Theophrastos Sakellaridis
Encyclopedia
Theophrastos Sakellaridis (Θεόφραστος Σακελλαρίδης) (1883–1950), was a Greek
composer
, conductor, and basic creator of Greek operetta
.
on 7 September 1883 (or 1882). His mother came from Hydra
.
He took his first courses of music by his father, Ioannis Sakellaridis (1854–1938).
He studied in Athens, Germany
, and Italy
.
In 1903, Sakellaridis gave concerts with his own compositions in the Musical Academy of Munich
, as well as in Italy and Egypt
.
He wrote about 80 operettas, many of them in his own libretto, five operas, various songs and music for revue
s.
Sakellaridis died in Athens on 2 January 1950.
"Ο Βαφτιστικός", O Vaftistikos) remains Sakellaridis' most popular work and is regularly performed to this day. It is a comedy of errors done in the classic manner of the French boulevard. It is set in the Balkan Wars
. Athens is basking in the news of successive victories of the Greek armies, but Vivika Zacharouli is furious. Her husband has been drafted, but was able to secure an safe auxiliary post in Athens, and is not actually winning any battle glory at all. Her only consolation is her godson, Marko, (the story's McGuffin) whom she had christened when he was a baby and never seen again since. He is a real war hero, because he regularly writes her from the front and recounts his numerous fighting accomplishments. Then Marko appears all of a sudden, on leave from the front to finally meet his godmother. She is ecstatic; her husband not so much. He is not really Marko, though. He is Peter Charmides, who was serving with poor illiterate Marko and was reading and writing his correspondence for him. Marko is actually an army cook: the only fire he has faced is the one under his pots and pans, and all his supposed battle laurels have been faked by the scheming Charmides, who not only has his eyes upon Vivika, but has also has decided to impersonate his colleague and woo this charming grand lady. What he does not know is that his own wife, Kiki, is Vivika's old friend from school, and she is on her way there to ask a favor: Vivika's uncle is a colonel, and maybe he could secure a few days' leave for her husband? The Colonel arrives soon as well: he is enamoured by Kiki because they travelled together on the train, and he is determined to have her once he finds out she is his niece's house guest. In the meantime Charmides-"Marko" is very actively pursuing his "godmother"'s favors, and she is willing to be persuaded. It is not every day that a lady is being courted by a young, dashing, bona fide war hero. The Colonel walks in on them, and she has to present her godson lover as her husband, and then her real husband as her godson. As soon as the Colonel is fooled, he is confronted by Kiki, who coyly demands that leave for her husband in return for her favors. He readily agrees and they join the others to announce the news, except now everything is exposed: the supposed husband is not the godson either, he is Kiki's husband, and the supposed godson is Vivika's husband: the two ladies have no other way out of the mess but fainting. The Colonel is not shaken at all by all this commotion: the reason he is there is to announce to Zacharoulis that he has arranged a post at the front for him. He can now win all the glory that has eluded him so far. Now it is Zacharoulis' turn to faint.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, conductor, and basic creator of Greek operetta
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
.
Biography
Sakellaridis was born in AthensAthens
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 7 September 1883 (or 1882). His mother came from Hydra
Hydra, Saronic Islands
Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. It is separated from the Peloponnese by narrow strip of water...
.
He took his first courses of music by his father, Ioannis Sakellaridis (1854–1938).
He studied in Athens, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
In 1903, Sakellaridis gave concerts with his own compositions in the Musical Academy of Munich
Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
The Hochschule für Musik und Theater München is one of the most respected traditional vocational universities in Germany specialising in music and the performing arts. The seat of the Hochschule is the former Führerbau of the NSDAP, located at Arcisstraße 12, on the eastern side of the Königsplatz...
, as well as in Italy and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
He wrote about 80 operettas, many of them in his own libretto, five operas, various songs and music for revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
s.
Sakellaridis died in Athens on 2 January 1950.
"The Godson"
The operetta "The Godson" (GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
"Ο Βαφτιστικός", O Vaftistikos) remains Sakellaridis' most popular work and is regularly performed to this day. It is a comedy of errors done in the classic manner of the French boulevard. It is set in the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
. Athens is basking in the news of successive victories of the Greek armies, but Vivika Zacharouli is furious. Her husband has been drafted, but was able to secure an safe auxiliary post in Athens, and is not actually winning any battle glory at all. Her only consolation is her godson, Marko, (the story's McGuffin) whom she had christened when he was a baby and never seen again since. He is a real war hero, because he regularly writes her from the front and recounts his numerous fighting accomplishments. Then Marko appears all of a sudden, on leave from the front to finally meet his godmother. She is ecstatic; her husband not so much. He is not really Marko, though. He is Peter Charmides, who was serving with poor illiterate Marko and was reading and writing his correspondence for him. Marko is actually an army cook: the only fire he has faced is the one under his pots and pans, and all his supposed battle laurels have been faked by the scheming Charmides, who not only has his eyes upon Vivika, but has also has decided to impersonate his colleague and woo this charming grand lady. What he does not know is that his own wife, Kiki, is Vivika's old friend from school, and she is on her way there to ask a favor: Vivika's uncle is a colonel, and maybe he could secure a few days' leave for her husband? The Colonel arrives soon as well: he is enamoured by Kiki because they travelled together on the train, and he is determined to have her once he finds out she is his niece's house guest. In the meantime Charmides-"Marko" is very actively pursuing his "godmother"'s favors, and she is willing to be persuaded. It is not every day that a lady is being courted by a young, dashing, bona fide war hero. The Colonel walks in on them, and she has to present her godson lover as her husband, and then her real husband as her godson. As soon as the Colonel is fooled, he is confronted by Kiki, who coyly demands that leave for her husband in return for her favors. He readily agrees and they join the others to announce the news, except now everything is exposed: the supposed husband is not the godson either, he is Kiki's husband, and the supposed godson is Vivika's husband: the two ladies have no other way out of the mess but fainting. The Colonel is not shaken at all by all this commotion: the reason he is there is to announce to Zacharoulis that he has arranged a post at the front for him. He can now win all the glory that has eluded him so far. Now it is Zacharoulis' turn to faint.
Operetta
- "Picnic" (Πικ-Νικ) (1915),
- "Ο Vaftistikos" (1918) is the most famous Greek operetta.
- "Rozita" (Ροζίτα) (1925)
- "Halima" (Χαλιμά) (1926),
- "Christina" (Χριστίνα) (1928)
- "Τhe Modern Girls" (Μοντέρνα Κορίτσια) (1935)