Biography
Michail "Mikis" Theodorakis (Greek: Μιχαήλ "Μίκης" Θεοδωράκης,29 July 1925 – 2 September 2021) was a Greek composer and lyricist credited with over 1,000 works.
He scored for the films Zorba the Greek (1964), Z (1969), and Serpico (1973).
He was a three time BAFTA nominee, winning for Z. For the score in the movie Serpico (1973), he earned Grammy nominations. Furthermore, for the unforgettable score to Zorba the Greek (1964), with its ‘Zorba’s Dance’, he was Golden Globe nominated.
He composed the "Mauthausen Trilogy", also known as "The Ballad of Mauthausen", which has been described as the "most beautiful musical work ever written about the Holocaust" and possibly his best work.Up until his death, he was viewed as Greece's best-known living composer. He was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize.
Politically, he was associated with the left because of his long-standing ties to the Communist Party of Greece (KKE). He was an MP for the KKE from 1981 to 1990. Despite this however, he ran as an independent candidate within the centre-right New Democracy party in 1989, in order for the country to emerge from the political crisis that had been created due to the numerous scandals of the government of Andreas Papandreou. He helped establish a large coalition between conservatives, socialists and leftists. In 1990 he was elected to the parliament (as in 1964 and 1981), became a government minister under Konstantinos Mitsotakis, and fought against drugs and terrorism and for culture, education and better relations between Greece and Turkey. He continued to speak out in favour of leftist causes, Greek–Turkish–Cypriot relations, and against the War in Iraq. He was a key voice against the 1967–1974 Greek junta, which imprisoned him and banned his songs.
Filmography
all 69
Movies 63
self 8
TV Shows 6
An Buachaill Geal Gáireach/The Laughing Boy (2023)
The Greek Job (2023)
Ink (2021)
Dance Fight Love Die: With Mikis On the Road (2017)
The Stubborn Donkey (2008)
Δροσουλίτες (2001)
Barluschke (1998)
Mist (1988)
Les clowns de Dieu (1987)
Ζήτω το ελληνικό τραγούδι (1986)
Kostas (1979)
Iphigenia (1977)
Letters from Marusia (1975)
Order: Kill Makarios (1975)
Evidence (1975)
The Secret Carrier (1975)
State of Siege (1972)
Biribi (1971)
The Trojan Women (1971)
Nausicaa (1971)
Z (1969)
Punisher (1968)
The Lost Generation (1968)
From Greece (1966)
The Roundup (1965)
Καταιγίδα (1965)
Άγγελοι Χωρίς Φτερά (1965)
Zorba the Greek (1964)
Five Miles to Midnight (1962)
The Lovers of Teruel (1962)
Betrayed love (1962)
Electra (1962)
Phaedra (1962)
Η μεγάλη θυσία (1962)
Synoikia to Oneiro (1961)
The Shadow of the Cat (1961)
Μυρτιά (1961)
Faces in the Dark (1960)
Honeymoon (1959)
Ill Met by Moonlight (1957)
Eva (1953)
Recycling Medea: Not an Opera Ballet Film
Information
Known ForSound
GenderMale
Birthday1925-07-29
Deathday2021-09-02 (96 years old)
Birth PlaceChios, Greece
ReligionEastern Orthodoxy
RelationshipsMyrto Altinoglou (1953 - 2021)
ChildrenMargarita Theodorakis, Giorgos Theodorakis
SiblingsGiannis Theodorakis
CitizenshipsGreece
Also Known AsΜιχαήλ "Μίκης" Θεοδωράκης, Μίκης Θεοδωράκης
Awardshonorary doctor of Istanbul University, Honorary member of the Athens Academy, honorary doctor of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, honorary doctorate from the Université de Montréal, honorary doctorate of Salzburg University, honorary doctor of Tel Aviv University, grand officier de l'ordre de Mérite du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, Commander of the Legion of Honour, Lenin Komsomol Prize, Order of Friendship, BAFTA Award for Best Original Music, Lenin Peace Prize
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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