Kyriakos Charalambides
Encyclopedia
Kyriakos Charalambides is one of the most known and acknowledged Greek poets and writers. His work sings in the odea of Western culture
, yet is most at home upon the stage of Greek civilization. He specifically speaks in the tradition of modern Greek poets Constantine P. Cavafy
, Giorgos Seferis
and Odysseas Elytis
, but in his own Cypriot register.
, in the Famagusta District
of Cyprus
. He studied history
and archaeology
at the University of Athens, 1958–64, drama at the Drama School of the Greek National Theater, 1962–63 and radio in Munich
, 1972-73.
After four years as a Philology Master in Cyprus, he was appointed to the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation
where he served until 1997 as Head of Radio Programmes. In 2008, he has been elected by the Senate of the University of Cyprus to serve on its Council.
In 1997 he published his own translation and introduction to Romanos the Melodist's "Three Hymns," which was awarded the Hellenic Society of Literary Translators Prize. He is also the recipient of the 1998 Cavafy Prize (Egypt).
In 2003 he was awarded the Costa and Eleni Ourani Award by the Athens Academy for his entire work in poetry. In 2006, he was awarded the Cultural Contribution Award of Teucros Anthias - Thodosis Pierides by the cypriot political political party, AKEL.
In 2007, he was awarded the Literary, Arts and Sciences Prize of the Republic of Cyprus.
Moreover, his work has been set to music by Chrysostomos Stamoulis, Notis Mavroudes, Michalis Christodoulides, Marios Tokas, Savvas Savva, Marios Meletiou and George Kalogyrou.
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
, yet is most at home upon the stage of Greek civilization. He specifically speaks in the tradition of modern Greek poets Constantine P. Cavafy
Constantine P. Cavafy
Constantine P. Cavafy, also known as Konstantin or Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis, or Kavaphes was a renowned Greek poet who lived in Alexandria and worked as a journalist and civil servant...
, Giorgos Seferis
Giorgos Seferis
Giorgos or George Seferis was the pen name of Geōrgios Seferiádēs . He was one of the most important Greek poets of the 20th century, and a Nobel laureate...
and Odysseas Elytis
Odysseas Elytis
Odysseas Elytis was regarded as a major exponent of romantic modernism in Greece and the world. In 1979 he was bestowed with the Nobel Prize in Literature.-Biography:...
, but in his own Cypriot register.
Biography
He was born on January 31, 1940, in AchnaAchna
Akhna , is a village in Cyprus in the Famagusta District, just North of the United Nations Buffer Zone. After the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, the displaced residents built a new village south of the old location....
, in the Famagusta District
Famagusta District
Famagusta District is one of the six districts of Cyprus. Its main town is the island's most important port, Famagusta. The city of Famagusta is currently controlled by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ....
of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
. He studied history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
at the University of Athens, 1958–64, drama at the Drama School of the Greek National Theater, 1962–63 and radio in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, 1972-73.
After four years as a Philology Master in Cyprus, he was appointed to the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation
Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation
The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation ) or CyBC is Cyprus's public broadcasting service, transmitting island-wide on four radio and two television channels. CyBC is a non-profit organization that utilises its entire income for the promotion of its main mission, which is the objective provision of...
where he served until 1997 as Head of Radio Programmes. In 2008, he has been elected by the Senate of the University of Cyprus to serve on its Council.
Works
He is the author of ten books of poetry:- First Source [Πρώτη Πηγή], Athens, 1961.
- The ignorance of the water, with an introduction from Takis K. Papatsonis [Η άγνοια του νερού, με πρόλογο Τάκη K. Παπατσώνη], Icarus: Athens, 1967
- The vase with designs [Το αγγείο με τα σχήματα], Nicosia, 1973.
- The Achaeans’ Shore Αχαιών Ακτή, Nicosia, 1977; 2nd edition, Agra: Athens, 2003.
- Famagusta Regal Capital Αμμόχωστος Βασιλεύουσα, Hermes: Athens, 1982; Agra: Athens 1997.
- Dome Θόλος, Hermes: Athens, 1989; 1991; Agra: Athens, 1998.
- Meta-history Μεθιστορία, Agra: Athens, 1995; 2000.
- Dokimin Δοκίμιν, Agra: Athens, 2000.
- Aiyaloussa Visited Αιγιαλούσις Επίσκεψις, Agra: Athena, 2003.
- Quince Apple Κυδώνιον Μήλον, Agra: Athens, 2006.
Awards
Three of his books were awarded the First State Prize for Poetry (Cyprus). His book "Tholos" (Dome) was awarded the Athens Academy Prize (1989) and his collection "Meta-history" was awarded the Greek National Prize for Poetry (1996).In 1997 he published his own translation and introduction to Romanos the Melodist's "Three Hymns," which was awarded the Hellenic Society of Literary Translators Prize. He is also the recipient of the 1998 Cavafy Prize (Egypt).
In 2003 he was awarded the Costa and Eleni Ourani Award by the Athens Academy for his entire work in poetry. In 2006, he was awarded the Cultural Contribution Award of Teucros Anthias - Thodosis Pierides by the cypriot political political party, AKEL.
In 2007, he was awarded the Literary, Arts and Sciences Prize of the Republic of Cyprus.
Translations of Charalambides's work
Charalambides’s work has been translated in many languages in various monographs:- "Selected Poems" translated in English by Greg Delanty (Southworld Editions, the Munster Literature Center, Cork, Ireland, 2005.http://www.amazon.com/dp/1905002092
- "Dome" translated in English by John Milides (National Center for Hellenic Studies and Research, La Trobe University, Australia 2002.
- "Hier, wo das Wunder nock Wirkt" translated in German from Hans Eideneier (Romiosini, Cologne 2000).
- "Methistoria" translated in French by Andreas Hadjisavvas with Francoise Becker, Michel Blanc and Francoise Gabenisch (Edition Praxandre, Besançon, France, 2007).
- "Ordens tyranni och andra dikter" translated in Swedish from Anna Maria Gull (Atlantis, Sweden, 2008, forthcoming).
- "Myth and History" translated in English by David Connoly (Nostos Books, Minneapolis, USA - 2010).
Books on Charalambides’s work
- Michalis Tsianikas, "The name of Famagusta: A critical approach to 'Famagusta Regal Capital" Indiktos: Athens, 2003.http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/deptlang/research/publications/michael-tsianikas.php
- Thedosis Pylarinos, "Metahistory" Herodotus: Athens, 2007.
- Special edition of the journal "Porfyras" issue 124, Corfu, July–September, 2007.
- Special edition of the journal "Literary Themes" Themata Logotechnias issue 12, July - October, 1999.
- Presentation in journal "The word", issue 163, May - July 2001.
Moreover, his work has been set to music by Chrysostomos Stamoulis, Notis Mavroudes, Michalis Christodoulides, Marios Tokas, Savvas Savva, Marios Meletiou and George Kalogyrou.