Mikis Theodorakis, His Music and Politics (Durrell Studies 6)
This is the only comprehensive musical biography in English of Mikis Theodorakis (1925-2021), the revolutionary Greek composer. The first edition (1980) was written with the assistance and support of Theodorakis himself; this new edition was commissioned after Theodorakis’ death and extends the assessment of his work to the operas, symphonies and other works composed since 1980. As a political figure in modern Greece, Theodorakis embodied the spirit of resistance to the abuse of authority, from the Nazi occupation of his country and the ensuing civil war to the military dictatorship of 1967-74 and beyond. Based on the author’s personal friendship and collaboration with Theodorakis, this musical biography is both a passionate and an authoritative account of the life-work of a man who became a popular hero in an age of anxiety.
This book is part of a series. View the full series, "Durrell Studies", here.
Gail Holst-Warhaft played in Theodorakis’ orchestra in the 1970s, before taking up a literary and artistic career in the USA. A noted translator (into English) of Greek poems and novels, she is also the author of a ground-breaking study of Greek urban music (Road to Rembetika, 1975) and of folk laments: Dangerous Voices: Women’s Laments and Greek Literature (1992/1995). She recently retired as director of the Mediterranean Studies Initiative at Cornell University, where she remains an adjunct professor in Comparative Literature. Recent books include The Fall of Athens (poetry and prose memoir, 2016) and Nisiotika: Music, Dances and Bitter-sweet Songs of the Aegean, 2021. Her translations include Achilles' Fiancée by Alki Zei (1991) and The House with the Scorpions, selected poems of Mikis Theodorakis (2020).
"Through Gail's writings, Theodorakis's contribution to the production of important culture with an enormous impact on people's imagination and on what we call collective memory becomes apparent. […] The book provides, through biographical details and critical analysis, a comprehensive picture of the composer's life abroad, his influences, and his artistic activity. And thus, the complexity of the political dimension of culture is perceived and understood to the extent possible."
Stavros Stavrou Karayanni Dean of the School of Humanities, Social and Educational Sciences and Professor of Postcolonial Literatures, European University, Cyprus
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