Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
1-40 of 40
- Constantinos Karamanlis was the architect of Greece's accession to the European Union. Like Pericles in classical times, by the sheer force of his personality he put a bloodless end to a 7-year military dictatorship and rebuilt Greek democracy. When somebody asked Karamanlis how he compared himself to previous famous Greek statesmen, he said that it wasn't because he was so great himself - he simply hadn't made as many mistakes as the others had. History will surely judge that he was too modest. He was born in the town of Proti, prefecture of Serres, in Macedonia. He became a Greek citizen in 1913, after Macedonia was liberated in the aftermath of the Second Balkan War. Karamanlis retired in 1995, at the age of 88, having won 5 parliamentary elections, and having spent 14 years as Prime Minister, 10 years as President of the Republic, and a total of more than sixty years in politics. He died after a short illness in 1998, at the age of 91.
- The director of the Oscar nominated "Zorba the Greek", erudite, cosmopolitan and creative has been involved not only in the film making but also in the theater, opera, script writing and lyrics, successfully uniting the Greek and the European culture. The worldwide presentation of the ancient Greek tragic plays, in its natural environment -the Greek landscape- is considered his biggest achievement. Born in Limassol, Cyprus. As a young man, Cacoyannis was sent by his family to England to become a lawyer. However, after producing Greek-language programs for the BBC during World War II, Cacoyannis found an interest in film instead. After having trouble finding a directing job in the British film industry, Cacoyannis returned to Greece, and in 1953 he made his first film, Windfall in Athens. Cacoyannis has worked on many occasions with the Greek actress Irene Papas. In 1971, he teamed up once more with Papas to the film The Trojan Women, starting Hollywood legend Katharine Hepburn
- Theodorakis' fascination with music began in early childhood; he taught himself to write his first songs without access to musical instruments. In Pyrgos and Patras he took his first music lessons, and in Tripolis, Peloponnese, he formed a choir and gave his first concert at the age of seventeen. On 21st April 1967 a fascist junta (the Regime of the Colonels) took power in putsch. Theodorakis went underground and founded the Patriotic Front. The Colonels published Army decree No 13, which banned playing, and even listening to his music. Theodorakis himself was arrested on 21 August 1967 and jailed for five months. Theodorakis has written more than 1,000 songs and song-cycles, whose melodies have become part of the heritage of Greek music. Theodorakis is well known for his left-wing views, which he has expressed openly (including, notably, during the junta dictatorship). He has campaigned for numerous human rights and peace causes Mikis Theodorakis was not merely a composer and conductor, although he has achieved world fame out of it. Such has been the man's energy that throughout his career he has delved into politics, sometimes radical, sometimes conservative, always controversial. Now, in his 80s, he is still bursting with the need to say and do things. Like a true Greek, his opinions emerge with an accompanying passion for action over thought.
