R.I.P. Mikes Theodorakis (1925-2021)

Composer Mikis Theodorakis acquired world fame as a composer of the soundtrack of 'Zorba the Greek'. He was 96 years old. Music and politics played a key role in his life. In total, he composed an oeuvre of more than 1000 works, ranging from film music to opera. In the Netherlands he became best known for the song La danse de Zorba, which he wrote for the film Zorba de Greek (1964).

During World War II, Theodorakis was active in the Greek resistance and during the immediate subsequent Greek Civil War he was a member of the far-left Greek People's Army for National Liberation. That's why he got into jail and was heavily tortured. That's how he was buried alive twice. He was an important voice against the 1967-1974 Greek junta, which imprisoned him and banned his songs.

Theodorakis-Farantouri 2 songs from Mauthausen live in Pireaus, Greece 1966. From a 1966 Greece concert. 2 songs from the Mauthausen cycle with Maria Farantouri, Kostas Papadopoulos and Lakis Karnezis on electric guitar and bouzouki and Giannis Didilis on piano. Also and unfortunately a very short fragment from Otan Sfigoun to Cheri with Grigoris Bithikotsis.

One of Theodorakis's first concerts after the dictatorship in October 1974 was also filmed by German television. Here are the numbers of that broadcast. The song To Yelasto Pedi (The Jovial Boy) from the cycle The Hostage (Brendan Behan) sung by Maria Farantouri. Also known as the theme of the film Z about the Lambrakis murder.

R.I.P. Mikes Theodorakis (1925-2021) Wikipedia