbox with metal plates and springs, and a range of effects to create the desired textures and moods.
After the performance run ended, I recorded the music in a “free” form, without adhering to the theatrical action, focusing solely on the flow of the sound itself as a cohesive listening experience.
releases January 23, 2026
credits:
Composed by Jannis Anastasakis at Asylo Aniaton, Athens, Greece 2022
Performed by Jannis Anastasakis (el.guitar, musical saw, synths, effects, noise box)
voice: Danai Saridaki
album cover photo: Anastasia Giannaki
mix: Alex Bolpasis
mastering: Lawrence English
Special thanks to Lawrence English, Thodoris Abazis, Natalia Manta, Anastasia Giannaki, Ilias Pantoleon and the actors: Konstantinos Avarikiotis, Tzortzina Daliani, Nestor Kopsidas, Danai Saridaki, Stathis Athanasiou