Maria Farantouri
Encyclopedia
Maria Farantouri was born in Athens
on 28 November 1947. She is a Greek
singer and also a political and cultural activist. She has collaborated with prominent Greek composers such as Mikis Theodorakis
, who wrote the score for Pablo Neruda
's Canto General
, which Farantouri performed. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV
ranked Farantouri the 18th top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era (since 1960).
During the Greek military junta (1967–1974) Maria Farantouri recorded protest songs in Europe with Mikis Theodorakis. In 1971 she recorded "Songs and Guitar Pieces by Theodorakis" with English guitarist John Williams
which included seven poems by Federico García Lorca
. She has recorded songs in Spanish ('Hasta Siempre
Comandante Che Guevara'), Italian, and English ("Joe Hill" and Brecht
's "Alabama Song' from Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
), as well as works by Greek composers Eleni Karaindrou
and Mikalis Bourboulis ('San Elektra' and 'Tora Xero') in which she realized a special fusion of vocal and instrumental beauty with musical accompaniment by Vangelis
. She also sang the notable 'Mauthausen Cycle'.
Her voice is deep contralto
with about an octave and a half range.
Maria Farantouri was an elected member of the Greek Parliament from 1989-1993 representing the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
(PASOK).
She is married to the PASOK politician Tilemachos Chitiris.
With Charles Lloyd
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
on 28 November 1947. She is a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
singer and also a political and cultural activist. She has collaborated with prominent Greek composers such as Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis
Mikis Theodorakis is one of the most renowned Greek songwriters and composers. Internationally, he is probably best known for his songs and for his scores for the films Zorba the Greek , Z , and Serpico .Politically, he identified with the left until the late 1980s; in 1989, he ran as an...
, who wrote the score for Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
's Canto General
Canto General
Canto General is Pablo Neruda's tenth book of poems. It was first published in Mexico in 1950, by Talleres Gráficos de la Nación. Neruda began to compose it in 1938....
, which Farantouri performed. On 14 March 2010, Alpha TV
Alpha TV
Alpha TV is a Greek terrestrial channel . The station features a mix of Greek and foreign shows with an emphasis on entertainment programs. The studios are located near Athens...
ranked Farantouri the 18th top-certified female artist in the nation's phonographic era (since 1960).
During the Greek military junta (1967–1974) Maria Farantouri recorded protest songs in Europe with Mikis Theodorakis. In 1971 she recorded "Songs and Guitar Pieces by Theodorakis" with English guitarist John Williams
John Williams (guitarist)
John Christopher Williams is an Australian classical guitarist, and a long-term resident of the United Kingdom. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award win in the 'Best Chamber Music Performance' category with Julian Bream for Julian and John .-Biography:John Williams was born on 24 April 1941 in...
which included seven poems by Federico García Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
. She has recorded songs in Spanish ('Hasta Siempre
Hasta Siempre
"Hasta Siempre, Comandante, or simply "Hasta Siempre", is a 1965 Spanish song by Cuban composer Carlos Puebla. The song's lyrics are a reply to revolutionary Che Guevara's farewell letter when he left Cuba, in order to foster revolution in the Congo and later Bolivia, where he would be captured and...
Comandante Che Guevara'), Italian, and English ("Joe Hill" and Brecht
Brecht
Brecht is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the towns of Brecht proper, Sint-Job-in't-Goor and Sint-Lenaarts. On January 1, 2006 Brecht had a total population of 26,464...
's "Alabama Song' from Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny is a political-satirical opera composed by Kurt Weill to a German libretto by Bertolt Brecht. It was first performed in Leipzig on 9 March 1930.-Composition history:...
), as well as works by Greek composers Eleni Karaindrou
Eleni Karaindrou
Eleni Karaindrou is a Greek composer, born in Teichio. She studied piano and theory at the Hellenikon Odion in Athens. She is best known for scoring the films of Theo Angelopoulos...
and Mikalis Bourboulis ('San Elektra' and 'Tora Xero') in which she realized a special fusion of vocal and instrumental beauty with musical accompaniment by Vangelis
Vangelis
Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock and orchestral music, under the artist name Vangelis...
. She also sang the notable 'Mauthausen Cycle'.
Her voice is deep contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
with about an octave and a half range.
Maria Farantouri was an elected member of the Greek Parliament from 1989-1993 representing the Panhellenic Socialist Movement
Panhellenic Socialist Movement
The Panhellenic Socialist Movement , known mostly by its acronym PASOK , is one of the two major political parties in Greece. Founded on 3 September 1974 by Andreas Papandreou, in 1981 PASOK became Greece's first social democratic party to win a majority in parliament.The party is a socialist party...
(PASOK).
She is married to the PASOK politician Tilemachos Chitiris.
Discography
With Eleni KaraindrouEleni Karaindrou
Eleni Karaindrou is a Greek composer, born in Teichio. She studied piano and theory at the Hellenikon Odion in Athens. She is best known for scoring the films of Theo Angelopoulos...
- Elegy of the UprootingElegy of the UprootingElegy of the Uprooting is a double CD live album by Greek composer Eleni Karaindrou featuring music recorded in 2005 and released on the ECM New Series label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 2005)
With Charles Lloyd
- Athens ConcertAthens Concert-Track listing:Disc One:# "Kratissa Ti Zoi Mou" - 5:59# "Dream Weaver" - 8:10# "Blow Wind" - 5:34# "Requiem" - 5:57# "Greek Suite Part 1: Hymnos Stin Ayia Triada" - - 4:03...
(ECM, 2010)