Mikis Theodorakis (Μίκης Θεοδωράκης)
Mikis Theodorakis in 2004
Background information
Born	July 29, 1925 (1925-07-29) (age 82)
Origin	Chios, Greece
Genre(s)	20th century classical music (Greek)
Occupation(s)	Composer
Website	http://www.mikis-theodorakis.net

Mikis Theodorakis (Greek: Μίκης Θεοδωράκης) (b. July 29, 1925, Greek island of Chios) is one of the most popular Greek composers. He is known internationally for his scores in the films, Zorba the Greek(1964), Z (1969), and Serpico (1973). Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 464 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1168 × 1508 pixels, file size: 209 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Una fotografía del gran Mikis Theodorakis La he tomado de http://de. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Greece. ... Chios (Greek: , alternative transliterations Khios and Hios), is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea seven kilometres (five miles) off the Turkish coast. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... 20th century classical music, the classical music of the 20th century, was extremely diverse, beginning with the late Romantic style of Sergei Rachmaninoff, Impressionism of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, and continuing through the Neoclassicism of middle-period Igor Stravinsky, and ranging to such distant sound-worlds as the complete... A composer is a person who writes music. ... is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of some of the 3000 islands of Greece: Chrysi Crete Dia Euboea Gavdos Koufonisi Ydra The Cyclades Amorgos Anafi Andros Antiparos Anydro Delos Donoussa Folegandros Gyaros Ios Irakleia Kea Keros Kimolos Kithnos Makronisos Milos Mykonos (Mikonos) Naxos Paros Pholegandros Santorini (also called Thira) Serifos Sifnos Sikinos... Chios (Greek: , alternative transliterations Khios and Hios), is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea seven kilometres (five miles) off the Turkish coast. ... Zorba the Greek is a 1964 movie by Michael Cacoyannis, originally titled Alexis Zorbas, based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. ... Z is a 1969 French language political thriller directed by Costa Gavras, with a screenplay by Gavras and Jorge Semprún, based on the novel of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos. ... For other uses, see Serpico (disambiguation). ...

Politically, until the late 1970s he identified with the left; in 1990 he became a member of parliament with the centre-right New Democracy party, a move which he has since said he regretted but asserts that was needed in order for the country to come out of the political crisis that had been created due to the numerous scandals. He continues identifing himself with the left and speaking out against any aggressor and oppressor. See his statements on Palestine Official Web Site or the War in Iraq Official Web Site, or Greece - Turkey - Cyprus Official Web Site. He has consistently opposed oppressive regimes and was a key voice against the Greek Junta 1967-1974. He has been mentioned as a candidate for election as President of Greece, but he has refused to be considered. Look up left in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Party logo New Democracy (ND, Greek: Νέα Δημοκρατία, Nea Dhimokratia), founded in 1974, is the main center-right liberal-conservative political party in Greece. ... George Papadopoulos Greek Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος, Georgios Papadopoulos, (May 5, 1919 – June 27, 1999) was the head of the military coup détat that took place in Greece on April 21, 1967... The flag of the President of Greece This is a list of presidents of Greece. ...

Biography

The early years, World War II, and first works

He was born on the island of Chios and spent his childhood years in different provincial Greek cities such as Mytilene, Cephallonia, Pyrgos, Patras, and Tripolis. His father was from Crete and his mother from Asia Minor. Mytilene (Greek: Μυτιλήνη - Mytilíni, Turkish: Midilli), also Mytilini, is the capital city of Lesbos (formerly known as Lesbos but the modern name is Mytilene), a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, and the Lesbos Prefecture as well. ... Kefalonia also known as Cephalonia, Kefallinia, or Cefalonia (Ancient Greek: Κεφαλλήνια Modern Greek: Κεφαλλονιά), is the largest of the Ionian Islands in western Greece. ... For other places that have the same name, click Pyrgos (disambiguation) Pyrgos (Greek: Πύργος) is the capital of the Prefecture of Ilia in Greece. ... Patras (Demotic Greek: Πάτρα, Pátra, Classical Greek: Πάτραι, Pátrai, Latin: , Ottoman Turkish: Ballıbadra) is the third-largest city of Greece and the capital of the prefecture of Achaea, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers to the west of Athens. ... Tripoli (Greek, Modern: Τρίπολη, Katharevousa: -s; older form and Latin: Tripolis,rarely Tripolitsa, Tripolitza and Tripolizza) is a city in the central part of the Peloponnesos, Greece, and the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia. ... For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to...

Theodorakis' fascination with music began in early childhood; he taught himself to write his first songs without access to musical instruments. In Pyrgos and Patras he took his first music lessons, and in Tripolis, Peloponnese, he formed an one person choir (himself) and gave his first concert at the age of seventeen before a mirror. Greece and the Peloponnese The Peloponnese or Peloponnesus (Greek: Πελοπόννησος Peloponnesos; see also List of Greek place names) is a large peninsula in southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth. ...

Later he studied at the Athens Conservatoire under Philoktitis Economidis, and at the Conservatory of Paris where he briefly^[1] studied musical analysis under Olivier Messiaen as well as conducting under Eugene Bigot. His time in Paris, 1954–1959, was a period of intense artistic creation for him. The Athens Conservatoire (Ωδείο Αθηνών) is the oldest conservatoire in modern Greece. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Olivier Messiaen It has been suggested that List of students of Olivier Messiaen be merged into this article or section. ...

His symphonic works of this period, a piano concerto, his first suite and his first symphony, received international acclaim. In 1957 he won the Gold Medal in the Moscow Music Festival. In 1959, Darius Milhaud proposed him for the American Copley Music Prize as the Best European Composer of the Year, after the successful performances of his ballet Antigone at Covent Garden in London. A piano concerto is a concerto for solo piano and orchestra. ... In music, a suite is an organized set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed at a single sitting, as a separate musical performance, not accompanying an opera, ballet, or theater-piece. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (IPA: ) (September 4, 1892 – June 22, 1974) was a French composer and teacher. ... For other uses, see Ballet (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Antigone (disambiguation). ... The Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is a performing arts venue in London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Notable works up to 1960

1. Chamber Music: Trio four piano, violin, cello; Sonatina for piano ; Sonatines n° 1 et 2 for violin and piano ;
2. Symphonic music: Assi-Gonia (symphonic movement); Symphony n° 1 (Proti Simfonia); Piano Concerto "Helicon"; Suites n° 1, 2 et 3 for orchestre; La Vie et la Mort / Live and Death (for voice and strings); Œdipus Tyrannos (for strings); Piano Concerto (1958);
3. Ballets: Greek Carnival; Le Feu aux Poudres; Les amants de Téruel; Antigone.

Back to Greek roots — recognition

Mikis Theodorakis sometime after his return to Greece, 1961.

Theodorakis returned to Greece and his roots in genuine Greek music, and with his song cycle "Epitaphios" he contributed to a cultural revolution in his country. With his most significant and influential works based on the greatest Greek and world poetry – "Epiphania", "Little Kyklades", "Axion Esti", "Mauthausen", "Romiossini", and "Romancero Gitan"… – he attempted to give back to Greek music a dignity which he said it had lost. In developing his concept of metasymphonic music, he quickly became recognised internationally, and won acclaim as Greece's greatest living composer. Image File history File links Mikis_Theodorakis. ... Image File history File links Mikis_Theodorakis. ...

He founded the Little Orchestra of Athens and the Musical Society of Piraeus, and gave many concerts. He became involved in the politics of his home country, and after the assassination of Gregoris Lambrakis in 1963 he founded the Lambrakis Democratic Youth and was elected its president. Following the 1964 elections, he became a member of the Greek Parliament, associated with the left-wing party EDA. Because of his radical political ideas, Theodorakis was black-listed by the cultural establishment; at the time of his biggest artistic glory, a large number of his songs were censored-before-studio or were not allowed on the radio stations. MP and Greek anti-fascist resistance icon Gregoris Lambrakis marching alone in the banned Marathon–Athens Peace Rally on Sunday April 21, 1963, one month before his assassination Gregoris Lambrakis (Γρηγόρης Λαμπράκης) (April 3, 1912–May 27, 1963) was a Greek politician, physician, and member of the faculty of the School of... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During 1963, he wrote the basic music theme for the Michael Cacoyiannis film "Zorba the Greek" which, since then, exists as a trademark for Greece in the world art. This music is also known as 'Syrtaki dance'; taken and edited by Theodorakis from an old Cretan traditional dance.

Main works of this period

1. Song cycles: "Epitaphios" (Yannis Ritsos); "Archipelagos", "Politia A & B", "Epiphania" (George Seferis, Nobel Prize 1963), "Mauthausen" (Yakovos Kabanellis), "Romiossini" (Yannis Ritsos)
2. Music for the Stage: "The Hostage" (Brendan Behan); "Ballad of the Dead Brother" (Theodorakis); "Maghiki Poli (Magical City)"; "I Gitonia ton Angelon" (The Angels' Quarter, Kabanellis)
3. Film scores: "Electra" and "Zorba the Greek" (Michalis Cacoyannis)
4. Oratorio: "Axion Esti" (Odysseas Elytis, Nobel Prize 1979)

Yannis Ritsos (May 1, 1909 - November 11, 1990) was a Greek poet. ... Giorgos Seferis (1900-1971) is the pen name of Greek poet Giorgos Seferiadis. ... The Nobel Prizes (Swedish: ), as designated in Alfred Nobels will in 1895, are awarded for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. ... Yannis Ritsos (May 1, 1909 - November 11, 1990) was a Greek poet. ... Brendan Francis Behan (Irish: Breandán Ó Beacháin) (February 9, 1923 - March 20, 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. ... Electra (Orig. ... Zorba the Greek is a 1964 movie by Michael Cacoyannis, originally titled Alexis Zorbas, based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Nobel Prizes (Swedish: ), as designated in Alfred Nobels will in 1895, are awarded for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. ...

The junta — going underground — imprisonment — banishment

On 21 April 1967 a fascist junta (the Regime of the Colonels) took power in a putsch. Theodorakis went underground and founded the Patriotic Front. The Colonels published Army decree No 13, which banned playing, and even listening to his music. Theodorakis himself was arrested on 21 August 1967 and jailed for five months. Following his release in 1968, he was banished to Zatouna with his wife Myrto and their two children, Margarita and Yorgos. Later he was interned in the concentration camp of Oropos. An international solidarity movement, headed by such figures as Dmitri Shostakovich, Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Miller, and Harry Belafonte managed to get Theodorakis freed. On request of the French politician Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, Theodorakis was allowed to go into exile on 13 April 1970. is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... A military dictatorship is a form of government wherein the political power resides with the military; it is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military. ... George Papadopoulos Greek Γεώργιος Παπαδόπουλος, Georgios Papadopoulos, (May 5, 1919 – June 27, 1999) was the head of the military coup détat that took place in Greece on April 21, 1967... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Zatouna (disambiguation). ... Oropos, or Oropus is a Greek seaport, on the Euripus in Attica, opposite Eretria. ... Dmitri Shostakovich   (Russian: , Dmitrij Dmitrievič Å ostakovič) (September 25 [O.S. September 12] 1906–August 9, 1975) was a Russian composer of the Soviet period. ... Leonard Bernstein in 1971 Leonard Bernstein (IPA pronunciation: )[1] (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, and pianist. ... Arthur Bob Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright and essayist. ... Harold George Belafonete, Jr. ... Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, often referred to as JJSS (February 13, 1924 - November 7, 2006), was a French journalist and politician. ... is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Main works under the dictatorship

1. Song cycles: "O Ilios ke o Chronos" ("Sun and Time", Theodorakis); "Ta Laïka"("The Popular Songs", M. Elefteriou); Arcadies I-X; Songs for Andreas (Theodorakis); "Nichta Thanatou" ("Nights of Death", M. Elefteriou)
2. Oratorios: "Ephiphania Averoff" (Seferis), "State of Siege" (Marina-Rena Hadjidakis), "March of the Spirit" (Angelos Sikelianos), "Raven" (Seferis, after Edgar Allan Poe)
3. Film score: "Z" (Costa-Gavras).

Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American poet, short story writer, playwright, editor, literary critic, essayist and one of the leaders of the American Romantic Movement. ... Z is a 1969 French language political thriller directed by Costa Gavras, with a screenplay by Gavras and Jorge Semprún, based on the novel of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos. ...

Exile — resistance

In exile, Theodorakis fought for four years for the overthrow of the colonels. He gave thousands of concerts worldwide as part of his struggle for the restoration of democracy in Greece, met Pablo Neruda and Salvador Allende, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Tito, Igal Alon and Yasser Arafat, François Mitterrand and Olof Palme. For millions of people, he became a universal symbol of resistance against dictatorship. Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973) was the penname and, later, legal name of the Chilean writer and communist politician Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto. ... Salvador Isabelino Allende Gossens[1] (July 26, 1908 – September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from November 1970 until his death during the coup détat of September 11, 1973. ... Gamal Abdel Nasser (Arabic: - ; Masri: جمال عبد الناصر - also transliterated as Jamal Abd al-Naser, Jamal Abd an-Nasser and other variants; January 15, 1918 – September 28, 1970) was the President of Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970. ... Josip Broz Tito (May 7, 1892 - May 4, 1980) was the ruler of Yugoslavia between the end of World War II and his death in 1980. ... Yigal Allon (‎, born October 10, 1918, died February 29, 1980), commander of the Palmach, was an Israeli politician, serving as one of the leaders of Mapai and the Alignment, acting Prime Minister of Israel, member of Knesset and government minister from the tenth through the seventeenth Knessets. ... Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ...   IPA: (October 26, 1916 – January 8, 1996) served as President of France from 1981 to 1995, elected as representative of the Socialist Party (PS). ... Sven Olof Joachim Palme ( ) (January 30, 1927 – March 1, 1986) was a Swedish politician. ...

Main works written in exile

1. Song cycles: "Lianotragouda" ("18 Songs for the Bitter Fatherland", Yannis Ritsos); "Ballades" (Manolis Anagnostakis)
2. Oratorio: "Canto General" (Pablo Neruda)
3. Film scores: "The Trojan Women" (M. Cacoyannis); "State of Siege" (Costa-Gavras); "Serpico" (S. Lumet)

Manolis Anagnostakis (b. ... Pablo Neruda (July 12, 1904 – September 23, 1973) was the penname and, later, legal name of the Chilean writer and communist politician Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto. ...

Return to Greece — activism — prolific writing

After the fall of the Colonels, Theodorakis returned to Greece on 24 July 1974 to continue his work and his concert tours, both at home and abroad. At the same time he participated in public affairs. He was elected several times to the Greek Parliament (1981–1986 and 1989–1993) and for two years, from 1990 to 1992, he was a minister in the government of Constantine Mitsotakis. He was then appointed General Musical Director of the Symphony Orchestra and Chorus of Hellenic Radio and Television for another two years. is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Constantine Mitsotakis Constantine Mitsotakis (in Greek:Κωνσταντίνος Μητσοτάκης-Konstantinos Mitsotakis) (born October 18, 1918), Greek politician, was born in Chania, Crete. ...

Theodorakis has always combined an exceptional artistic talent with a deep love of his country. He is also committed to heightening international awareness of human rights, of environmental issues, and of the need for peace. It was for this reason that he initiated, together with the renowned Turkish musician and singer Zülfü Livaneli, the Greek–Turkish Friendship Society. Theodorakis is Doctor honoris causa of several universities, including Montreal, Thessaloniki, and Crete, and was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2000. Currently he lives in retirement, publishing on music, culture, and politics. But on important occasions he never hesitates to take a position, as in 1999, opposing NATO's Kosovo war, and in 2003 against the Iraq War. In 2005, he was awarded the "Russian International St Andrew the First Called Prize" and the "IMC UNESCO International Music Prize". Zulfü Livaneli Zülfü Livaneli is a popular Turkish folk musician who was politically involved for the last several decades of the 20th century for left-wing causes. ... Honoris causa (plural: Causae) is a Latin term meaning for the sake of honor, abbreviated as . ... The Nobel Prizes (Swedish: ), as designated in Alfred Nobels will in 1895, are awarded for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ...

Main works after 1974

1. Song cycles: "Ta Lyrika", "Dionysos", "Phaedra", "Beatrice in Zero Street", "Heretismi" (Greetings), "Mia Thalasssa" ("A Sea Full of Music"), "Os archeos Anemos" ("Like an Ancient Wind"), "Lyrikotera" ("The More-Than-Lyric Songs"), "Lyrikotata" ("The Most Lyric Songs"), "Erimia" ("Solitude"), "Odysseia" (2006/2007)
2. Music for the Stage: "Orestia" (dir.: Spyros Evangelatos); "Antigone" (dir.: M. Volanakis); "Medea" (dir.: Spyros Evangelatos)
3. Film scores: "Iphigenia" (M. Cacoyannis), "The Man with the Carnation" (N. Tzimas)
4. Oratorios: "Missa Greca", "Liturgia 2", "Requiem"
5. Symphonic music and cantatas: Symphonies no 2, 3, 4, 7, "According to the Sadducees", "Canto Olympico", Guita Rhapsody (1996), Cello Rhapsody (1997)
6. Operas: "Kostas Karyotakis", "Medea", "Elektra", "Antigone", "Lysistrata".

A lifetime's work: synopsis

Songs and song cycles

Theodorakis has written more than 1,000 songs and song-cycles, whose melodies have become part of the heritage of Greek music. "Sto Perigiali", "Kaimos", "Aprilis", "Doxa to Theo", "Sotiris Petroulas", "Lipotaktes", "Stis Nichtas to Balkoni", "Agapi mou", "Pou petaxe t'agori mou", "Anixe ligo to parathiro", "O Ipnos se tilixe", "To gelasto pedi", "Dendro to dendro", "O Andonis", "Protos o Hlios", and many other songs. Protos o Hlios is a song by Mikis Theodorakis, the major Greek composer and leftist politician. ...

His song cycles are based on poems by famous Greek authors, as well as by Lorca and Neruda: "Epitaphios", "Archipelagos", "Politia", "Epiphania", "The Hostage", "Mykres Kyklades", "Mauthausen", "Romiossini", "Sun and Time", "Songs for Andreas", "Mythology", "Night of Death", "Ta Lyrika", "The Quarters of the World", "Dionysos", "Phaedra", "Mia Thalassa", "Ta Lyrikotera", "Ta Lyrikotata", "Erimia", "Odysseia".

Symphonic works

• 1952: Piano Concerto "Helikon"
• 1953: Symphony No 1 ("Proti Simfonia")
• 1954–1959: 3 Orchestral Suites
• 1958: Piano Concerto
• 1981: Symphony No 2 ("The Song of the Earth"; text: Mikis Theodorakis) for children's choir, piano, and orchestra)
• 1981: Symphony No 3 (texts: D. Solomos; K. Kavafis; Byzantine hymns) for soprano, choir, and orchestra
• 1983: Symphony No 7 ("Spring-Symphony"; texts: Yannis Ritsos; Yorgos Kulukis) for four soloists, choir, and orchestra
• 1986–87: Symphony No 4 ("Of Choirs") for soprano, mezzo, narrator, choir, and symphonic orchestra without strings
• 1995: Rhapsody for Guitar and Orchestra
• 1996: Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra

Chamber music

• 1942: Sonatina for piano
• 1945: Elegy No 1, for cello and piano
• 1945: Elegy No 2, for violin and piano
• 1946: To Kimitiro (The Cemetery), for string quartet
• 1946: String Quartet No 1
• 1946: Duetto, for two violins
• 1947: Trio, for violin, cello and piano
• 1947: 11 Preludes, for piano
• 1947: Sexteto, for piano, flute and string quartet
• 1949: Study, for two violins and cello
• 1952: Syrtos Chaniotikos, for piano and percussion
• 1952: Sonatina No 1, for violin and piano
• 1955: Little Suite, for piano
• 1955: Passacaglia, for two pianos
• 1959: Sonatina No 2, for violin and piano
• 1989: Choros Assikikos (Galant Dances) for violoncello solo

Cantatas and oratorios

• 1960: "Axion Esti" (text: Odysseas Elytis)
• 1969: "The March of the Spirit" (text: Angelos Sikelianos)
• 1971–82: "Canto General" (text: Pablo Neruda)
• 1981–82: "Kata Saddukaion Pathi" (Sadducean-Passion; text: Michalis Katsaros) for tenor, baritone, bass, choir, and orchestra
• 1982: Liturgy No 2 ("To children, killed in War"); texts: Tassos Livaditis, Mikis Theodorakis) for choir
• 1982–83: "Lorca" for voice, solo guitar, choir, and orchestra (based on "Romancero Gitan")
• 1992: "Canto Olympico"

Hymns

• 1970: Hymn for Nasser
• 1973: Hymn for the Socialist Movement in Venezuela
• 1973: Hymn for the Students. dedicated to the victims of Polytechnical School in Athens (18.11.)
• 1977: Hymn of the French Socialist Party
• 1978: Hymn for Malta
• 1982: Hymn of P.L.O.
• 1991: Hymn of the Mediterranean Games
• 1992: "Hellenism" (Greek Hymn for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games of Barcelona

Ballets

• 1953: "Greek Carnival" (choreography: Rallou Manou)
• 1958: "Le Feu aux Poudres" (choreography: Paul Goubé)
• 1958: "Les Amants de Teruel" (choreography: Milko Sparembleck)
• 1959: "Antigone" (choreography: John Cranko)
• 1972: "Antigone in Jail" (choreography: Micha van Hoecke)
• 1979: "Elektra" (choreography: Serge Kenten)
• 1983: "Sept Danses Grecques" (choreography: Maurice Béjart)
• 1987–88: "Zorba il Greco" (choreography: Lorca Massine)

Maurice Béjart (born January 1, 1927) is the French choreographer who runs the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. ...

Operas

• 1984–85: "Kostas Karyotakis"
• 1988–90: "Medea"
• 1992–93: "Elektra"
• 1995–96: "Antigone"
• 1999–01: "Lysistrata"

Music for the stage

Classical tragedies

• 1959–60: "Phinisses" (Euripides)
• 1960–61: "Ajax" (Sophocles)
• 1965: "Troades" (Euripides)
• 1966–67: "Lysistrata" (Aristophanes)
• 1977: "Iketides" (Aeschylus)
• 1979: "Ippies" (Aristophanes)
• 1986–88: "Oresteia": "Agamemnon", "Choephores", "Eumenides" (Aeschylus)
• 1987: "Ekavi" (Euripides)
• 1990: "Antigone" (Sophocles)
• 1992: "Prometheus Desmotis" (Aeschylus)
• 1996: "Oedipus Tyrannos" (Sophocles)
• 2001: "Medea" (Euripides)

A statue of Euripides. ... This article is about the Greek tragedian. ... Sketch of Aristophanes Aristophanes (Greek: , ca. ... This article is about the ancient Greek playwright. ...

Modern plays

• 1960–61: "To Tragoudi tou Nekrou Adelfou" ("Ballad of the Dead Brother"), Musical Tragedy (text: Mikis Theodorakis)
• 1961–62: "Omorphi Poli" ("Beautiful City"), revue (Bost, Christodoulou, Christofelis, et al.)
• 1963: "I Gitonia ton Angelon" ("The Quarter of Angels"), Music-drama (Iakovos Kabanellis)
• 1963: "Magiki Poli" ("Enchanted City"), revue (Theodorakis, Pergialis, Katsaros)
• 1971: "Antigoni stin Filaki" ("Antigone in Jail"), drama (Yannis Ritsos)
• 1974: "Prodomenos Laos" ("Betrayed People"), music for the theatre (Vangelis Goufas)
• 1975: "Echtros Laos" ("Enemy People"), drama (Iakovos Kabanellis)
• 1975: "Christophorus Kolumbus", drama (Nikos Kazantzakis)
• 1976: "Kapodistrias", drama (Nikos Kazantzakis)
• 1977: "O Allos Alexandros" ("The Other Alexander"), drama (Margarita Limberaki)
• 1979: "Papflessas", play (Spiros Melas)

International theatre

• 1961: "Enas Omiros" ("The Hostage"), drama (Brendan Behan)
• 1963: "The Chinese Wall", drama (Max Frisch)
• 1975: "Das Sauspiel", tragicomedy (Martin Walser)
• 1979: "Caligula", drama (Albert Camus)
• 1978: "Polites B' Katigorias" ("Second-Class Citizens"), drama (Brian Friel)
• 1980: "Perikles", tragedy, (William Shakespeare)
• 1994: "Macbeth", tragedy (William Shakespeare)

Brendan Francis Behan (Irish: Breandán Ó Beacháin) (February 9, 1923 - March 20, 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist and playwright who wrote in both Irish and English. ... Max Frisch (May 15, 1911 – April 4, 1991), was a Swiss architect, playwright and novelist, one of the most representative writers of German literature after World War II. In his creative works Frisch paid particular attention to issues relating to problems of personal identity, morality and political commitment. ... Martin Walser is a German playwright and novelist. ... For other uses, see Camus. ... Brian Friel (born January 9, 1929) is a playwright and director from Northern Ireland. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Principal film scores

• 1960: "Ill Met by Moonlight"
• 1960: "Honeymoon" (Luna de miel=
• 1960: "Faces in the Dark"
• 1961: "The Shadow of the Cat"
• 1961: "Phaedra"
• 1961–62: "Les Amants de Téruel"
• 1961–62: "Five Miles to Midnight"
• 1961–62: "Electra"
• 1964: "Zorba the Greek"
• 1967: "The Day the Fish came out"
• 1969: "Z"
• 1972: "State of Siege"
• 1973: "Serpico"
• 1974: "The Rehearsal"
• 1976: "Actas de Marousia"
• 1977–78 "Iphigenia"
• 1980: "The Man with the Carnation"

Reference: Guy Wagner. Chairman of the International Theodorakis Foundation FILIKI. List of works based on the research of Asteris Koutoulas. Poster for Ill Met by Moonlight. ... Electra (Orig. ... Zorba the Greek is a 1964 movie by Michael Cacoyannis, originally titled Alexis Zorbas, based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. ... Z is a 1969 French language political thriller directed by Costa Gavras, with a screenplay by Gavras and Jorge Semprún, based on the novel of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos. ... For other uses, see Serpico (disambiguation). ...

Political views

Theodorakis is well known for his left-wing views, which he has expressed openly (including, notably, during the junta dictatorship). He has campaigned for numerous human rights and peace causes, such as in the Cyprus dispute, the tensions between Turkey and Greece due to the Aegean dispute, NATO attacks against Yugoslavia, the kidnapping and treatment of Abdullah Öcalan, or the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The term Aegean dispute refers to a set of interrelated controversial issues between Greece and Turkey over sovereignty and related rights in the area of the Aegean Sea. ... This article is about the military alliance. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in the Latin alphabet, Југославија in Cyrillic; English: South Slavia, or literary The Land of South Slavs) describes three political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ... Abdullah Öcalan Abdullah Apo Öcalan (; born April 4, 1948), is the founding leader of the Kurdish terrorist group Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). ... Israel, with the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an ongoing dispute between the State of Israel and Arab Palestinians. ...

On Jews

On November 11th 2003, Mikis Theodorakis held a press conference to present his new book “Pou Na Vro Tin Psychi Mou” (Where will I find my soul?). After the conference, Theodorakis, in a private exchange of views, said that Greeks and Jews "are two peoples without kin, but they (the Jews) had fanaticism and self-knowledge and managed to prevail. "We, the Greeks, are very calm and did not turn aggressive like them is because we have more history. They (the Jews) only have Abraham and Jacob, who were shadows, while we have Pericles. Imagine what would happen in Greece if we were as aggressive as the Jews." Theodorakis added "Today it is possible to say that this small nation is at the root of evil. It is full of self-importance and evil stubbornness."^[2]. Explanation: Due to the policy of its gouvernement getting tied to Bush and his administration, Israel comes close to the root of evil, and for Theodorakis, the root of evil is the US President and his government.

His comments caused uproar in Israel and among Jews in Greece, prompting complaints from the Israeli embassy in Athens to the Greek Government. Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a public protest: "The Israeli public is utterly repulsed by Theodorakis's anti-Semitic comments." The statement expressed regret that the comments were spoken by someone of Theodorakis's stature. "We do not believe that the comments reflect the position of the Greek government, and therefore expect Greek leadership and cultural figures to denounce them".

Following a public outcry, Theodorakis published the following official statement:

"My opinion of the Israeli people, as on all things, has always been known and I am frankly at a loss as to why such a great commotion was made this time, as if it was heard for the first time. Maybe some people judged this to be the right time to launch an attack on me. I was always on the side of the weak, of those struggling for the Justice of People. And among them were the Israeli People. I sang their suffering as well as I could. I was always in favor of the peaceful coexistence of peoples. And I showed this in practice, when, among other things, I undertook a mediatory role between Alon and Arafat in the incidents of 1972. But, precisely for these reasons, I am totally opposed to Sharon’s policy and I have stressed this repeatedly, just as I have repeatedly condemned the role of prominent American Jewish politicians, intellectuals and theorists in the shaping of today’s aggressive Bush “policy”. Only through a conscious effort can anyone confuse the Israeli People, for whom I have shown my respect and wonder in practice and these negative phenomena which are what truly blacken the image of Israel and play a genuine “anti-Semitic” role. It is these which are on the side of Evil, the root of Evil, as I stated recently.

"Personally, I am happy because I know that there are many Israelis all over the world and within Israel who agree with me and are striving for the true Justice of their People and can coexist with the Justice of other People as well, who are struggling for Peace in their region and the whole world. I am happy that we have been together in these joint struggles for decades now. And I know that they know me well through these struggles and they are not waiting for the mud of some in order to get to know me.

"But perhaps this is the aim of those who suddenly “discovered” my ideas and slander me as an alleged “anti-Semite.”

Athens, 12 November 2003

For all details: Official Web Site is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

During an interview for Ha'aretz, August 2004 (see external link), Ari Shavit asked about this and Theodorakis answered thus: Haaretz (הארץ, The Land) is an Israeli newspaper, founded in 1919. ...

"I must clarify, I didn't say that Jews are the root of evil. I said that they are at the root of evil. Jews want to feel that they are victims. They want to console themselves by saying: We are in the right, we are victims again, let's build another ghetto. This is a masochistic reaction. There is a masochistic mentality in Jewish tradition. I am sure that when Jews of the diaspora speak amongst themselves, they feel satisfaction. They think - now, when we are so close to the world's biggest nation, no one can harm us. We can do whatever we like. This is why their claim about renewing antisemitism is not only sick. It is devious. It allows the Jews to do whatever they will. It serves as an excuse politically as well as psychologically. (...) There is no antisemitism in Europe today."

Later in the interview Theodorakis says that the force behind the existence of the Jews is "Your feeling that you are the children of god. That you are a chosen people." Shavit then asks, do the Jews appear patronizing and aggressive to you? Do they control the music establishment, global economy, mass media, America's foreign policy? To each of these questions Theodorakis replies individually with a "Yes". When asked if, by his account, the great nation of America is actually ruled by Jews, Theodorakis says "Yes".

Ari Shavit asked: So today's globalized capitalism is controlled very much by the Jews? and Theodorakis answered:

"Since we speak frankly, I will tell you something else. The Jewish people control most of the big symphonic orchestras in the world. When I wrote the Palestinian national anthem, the Boston Symphony was planning a production of my work. It is controlled by Jewish people. They didn't allow the concert to go on. Since then I cannot work with any great orchestra. They refuse me." "Wherever there are Jews. Wherever there are orchestras controlled by Jewish people, they boycott my work."

On 9/11

In an article in Eleftherotypia (14 April 2002): Cover of the Sunday edition of the Newspaper, March 25 2006. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ...

September 11th was characterized by an incredibly high degree of organization and technological means—higher I'd say than that possessed by the current superpower, the US.... As far as physical perpetrators are concerned there is still no tangible evidence and that’s why no arrests have been made. There were only moral perpetrators, who have been sought in Afghanistan—but it would be hard to convince anyone of their level of technological and organizational capabilities.

September 11 is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years). ...

On Religion

On 29 March 2007 (www.in.gr), he stated: "We have two great institutions in Greece. The President of the Democracy and the Head of the Greek Orthodox Church. I rebel when I see that there are people who do not respect these institutions. When you talk about the President or the Archbishop you should wash your mouth first." And, later on: "We must have roots. We must be proud of our generation, of our nation. Of the exquisite marriage of hellenism with the essence of Christianity. All these people don't know what Greek Orthodox means. They say that the Secret School (Kryfo Scholeio) never existed. But in the churches the priests read the Gospels, which were written in Greek."

On German Music

"Germany never had great composers, ...except these 20-30 composers of classical music": Interview on Greek TV (NET) with Nassos Athanassiou.

See also

• Zorbas
• Zorba the Greek
• Eimaste dyo, eimaste treis, eimaste xilioi dekatreis!
• The Train Leaves At 8

Zorbas (Zorbas dance) is a song by Mikis Theodorakis, the leading Greek composer. ... Zorba the Greek is a 1964 movie by Michael Cacoyannis, originally titled Alexis Zorbas, based on the novel by Nikos Kazantzakis. ... Eimaste dyo, eimaste treis, eimaste xilioi dekatreis! (in English: We are two, we are three, we are thirteen thousand!) is a song by Mikis Theodorakis, the leftist socialist Greek composer and politician. ... The Train Leaves At 8 is a song composed by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis under the title Το Τρένο Φεύγει Στις Οκτώ and performed under the English title by the American rock band The Walkabouts. ...

Notes

1. ^ Jean Boivin, 'Messiaen's Teaching at the Paris Conservatoire: A Humanist Legacy', in Siglind Bruhn, Messiaen's Language of Mystical Love (New York, Garland, 1998), p.10
2. ^ Konstandaras, Nikos. Greeks and Jews. Retrieved on 2007-06-24.

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Bibliography

• Jean Boivin, 'Messiaen's Teaching at the Paris Conservatoire: A Humanist Legacy', in Siglind Bruhn, Messiaen's Language of Mystical Love (New York, Garland, 1998), 5-31: 10
• George Giannaris: Mikis Theodorakis. Music and Social Change, Foreword by Mikis Theodorakis. G. Allen, London, 1972
• Gail Holst: Myth & Politics in Modern Greek Music, Adolf M. Hakkert, Amsterdam, 1980
• Mikis Theodorakis: Journals of Resistance. Translated from the French by Graham Webb, Hart-Davis MacGibbon, London, 1973
• Mikis Theodorakis: Music and Theater, Translated by George Giannaris, Athens, 1983

External links

• Official Web Site
• Edition Romanos
• Orchestra Mikis Theodorakis
• Lilian Voudouri Library
• (Hebrew) Ha'aretz August 2004 Interview

Bibliography - His own published written works

• In Greek by Theodorakis [1]

• Μελοποιημένη Ποίηση Ι Τραγούδια
• Μελοποιημένη ποίηση ΙΙ
• Οι δρόμοι του αρχαγγέλου V
• Οι δρόμοι του αρχαγγέλου ΙΙΙ
• Οι δρόμοι του αρχάγγελου IV
• Οι δρόμοι του αρχάγγελου Ι
• Οι δρόμοι του αρχαγγέλου ΙΙ
• Μελοποιημένη ποίηση ΙΙΙ
• Για την ελληνική μουσική
• Ζητείται αριστερά
• 20 τραγούδια για πιάνο και αρμόνιο
• Να μαγευτώ και να μεθύσω
• Ανατομία της μουσικής
• Πού να βρω την ψυχή μου... A'
• The best of M. Theodorakis
• Αντιμανιφέστο
• Πού πάμε;
• Το τραγούδι του νεκρού αδελφού
• Ο κύκλος
• Η Βεατρίκη στην οδό Μηδέν
• Μια θάλασσα γεμάτη μουσική
• Μπαλάντες
• Πού να βρω την ψυχή μου... Β'
• Χαιρετισμοί
• Les Eluard
• Τα λυρικώτερα
• Τα λυρικώτατα
• Τα πρόσωπα του Ήλιου
• Φαίδρα
• Λιποτάκτες
• Θαλασσινά φεγγάρια
• Ασίκικο πουλάκη
• Romancero Gitano (για πιάνο - φωνή)
• Τα Λυρικά
• Ταξίδι μέσα στη νύχτα
• Μικρές Κυκλάδες
• Διόνυσος
• Επιφάνια
• Πνευματικό Εμβατήριο
• Επιτάφιος
• Πνευματικό Εμβατήριο (Δεμένο) (Oratorio Full Score)
• Αξιον Εστί (Δεμένο) (Oratorio Full Score)
• Ζορμπάς (Δεμένο) (Suite - Ballet Full Score)
• Καρναβάλι (Δεμένο) (Suite - Ballet Full Score)
• Adagio (Full Score) - Sinfonietta (Full Score) (Δεμένο)
• Επιφάνια Αβέρωφ (Cantata) (δεμ.)
• Canto Olympico (Oratorio) (Δεμένο)
• Adagio. Sinfonietta
• Zorbas. Suite-Ballet: Full score
• Λιποτάκτες
• Μπαλάντες. Κύκλος τραγουδιών για πιάνο και φωνή
• Πνευματικό εμβατήριο. Ορατόριο
• Χαιρετισμοί. Κύκλος τραγουδιών για πιάνο και φωνή
• Το μανιφέστο των Λαμπράκηδων
• Τα λυρικώτατα
• Τα λυρικώτερα
• Τα πρόσωπα του ήλιου
• Δημοκρατική και συγκεντρωτική αριστερά
• Οι μνηστήρες της Πηνελόπης
• Περί τέχνης
• Που να βρω την ψυχή μου... Γ'
• Ραψωδία για βιολοντσέλο και ορχήστρα
• Επιφάνια Αβέρωφ
• Ένα όμηρος - Εικαστικά εξώφυλλα δίσκων
• Όπως στον Πινόκιο
• I had three lives
• Μάνου Χατζιδάκι εγκώμιον
• The Gates of Eden