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Maria
Farantouri has been referred to as the "Joan Baez of the
Mediterranean" by "Le Monde". "Her
singular voice is a gift of the Olympic Gods", wrote "The
Guardian". And François Mitterrand enthused : "For
me, Maria is Greece. This is how I imagine the goddess Hera : strong,
pure and vigilant. I know of no other artist who has given so much
meaning to the word sublime."
Maria Farantouri has had huge successes with her innumerable concerts
all over the world and has left an indelible impression everywhere.
She is considered the ideal performer of the songs and other works
of the world-famous Greek composer, Mikis Theodorakis, and thus
of the New Greek Song.
Born in 1947, music and singing soon became a passion for Maria.
After early performances with a choir, her unique contralto voice
fast turned her into a celebrated soloist. She was only 16 years
old when Mikis Theodorakis discovered her, announcing : "You
will become my priestess." |
Out of
this prophecy developed an artistic and personal friendship which is still
flourishing and which has been crowned by numerous records, concert tours
and musical projects. Characteristic of these are musical settings of
lyrics by major poets, both Greek (Elytis, Seferis, Kalvos, Ritsos) and
international (Pablo Neruda, Federico Garcia Lorca...), which lend poetry
and depth to her singing.
Forced into exile after the military coup in April 1967, she became a
symbol of resistance and democracy through the hundreds of concerts she
gave with songs by Mikis Theodorakis, meanwhile a prisoner of the junta.
After her return to Greece in 1974, Maria Farantouri embarked on a number
of projects together with some very different artists, which extended
and varied her musical repertoire. She worked, among others, with John
Williams, Zülfü Livaneli, Leo Brower, Lucio Dalla and Maria
del Mar Bonet. Maria Farantouri recorded many albums with songs by Manos
Loizos, Eleni Karaindrou and Manos Chatzidakis, but also Bertolt Brecht.
Highly valued and exemplary of her musical message is the performance
of the "Mauthausen" Cycle by Theodorakis, with the Israel
Symphony Orchestra under Zubin Mehta in 1991.
Fusing the worlds of (modern) classical, world music and the Greek musical
tradition with her own luminous artistic universe, her unique voice and
interpretation has always been one of Maria Farantouri's outstanding qualities
: her current tour is yet more evidence of the fascinating results.
Apart from well-known songs from her huge repertoire, built up over decades
of artistic development, Maria Farantouri will present songs taken from
her latest project. It includes a collection of authentic folksongs from
Macedonia and Epirus, as well as unpublished songs by Mikis Theodorakis,
inspired by this musical tradition. Revised by Henning Schmiedt and reworked
into a new modern form, the songs once again build a bridge between folk
art and sophisticated art songs.
| Maria
Farantouri, accompanied by Henning Schmiedt (piano), Volker Schlott
(sax, flute), Jannis Zotos (guitar, bouzouki) and Thanassis Zotos
(percussion), will give an unique and exceptional concert in the Conservatoire
of Luxembourg, Wednesday 12 June 2002 at 8 p.m., for the 50th anniversary
of "Les Amis de la Grèce". Tickets at 25 EUR, 20
EUR, 10 EUR. Reservations: Billetterie centrale, tel. 47 08 95 |
Visit the site of 
culturweb
English
translation: Ariel Wagner-Parker
Management
ASTI Music:
Mr Toni Berndt
Mobile-Phone: (+49) (0)170 500 35 00 |
