Anthony Quinn and Alan Bates dance to the music of Mikis Theodorakis in a scene from Zorba the Greek
Today is the birthday of Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. He began his remarkable life in 1925 on the island of Chios. Most Americans know Theodorakis for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek, Z and Serpico, but he is also a prolific composer, having written numerous symphonies, chamber works, hymns, cantatas, operas and music for various stage productions.
Theodorakis is also known for his political activism and controversial statements on issues of the day. He was imprisoned by the Greek junta, The Regime of the Colonels in 1967, and only released after intense international pressure was brought to bear on the government. He has also served several terms in the Greek parliament.
In honor of his birthday, here are some relevant links:
Mikis Theodorakis official web site
Mikis Theodorakis wikipedia page
Theodorakis sings Romiosini Part I, Part II
Theodorakis sings Ki esi lae vasanismene at a 1974 concert, shortly after the fall of the Regime of the Colonels
Zorba the Greek wikipedia page
Intuition Records (Schott Music)
No comments:
Post a Comment