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Renowned Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis ("Greek Zorba") passed away at the age of 96
Theodorakis, one of the most important and prominent composers in the world, passed away at the age of 96. Theodorakis became world famous mainly for the music he composed for the Greek films Zorba (1964) and Serpico (1973).
Greek Minister of Culture: "We have lost part of the soul of Greece"
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Thursday, 02 September 2021, 10:45 Updated: 11:00
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The renowned Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, one of the most important and prominent composers in the world, passed away at the age of 96. Theodorakis became world famous mainly for the music he composed for the Greek films Zorba (1964) and Serpico (1973).
Greek Minister of Culture Lina Mandoni praised him: "Today we have lost part of the soul of Greece. Our Mikis - the teacher, the radical intellectual - has passed away."
Theodorakis was born on the Greek island of Kyos, and spent his childhood years in various cities in the country.
He was attracted to music from a young age.
During World War II he was active in the rebel movement against the occupying forces of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany and helped bread-hungry children and Jewish refugees.
Due to this activity he was caught, arrested and tortured.
During the Greek Civil War he was exiled to the islands of Ikaria and Macronisos, where he was beaten almost to death and twice buried alive.
In the 1960s, Theodorakis returned to his roots in Greek music and in his song cycle "Epitaphius" contributed to a cultural revolution in his country.
When he based the most important and influential in his works on the best of Greek and world poetry - "Epiphany", "Little Cyclades", "Axion Asti", "Mauthausen", "Romucini" and "Romensero Gitan" - he tried to restore to Greek music the respect it had lost, as he claimed.
In developing his perception of the metasymphonic music he soon gained international recognition and acclaim as the greatest living Greek composers.
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In the 1964 election he was elected to the Greek Parliament on behalf of the Left Party EDA.
Due to his radical political views, the cultural establishment put him on the blacklist;
At the height of his artistic fame, many of his songs were censored before recording and banned from broadcast on radio stations.
In 1963 he wrote the theme tune for Michael Kakuianis' film, "The Greek Zorba", which has since become Greece's trademark in world art.
In 2003 he said of the Jewish people: "Today it can be said that this small people is the root of evil. It is full of self-importance and sinful backwardness."
His remarks caused an uproar in Israel and among Greek Jewry, and the Israeli embassy in Athens filed a complaint with the Greek government.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a public protest: "The Israeli public rejects Theodorakis' antisemitic remarks in disgust."
Later, he clarified his words.
In February 2011, Theodorakis admitted in a television interview that he was "both anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist."
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