Maria Farantouri - 50 years

Maria Farantouri - 50 years,  at Irodou Attikou Theatre.

A concert to commemorate 50 years of Farantouri's singing career. A lot of old favourites, written by Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis, Manos Loizos.

Dionysis Savvopoulos appeared as a guest and sang a few songs with Maria.

The whole evening was extremely pleasurable, but also very moving.

 

The first part of the concert was the best, as all of the music was by Theodorakis, and not only is he my favourite composer, but I also think that Farantouri's voice is best suited to his music - but we loved all of it.

Antonito el Camborio, from Romancero Gitano, lyrics by Federico Garcia Lorca, music Mikis Theodorakis.

The ancient Roman theatre, a majestic setting.






Sou Eipan Psemata and To Sfageio, from Andreas' Songs, music Mikis Theodorakis

Theodorakis was in the audience, sitting here in a special chair, wearing a white jacket. At one point his picture was projected on to the walls and a recording of his voice told the story of how he and Maria met. He had been to a concert where school students were singing. He was very impressed with one 16-year old who sang Kaimos by Manos Loizos. When the concert finished he asked who that young student was and she was brought forward to meet him. He said to her; 'You were born to sing my songs'. and her reply was: 'I know'. This was the beginning of a 50-year collaboration that has brought so much pleasure to so many people.

But it's not just pleasure that the collaboration between these two musicians has given us. They gave us hope, courage and strength during the dark times of the military junta, where life seemed hopeless. I wrote at length about this when I posted on a concert I went to last year, which you can see here .









T'oneiro Kapnos, lyrics by Nikos Gatsos, music Mikis Theodorakis

I love what they do with the lights!

It is very impressive.

Maria, wearing blue, at the front of the stage.

A last look at the Acropolis on our way home.