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George Dalaras

George Dalaras (Γιώργος Νταλάρας, 29 September 1949) is a Greek singer. He is one of the most prominent figures of Greek musical culture. In October 2006 he was selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency.

George Dalaras
Γιώργος Νταλάρας
Background information
Born (1949-09-29) 29 September 1949 (age 73)
Piraeus, Greece
OriginGreek
Genrespop music, éntekhno, laïko, traditional folk music, rebetiko, byzantine music, rock music, music of Latin America, western classical music, contemporary classical music, symphonic music, opera, etc
Occupation(s)Singer, musician, composer, instrumentalist, music arranger, record producer, recording artist
Instrument(s)Voice, guitar, string instrument, bouzouki, oud, baglamas, tzouras, harmonica, percussion instrument
Years active1967–present
Websitehttp://www.georgedalaras.com

He was born in Piraeus. His first memories of music were the basic forms of Greek music, such as traditional, folk, rebetiko, laïka, which influenced him as an artist. In addition, he has performed many other music genres in several different languages, such as pop, rock, latin, contemporary, byzantine music, classical, opera etc. He has collaborated with many Greek and foreign artists (composers, poets, maestros, musicians, etc). In all, he has released almost 90 personal albums and has collaborated in more than 140 others as musician, singer or producer.[1][2] He is the Greek artist who has performed the biggest concerts of all time, both in Greece and abroad.[3] He has performed at some of the most famous concert halls and stadiums all over the world, and has collaborated with many of the most renowned symphonic orchestras of the world.[4] He has received several honors and awards, including the "Kennedy" Award and the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadorship.

Concerts and sales

George Dalaras has released almost 90 personal albums (which in total have sold more than 18,000,000 copies worldwide) and has collaborated in more than 140 albums of others as musician, singer or producer, always expanding his musical horizons with his multi–faceted creativity.[5]

"George Dalaras sings in Greek, yet his music, springing from the heart, has a universal appeal" stated the French daily Le Figaro in 1993, long after his reputation had reached across the boarders of his native land. The packed theatres and stadiums, the thousands of concerts, the tenths of tours around the world, the collaborations with many prominent Greek and foreign artists, the collaborations with many of the most renowned symphonic orchestras of the world etc, ascertain George Dalaras’ exceptional and unique course as an artist and as an ambassador of the Greek culture.

In 1983 he performed two back to back sold-out concerts in the Olympic Stadium of Athens, attended by more than 160,000 people.[6] It is the biggest music event ever held in Greece. "Greek music enters the era of the big stadiums" stated the Rolling Stone magazine.[7] In 1987, he performed a third personal sold-out concert at the Olympic Stadium of Athens.[8]

Since the late 1970s he has performed in over 800 concerts outside Greece, promoting Greek culture abroad. He has performed at some of the most famous concert halls all over the world, such as Radio City Music Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Metropolitan Opera, Olympia, Roy Thompson Hall, Meadowlands Arena, Sydney Opera House, Hammerstein Ballroom, Madison Square Garden, Wembley Arena, Rosemont Theatre, Trump Taj Mahal, The Wang Theatre, Place des Arts, Wiener Konzerthaus, Palais des Congrès, etc.[9][10]

He has also appeared at numerous cultural festivals, including Cuba (1981,1998), the Europalia Festival in Brussels (1982), the Peace Festival in Vienna (1983), the Youth Festival in Moscow (1985), the Aid to Africa Concert in the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus (1986), the Amnesty International Concert in Athens with Peter Gabriel, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman and Youssou'n'Dour (1988)[11], the Poznan Jazz Festival in Poland (1999), the Crossing Border Festival in Amsterdam (2001), the Saratoga Festival in USA, with the famous Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit (2001), etc.[12]

In 1992 he performed a sold-out concert at the Wembley Arena in London. It is the biggest Greek concert ever held in United Kingdom. It was a personal initiative of George Dalaras, to support Cyprus and to promote the Cyprus problem. Among others, Vanessa Redgrave and Georges Moustaki had taken part in the concert.[13]

In 1994 he performed at the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey before an audience of 22,000.[14] It is the biggest Greek concert ever held outside of Greece. This concert was also dedicated to Cyprus. After this concert, he was invited to Washington D.C., where he received the "Kennedy" Award from Senator Edward Kennedy, in recognition of his humanitarian contributions.[15]

The big orchestras

George Dalaras is a Greek traveler, an exceptional interpreter, a restless musician who deeply believes in the individual character of Greek music, in its power and its competence and, at the same time, in its global quality. His relentless pursuits journeyed Greece to the end of the world while, his conviction that the multinational model is based on the mutual possession of the artistic heritage has fused his interpretation abilities with the dexterity of a number of the most renowned orchestras of the world.[16][17][18]

  • The famous Dutch Metropole Orchestra is the first big orchestra with which George Dalaras collaborated. It was an exciting artistic gathering which took place in 1995, in the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, under the direction of Dick Baker. It consisted of two musical performances which moved and captivated the public through a song list which was dedicated to the soundtracks and the songs by Mikis Theodorakis the performances were recorded live and, consequently, released by EMI CLASSICS in fifteen countries, in an album titled "GEORGE DALARAS & METROPOLE ORCHESTRA".
  • The artist's next collaboration with one of the most prominent and long-existent choirs in Europe took part when, in 1996, he interpreted Ariel Ramirez Misa Criolla Mass accompanied by the choir of the Deutsche Oper Berlin in the Berlin Opera. It was a much anticipated concert since, the tickets had long been sold out and, so much the daily press as well as the opera leaflets had extensively referred to the event. The fact that, the concert was transmitted live by SFB –a radio station with a predominantly classical repertoire- is worth mentioning.
  • The next event was to be with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the most outstanding orchestras worldwide. In 1997, the Orchestra invited George Dalaras to stage two concerts in the Tel Aviv Mann Auditorium. The orchestra was conducted by Ilias Voudouris. It was a collaboration which materialized, in the best possible way, George Dalaras’ long desire to interpret a number of the most brilliant Greek songs accompanied by a symphony orchestra. The internationally acknowledged interpretation skills of the Philharmonic Orchestra came together with the powerful and charismatic stage presence, the promptness and, lastly, the soulful interpretation of George Dalaras in an unfolding of the portrait of contemporary Greek music. A musical journey which began from the rebetiko songs to cross over to his big hits, to all-time classics by prominent Greek composers, to melodies from the Mediterranean as well as to medieval songs by the Greek Jewish Sephardi population (in Ladino) The live recordings of these performances were internationally released in April 1999 by EMI CLASSICS in a digital disc titled: "GEORGE DALARAS AND THE ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA", a release which made quite a stir.
  • In parallel George Dalaras has collaborated with the Armonia Ateneaa , on the stage of the Athens Concert Hall in both the "...and by light and by death incessantly"[19] by Costa Gavra (1994, 1995) and the "Angel Hymns in Human Rhythms" (1997) by Stavros Kougioumtzis, conducted by Alexandros Myrat.
  • In 1999 George Dalaras collaborated with the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra. It was a high standard collaboration which made an impression by means of its simplicity and its musicality. Thousands of spectators went for a standing ovation following George Dalaras’ interpretation of songs by Greek composers as well as of ballads from the Mediterranean. These versions were magnificently executed by the Ossipov Orchestra which is one of the most famous and grand orchestras worldwide since, it manages to merge the symphonic structure with the pop and folk elements. The 70-membered orchestra – which consisted of players of balalaikas and domras- was conducted by Nikolai Kalinin. The performances were staged in the Athens Concert Hall, in Salonica, in the Patras Ancient Conservatory, in Cyprus, in London's Queen Elizabeth Hall and, finally, in Moscow, in November 2000.
  • In October 1999, George Dalaras met in the famous Notre-Dame Basilica, which is situated in the old city of Montreal, with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra which was conducted by Charles Dutoit, the famous conductor. The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, which consists of distinguished soloists, was founded in 1934 and is, today, one of the biggest orchestras in the world.
  • In September 2000, George Dalaras collaborated, for the first time, with them BBC Concert Orchestra, one of the most outstanding British orchestras. They met at the packed theatre Odeon of Herodes Atticus in a recital of superb orchestrations for a grand orchestra under the direction of Nick Davies and the participation of Joan Faulkner, the famous American jazz singer. The concert, the tickets of which had been sold out days before, was repeated in October of the same year in London's Royal Festival Hall with the participation of the big School. *In October 2000, four concerts that were staged in Cyprus signaled George Dalaras’ collaboration with the famous Kremlin Moscow State Symphony Orchestra. This was an event in which Margarita Zorbala, the exquisite performer, had also taken part. The Kremlin Symphony Orchestra consists of 70 superb soloists while, its main characteristic is the coalescence of the instrumental harmony structure with an impeccable technique and artistic expression. Pavel Ovsianikov is the artistic director and conductor of the orchestra; he is a composer who, in the course of his creative career, has managed to combine the preservation of the rich Russian cultural heritage with the quest for new musical ideas. In November 2000, they, once more, met in Russia, in a concert that was staged in Grand Kremlin Palace’s George Hall.
  • In June 2001 George Dalaras collaborated again with the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra conducted by Nikolai Kalinin. The event took place in Delphi and it was a unique concert that was part of the list of events scheduled for the celebration of the First World Refugee Day as well as for the completion of 50 years upon the founding of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The song list of the concert in which Jocelyn B. Smith, the prominent American singer had also taken part, included, mainly, songs by Mikis Theodorakis to whom the concert was dedicated as being one of the most renowned refugees globally.
  • In August 2001 George Dalaras –through his participation in the Saratoga Classical Music Festival- collaborated for the first time with the famous Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit, the renowned maestro with whom they had met two years before in the Montreal Notre Dame Basilica Cathedral. The above Festival is one of the most celebrated Classical Music Festivals around the world which, each summer, is organized in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. It was the first time that a Greek artist participated in it.
  • In September 2001 he collaborated with Armonia Atenea Orchestra, with ninety musicians in total and the Fons Musicalis choir, at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. He was accompanied by Emma Shapplin.
  • Toward the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003, George Dalaras collaborated with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra. Together, they staged three concerts in London, Copenhagen and Paris which aimed at promoting the cultural visage of Europe, upon the instance Cyprus’ imminent integration within the European Union.
  • In August 2004 George Dalaras performed two concerts entitled "30th – 40th parallel – Musical Journey to the Mediterranean" at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, with special guests Dulce Pontes, Stefanos Korkolis, Eddy Napoli, Mira Awad, Macarena Giraldez Losada, Marcos Jimenez Antonio and Compania Flamenca "Ronda Al Alba", Halil Moustafa and Mehmet Moustafa. The artists were accompanied by a popular orchestra and ERT National Symphonic Orchestra, conducted by Loukas Karitinos. In May 2005 George Dalaras and Dulce Pontes performed two unique concerts at the Herodes Atticus Odeon entitled "The Sea and Us". These concerts were organized by the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer "ELPIDA" for supporting their objectives, under the auspices of the Hellenic Festival.
  • In November 2005, George Dalaras performed at the Athens Concert Hall two of the most significant works of Mikis Theodorakis "Romiosini" poetry by Yiannis Ritsos and "Axion Esti" poetry by Odysseas Elytis. In these concerts texts of the poets were read by George Kimoulis. In "Axion Esti" Tassis Christoyannis, baritone also participated. George Dalaras was accompanied by the Popular Orchestra "Mikis Theodarakis" and a popular orchestra, the Greek Radio and TV Modern Music Orchestra conducted by Andreas Pylarinos, the Electricity Board Choir with Choirmaster Kostis Konstantaras, the Athens Municipal Choir with Choirmaster Stavros Beris and the Youth Choir of the Nea Smyrni Leontion Lyceum with Choirmaster Katerina Vasilikou. The proceeds of both concerts were offered to the Association of Rehabilitation for Addicted persons "THE RETURN". Among the rest of its leads, the Orchestra wrote history in cinema when, in 1939, it recorded the soundtrack of Walt Disney's Fantasia –a peak cartoon character movie which facilitated the popularization of symphony music in the United States.
  • In November 2010 George Dalaras had a unique concert in New York at Lincoln Center with CityMusic Cleveland conducted by Alexandros Myrat. The works of the Greek-Canadian composer Christos Hadzis "Credo" and "Telluric Dances" were presented for the first time in a world premiere.
  • In June and September 2011 George Dalaras cooperated with the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Andropov, in very successful concerts in Cyprus and Israel. He was accompanied by Aspasia Stratigou.
  • In July 2011 George Dalaras cooperated for the first time with the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hakan Sensoy, in a unique sold out concert, accompanied by Aspasia Stratigou.
  • On 26 November 2011 George Dalaras presented in a world premier the work "Kavafis" by the composer Alexandros Karozas at the Konzerthaus, Vienna with Vienna Chamber Orchestra and Wiener Singakademie, under the direction of the maestro Yorgos Kountouris. One of the most important German actors, Bruno Ganz recited the poems of Constantine P. Cavafy.[20]
  • In September 2012 George Dalaras participated in "Balkan Symphony" in Sarajevo. In this concert prominent artists from Balkan countries and the Mediterranean participated together with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra, enriched with local instruments, conducted by Oguzhan Balci.
  • In February 2013 George Dalaras presented the work "Kavafis" by the composer Alexandros Karozas, at Gasteig in Munich with Vienna Chamber Orchestra and Wiener Singakademie of the "Vienna Academy of Music" under the direction of Stefan Vladar. One of the leading German character actors, Lambert Hamel recited the poems of Konstantine Kavafis.[20]
  • In May 2014 he collaborated again with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, conducted by Loukas Karytinos. He was accompanied by Maria Faradouri.
  • In June 2014 he collaborated with the Bursa State Symphony Orchestra and the State Polyphonic Choir, in Bursa of Turkey, with the participation of Okan Bayülgen.
  • In October 2017 he collaborated with the İzmir State Symphony Orchestra, in Izmir, conducted by Hakan Şensoy.[21]
  • In June 2019, he collaborated again with the İzmir State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hakan Şensoy. The two concerts were held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

Collaborations and styles

 
George Dalaras in Caesarea's Roman theatre in 2011

Since the 1960s has sung numerous different Greek music styles (e.g. rebetiko, laïkó, Latin, pop), Israeli and Arabic music, and religious music. He has collaborated with many contemporary Greek composers, including Mikis Theodorakis, Stavros Kouyioumtzis, Manos Loizos, Apostolos Kaldaras, Stavros Xarhakos, Manos Hadjidakis and Christos Nikolopoulos. He also discovered and supported young Areti Ketime, producing her first album. Apart from his prominent singing career, Dalaras is considered to be one a talented musician as he plays most of the stringed instruments of a Greek folk band with great success, including the guitar, bouzouki, baglamas, tzouras and outi. He has accompanied Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucía, among others. Dalaras' most important projects include collaborations with several international singers, including British singer Sting, releasing together a duet of Sting's song Mad About You. He has also collaborated with Pyx Lax, Bruce Springsteen, Jethro Tull, Yehuda Poliker, Emma Shapplin, Goran Bregovic, Apostolis Anthimos, Dulce Pontes, Andriana Babali and many others. Dalaras moved from his homestay label of Minos EMI in favour of Universal Music Greece in 2006, thus ending an almost 40-year collaboration.

In 2000 Dalaras discovered a new local orchestra that specialized at traditional Smirneiko (from Smyrna) and Rebetiko songs. The orchestra's name was "Εστουδιαντίνα Νέας Ιωνίας" (Estoudiantina Neas Ionias[22] and it came from Nea Ionia, a city near Volos. Dalaras pulled Estoudiantina in the light of publicity and make it known to the Greek public. Since then Estoudiantina has become one of the most important and famous orchestras in Greece. Estoudiantina's repertoire now also includes Modern Greek, Greek Laiko, and Mediterranean.

Early career

Dalaras' first song, "Προσμονή" (Prosmoni, "expectation"), was recorded in 1967. The single never reached any popular status, in fact it was barely released. Dalaras even had to struggle to get into the studio, as ironically the day he began his studio career was the day that the Greek military junta took over the streets of Athens, and the roads were littered with tanks. After several appearances on various recordings as a guest singer, his debut album was released in early 1969, a self-titled album released on the Minos label. The recording included many compositions by Stavros Kouyioumtzis, who in the early years proved a fountain of help towards Dalaras achieving musical success. As Dalaras has said in various interviews, he owes the fact that he became a singer to Kouyioumtzis, who composed Dalaras' first songs. His relation with Kouyioumtzis remained friendly until the sudden death of the composer due to a heart attack in March 2005.

The biggest hit of the record, "Που 'ναι τα χρόνια" (Pou 'ne ta chronia, "Where are the years?"), is still sung today, and is regarded as a mainstay in Dalaras' large repertoire. In 1970, he released the album "Να 'τανε το 21 " (Na 'tane to ikosi-ena, "If only it were '21", that is, 1821, a reference to the Greek War of Independence). The album was immediately more successful than his debut LP and included hits such as "Na 'tane to 21'", "Κάπου νυχτώνει" ("Kapou nichtoni", Somewhere the night falls), and an instrumental version of "Pou 'ne ta chronia". The album was made up entirely of compositions by Stavros Kouyioumtzis. The songs were mainly reinterpretations, as was common in the late 60s for new Greek singers; however, not all the songs on their first release (most of them on the smaller yet more distinctive LYRA label) had proved successful, and in many instances, even now, many people in Greece believe that the Dalaras songs are originals and not cover versions.

First gold album

In 1972 Dalaras, along with singer Haris Alexiou, received his big break in the Greek music industry when their LP "Μικρά Ασία" (Mikra Asia, Asia Minor) went gold, his first album to do so. The songs were written by Apostolos Kaldaras, a heavyweight in the laïkó scene of the 50s and 60s, who at this time decided to enter the political fray of Greek music. Dalaras and Alexiou were immediately thrown into the limelight. The LP was also recently re-released in both CD and limited edition LP format by Minos-EMI. The Mikra Asia LP was followed up by "Βυζαντινός Εσπερινός" (Vizantinos Esperinos, Byzantine Vespers) in 1973. The album consisted again of Dalaras and Haris Alexiou, and was composed by Apostolos Kaldaras, however the lyrics were by the emerging Lefteris Papadopoulos, who had written Dalaras' first official recording. This was the last time that Dalaras officially worked with Apostolos Kaldaras in the studio, however, they worked together in live performances. Unlike Mikra Asia, Vizantinos Esperinos did not meet with exceptional sales, and is somewhat 'forgotten' in the repertoire of Dalaras's songs.

Rebetiko revival

After several LPs and further collaborations with Kouyioumtzis, Kaldaras, Manos Loïzos, Mikis Theodorakis and others, Dalaras decided to release his own renditions of rebetiko songs on the double LP "50 Χρόνια Ρεμπέτικο Τραγούδι" (Peninta Chronia Rebetiko Tragoudi, 50 Years of Rebetiko songs), released 1975. The recording proved an immediate success, despite the toning down of the lyrics. However, as a result, a new movement was set to take place in Greek music, and the once forgotten rebetes were finding themselves performing, in some cases for the first time in 30 to 40 years. He followed up this work with an LP in 1980, "Ρεμπέτικα της Κατοχής" (Rebetika tis Katohis, Rebetiko (songs) of the occupation), which was a more gritty and meaty release, more faithful to the tone of the original rebetika as heard in the 1930s. However, again references to drugs were cut out, and only mentioned in passing. Unlike the previous double LP, this one contained some of the original musicians, Bayianteras and Genitsaris in particular making an appearance on the album.

International Orthodox Youth Conference controversy

Dalaras had been scheduled to perform a concert on the closing night of the second International Orthodox Youth Conference held in Istanbul from 11 to 15 July 2007.[23] The event, organised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, had drawn the ire of the Turkish press and Turkish nationalist politicians who filed complaints to the Governorship of Istanbul to revoke the licence for the concert it had issued, and the concert was abruptly cancelled by the Turkish authorities of the Governorship of Istanbul on the grounds that the country's Archaeological Service did not permit the use of the planned venue, the 15th century Rumeli Hisar castle. The site had previously been used for international theatre festivals and for an international dance festival, until its use was prohibited by the Archaeological Service.[24] The last-minute cancellation of the concert attracted strong media coverage and criticism in neighbouring Greece.[25]

Personal life

Dalaras was born George Daralas, son of the rembetiko singer Loukas Daralas. He subsequently anagrammatized his name to Dalaras. Since 1983, Dalaras is married to Anna Ragousi, also his manager and former politician who served with the PASOK government in 2009 and 2011. They have one daughter, Georgianna. Dalaras is a collector of musical instruments and in his spare time he goes fishing and traveling on his motorcycle, being a big motorsports fan.

References

  1. ^ "Η Προσωπική Δισκογραφία του Γιώργου Νταλάρα". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  2. ^ "List of Greek Discography 1950 – 2019", by Petros Dragoumanos
  3. ^ "Οι Μεγάλες Συναυλίες". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Οι Μεγάλες Ορχήστρες". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  5. ^ "gr design" magazine (10/2020)
  6. ^ operator (30 September 1983). "Ολυμπιακό Στάδιο της Αθήνας". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Μουσικό Κουτί" (1997): Αυτοβιογραφικό ένθετο & αποκόμματα περιοδικών/εφημερίδων
  8. ^ operator (27 September 1987). "Τα "LATIN" στο Ολυμπιακό Στάδιο". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Οι Μεγάλες Συναυλίες". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  10. ^ "gr design" magazine (10/2020)
  11. ^ Κωστελέτου, Ελίνα (3 October 1988). "Στη συναυλία της Διεθνούς Αμνηστίας στο ΟΑΚΑ". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  12. ^ "The Cavafy Project". www.kavafis.eu. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  13. ^ operator (26 June 1992). "Στο Wembley του Λονδίνου". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  14. ^ https://www.georgedalaras.com/wp-content/uploads/1994/04/billboard-28-5-1994.jpg
  15. ^ operator (31 March 1994). "Η μεγαλύτερη συναυλία ελληνικού τραγουδιού που πραγματοποιείται ποτέ στην Αμερική". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  16. ^ "THE BIG ORCHESTRAS – Γιώργος Νταλάρας – George Dalaras". Dalaras.gr. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  17. ^ "The Cavafy Project". Kavafis.eu. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Οι Μεγάλες Ορχήστρες". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  19. ^ operator (24 June 1994). ""…και με φως και με θάνατον ακαταπαύστως" στο Μέγαρο Μουσικής". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  20. ^ a b "THE KAVAFIS PROJECT". Kavafis.eu. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  21. ^ operator (30 September 2017). "Με την Κρατική Ορχήστρα Σμύρνης στη Σμύρνη". Γιώργος Νταλάρας (in Greek). Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  22. ^ "Estoudiantina – A Mediterranean Ethnic Orchestra". Estoudiantina.com.gr. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  23. ^ Second Orthodox Youth Conference-Istanbul, Turkey Youth.ecupatriarchate.org, 7 November 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
  24. ^ "Dalara's Concert Cancelled". 14 July 2007. Archived from the original on 10 August 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.
  25. ^ Istanbul revokes licence for Dalaras concert Athens News Agency, 7 July 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2007.

External links

  • Official website
  • An unofficial website
  • George Dalaras discography at MusicBrainz
  • Ogdoo
  • ERT Archive
  • Dalaras Internet Community – http://www.dalaras.com
  • MusicHeaven
  • Music Corner
  • TO BHMA

george, dalaras, Γιώργος, Νταλάρας, september, 1949, greek, singer, most, prominent, figures, greek, musical, culture, october, 2006, selected, goodwill, ambassador, refugee, agency, Γιώργος, Νταλάραςbackground, informationborn, 1949, september, 1949, piraeus,. George Dalaras Giwrgos Ntalaras 29 September 1949 is a Greek singer He is one of the most prominent figures of Greek musical culture In October 2006 he was selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency George DalarasGiwrgos NtalarasBackground informationBorn 1949 09 29 29 September 1949 age 73 Piraeus GreeceOriginGreekGenrespop music entekhno laiko traditional folk music rebetiko byzantine music rock music music of Latin America western classical music contemporary classical music symphonic music opera etcOccupation s Singer musician composer instrumentalist music arranger record producer recording artistInstrument s Voice guitar string instrument bouzouki oud baglamas tzouras harmonica percussion instrumentYears active1967 presentWebsitehttp www georgedalaras com He was born in Piraeus His first memories of music were the basic forms of Greek music such as traditional folk rebetiko laika which influenced him as an artist In addition he has performed many other music genres in several different languages such as pop rock latin contemporary byzantine music classical opera etc He has collaborated with many Greek and foreign artists composers poets maestros musicians etc In all he has released almost 90 personal albums and has collaborated in more than 140 others as musician singer or producer 1 2 He is the Greek artist who has performed the biggest concerts of all time both in Greece and abroad 3 He has performed at some of the most famous concert halls and stadiums all over the world and has collaborated with many of the most renowned symphonic orchestras of the world 4 He has received several honors and awards including the Kennedy Award and the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadorship Contents 1 Concerts and sales 2 The big orchestras 3 Collaborations and styles 4 Early career 5 First gold album 6 Rebetiko revival 7 International Orthodox Youth Conference controversy 8 Personal life 9 References 10 External linksConcerts and sales EditGeorge Dalaras has released almost 90 personal albums which in total have sold more than 18 000 000 copies worldwide and has collaborated in more than 140 albums of others as musician singer or producer always expanding his musical horizons with his multi faceted creativity 5 George Dalaras sings in Greek yet his music springing from the heart has a universal appeal stated the French daily Le Figaro in 1993 long after his reputation had reached across the boarders of his native land The packed theatres and stadiums the thousands of concerts the tenths of tours around the world the collaborations with many prominent Greek and foreign artists the collaborations with many of the most renowned symphonic orchestras of the world etc ascertain George Dalaras exceptional and unique course as an artist and as an ambassador of the Greek culture In 1983 he performed two back to back sold out concerts in the Olympic Stadium of Athens attended by more than 160 000 people 6 It is the biggest music event ever held in Greece Greek music enters the era of the big stadiums stated the Rolling Stone magazine 7 In 1987 he performed a third personal sold out concert at the Olympic Stadium of Athens 8 Since the late 1970s he has performed in over 800 concerts outside Greece promoting Greek culture abroad He has performed at some of the most famous concert halls all over the world such as Radio City Music Hall Royal Albert Hall Metropolitan Opera Olympia Roy Thompson Hall Meadowlands Arena Sydney Opera House Hammerstein Ballroom Madison Square Garden Wembley Arena Rosemont Theatre Trump Taj Mahal The Wang Theatre Place des Arts Wiener Konzerthaus Palais des Congres etc 9 10 He has also appeared at numerous cultural festivals including Cuba 1981 1998 the Europalia Festival in Brussels 1982 the Peace Festival in Vienna 1983 the Youth Festival in Moscow 1985 the Aid to Africa Concert in the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus 1986 the Amnesty International Concert in Athens with Peter Gabriel Sting Bruce Springsteen Tracy Chapman and Youssou n Dour 1988 11 the Poznan Jazz Festival in Poland 1999 the Crossing Border Festival in Amsterdam 2001 the Saratoga Festival in USA with the famous Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit 2001 etc 12 In 1992 he performed a sold out concert at the Wembley Arena in London It is the biggest Greek concert ever held in United Kingdom It was a personal initiative of George Dalaras to support Cyprus and to promote the Cyprus problem Among others Vanessa Redgrave and Georges Moustaki had taken part in the concert 13 In 1994 he performed at the Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey before an audience of 22 000 14 It is the biggest Greek concert ever held outside of Greece This concert was also dedicated to Cyprus After this concert he was invited to Washington D C where he received the Kennedy Award from Senator Edward Kennedy in recognition of his humanitarian contributions 15 The big orchestras EditGeorge Dalaras is a Greek traveler an exceptional interpreter a restless musician who deeply believes in the individual character of Greek music in its power and its competence and at the same time in its global quality His relentless pursuits journeyed Greece to the end of the world while his conviction that the multinational model is based on the mutual possession of the artistic heritage has fused his interpretation abilities with the dexterity of a number of the most renowned orchestras of the world 16 17 18 The famous Dutch Metropole Orchestra is the first big orchestra with which George Dalaras collaborated It was an exciting artistic gathering which took place in 1995 in the Odeon of Herodes Atticus under the direction of Dick Baker It consisted of two musical performances which moved and captivated the public through a song list which was dedicated to the soundtracks and the songs by Mikis Theodorakis the performances were recorded live and consequently released by EMI CLASSICS in fifteen countries in an album titled GEORGE DALARAS amp METROPOLE ORCHESTRA The artist s next collaboration with one of the most prominent and long existent choirs in Europe took part when in 1996 he interpreted Ariel Ramirez Misa Criolla Mass accompanied by the choir of the Deutsche Oper Berlin in the Berlin Opera It was a much anticipated concert since the tickets had long been sold out and so much the daily press as well as the opera leaflets had extensively referred to the event The fact that the concert was transmitted live by SFB a radio station with a predominantly classical repertoire is worth mentioning The next event was to be with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra one of the most outstanding orchestras worldwide In 1997 the Orchestra invited George Dalaras to stage two concerts in the Tel Aviv Mann Auditorium The orchestra was conducted by Ilias Voudouris It was a collaboration which materialized in the best possible way George Dalaras long desire to interpret a number of the most brilliant Greek songs accompanied by a symphony orchestra The internationally acknowledged interpretation skills of the Philharmonic Orchestra came together with the powerful and charismatic stage presence the promptness and lastly the soulful interpretation of George Dalaras in an unfolding of the portrait of contemporary Greek music A musical journey which began from the rebetiko songs to cross over to his big hits to all time classics by prominent Greek composers to melodies from the Mediterranean as well as to medieval songs by the Greek Jewish Sephardi population in Ladino The live recordings of these performances were internationally released in April 1999 by EMI CLASSICS in a digital disc titled GEORGE DALARAS AND THE ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA a release which made quite a stir In parallel George Dalaras has collaborated with the Armonia Ateneaa on the stage of the Athens Concert Hall in both the and by light and by death incessantly 19 by Costa Gavra 1994 1995 and the Angel Hymns in Human Rhythms 1997 by Stavros Kougioumtzis conducted by Alexandros Myrat In 1999 George Dalaras collaborated with the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra It was a high standard collaboration which made an impression by means of its simplicity and its musicality Thousands of spectators went for a standing ovation following George Dalaras interpretation of songs by Greek composers as well as of ballads from the Mediterranean These versions were magnificently executed by the Ossipov Orchestra which is one of the most famous and grand orchestras worldwide since it manages to merge the symphonic structure with the pop and folk elements The 70 membered orchestra which consisted of players of balalaikas and domras was conducted by Nikolai Kalinin The performances were staged in the Athens Concert Hall in Salonica in the Patras Ancient Conservatory in Cyprus in London s Queen Elizabeth Hall and finally in Moscow in November 2000 In October 1999 George Dalaras met in the famous Notre Dame Basilica which is situated in the old city of Montreal with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra which was conducted by Charles Dutoit the famous conductor The Montreal Symphony Orchestra which consists of distinguished soloists was founded in 1934 and is today one of the biggest orchestras in the world In September 2000 George Dalaras collaborated for the first time with them BBC Concert Orchestra one of the most outstanding British orchestras They met at the packed theatre Odeon of Herodes Atticus in a recital of superb orchestrations for a grand orchestra under the direction of Nick Davies and the participation of Joan Faulkner the famous American jazz singer The concert the tickets of which had been sold out days before was repeated in October of the same year in London s Royal Festival Hall with the participation of the big School In October 2000 four concerts that were staged in Cyprus signaled George Dalaras collaboration with the famous Kremlin Moscow State Symphony Orchestra This was an event in which Margarita Zorbala the exquisite performer had also taken part The Kremlin Symphony Orchestra consists of 70 superb soloists while its main characteristic is the coalescence of the instrumental harmony structure with an impeccable technique and artistic expression Pavel Ovsianikov is the artistic director and conductor of the orchestra he is a composer who in the course of his creative career has managed to combine the preservation of the rich Russian cultural heritage with the quest for new musical ideas In November 2000 they once more met in Russia in a concert that was staged in Grand Kremlin Palace s George Hall In June 2001 George Dalaras collaborated again with the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra conducted by Nikolai Kalinin The event took place in Delphi and it was a unique concert that was part of the list of events scheduled for the celebration of the First World Refugee Day as well as for the completion of 50 years upon the founding of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees The song list of the concert in which Jocelyn B Smith the prominent American singer had also taken part included mainly songs by Mikis Theodorakis to whom the concert was dedicated as being one of the most renowned refugees globally In August 2001 George Dalaras through his participation in the Saratoga Classical Music Festival collaborated for the first time with the famous Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Charles Dutoit the renowned maestro with whom they had met two years before in the Montreal Notre Dame Basilica Cathedral The above Festival is one of the most celebrated Classical Music Festivals around the world which each summer is organized in Saratoga Springs N Y It was the first time that a Greek artist participated in it In September 2001 he collaborated with Armonia Atenea Orchestra with ninety musicians in total and the Fons Musicalis choir at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus He was accompanied by Emma Shapplin Toward the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003 George Dalaras collaborated with the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Together they staged three concerts in London Copenhagen and Paris which aimed at promoting the cultural visage of Europe upon the instance Cyprus imminent integration within the European Union In August 2004 George Dalaras performed two concerts entitled 30th 40th parallel Musical Journey to the Mediterranean at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus with special guests Dulce Pontes Stefanos Korkolis Eddy Napoli Mira Awad Macarena Giraldez Losada Marcos Jimenez Antonio and Compania Flamenca Ronda Al Alba Halil Moustafa and Mehmet Moustafa The artists were accompanied by a popular orchestra and ERT National Symphonic Orchestra conducted by Loukas Karitinos In May 2005 George Dalaras and Dulce Pontes performed two unique concerts at the Herodes Atticus Odeon entitled The Sea and Us These concerts were organized by the Association of Friends of Children with Cancer ELPIDA for supporting their objectives under the auspices of the Hellenic Festival In November 2005 George Dalaras performed at the Athens Concert Hall two of the most significant works of Mikis Theodorakis Romiosini poetry by Yiannis Ritsos and Axion Esti poetry by Odysseas Elytis In these concerts texts of the poets were read by George Kimoulis In Axion Esti Tassis Christoyannis baritone also participated George Dalaras was accompanied by the Popular Orchestra Mikis Theodarakis and a popular orchestra the Greek Radio and TV Modern Music Orchestra conducted by Andreas Pylarinos the Electricity Board Choir with Choirmaster Kostis Konstantaras the Athens Municipal Choir with Choirmaster Stavros Beris and the Youth Choir of the Nea Smyrni Leontion Lyceum with Choirmaster Katerina Vasilikou The proceeds of both concerts were offered to the Association of Rehabilitation for Addicted persons THE RETURN Among the rest of its leads the Orchestra wrote history in cinema when in 1939 it recorded the soundtrack of Walt Disney s Fantasia a peak cartoon character movie which facilitated the popularization of symphony music in the United States In November 2010 George Dalaras had a unique concert in New York at Lincoln Center with CityMusic Cleveland conducted by Alexandros Myrat The works of the Greek Canadian composer Christos Hadzis Credo and Telluric Dances were presented for the first time in a world premiere In June and September 2011 George Dalaras cooperated with the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Andropov in very successful concerts in Cyprus and Israel He was accompanied by Aspasia Stratigou In July 2011 George Dalaras cooperated for the first time with the Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hakan Sensoy in a unique sold out concert accompanied by Aspasia Stratigou On 26 November 2011 George Dalaras presented in a world premier the work Kavafis by the composer Alexandros Karozas at the Konzerthaus Vienna with Vienna Chamber Orchestra and Wiener Singakademie under the direction of the maestro Yorgos Kountouris One of the most important German actors Bruno Ganz recited the poems of Constantine P Cavafy 20 In September 2012 George Dalaras participated in Balkan Symphony in Sarajevo In this concert prominent artists from Balkan countries and the Mediterranean participated together with the Sarajevo Philharmonic Orchestra enriched with local instruments conducted by Oguzhan Balci In February 2013 George Dalaras presented the work Kavafis by the composer Alexandros Karozas at Gasteig in Munich with Vienna Chamber Orchestra and Wiener Singakademie of the Vienna Academy of Music under the direction of Stefan Vladar One of the leading German character actors Lambert Hamel recited the poems of Konstantine Kavafis 20 In May 2014 he collaborated again with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at the Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv conducted by Loukas Karytinos He was accompanied by Maria Faradouri In June 2014 he collaborated with the Bursa State Symphony Orchestra and the State Polyphonic Choir in Bursa of Turkey with the participation of Okan Bayulgen In October 2017 he collaborated with the Izmir State Symphony Orchestra in Izmir conducted by Hakan Sensoy 21 In June 2019 he collaborated again with the Izmir State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hakan Sensoy The two concerts were held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus Collaborations and styles Edit George Dalaras in Caesarea s Roman theatre in 2011 Since the 1960s has sung numerous different Greek music styles e g rebetiko laiko Latin pop Israeli and Arabic music and religious music He has collaborated with many contemporary Greek composers including Mikis Theodorakis Stavros Kouyioumtzis Manos Loizos Apostolos Kaldaras Stavros Xarhakos Manos Hadjidakis and Christos Nikolopoulos He also discovered and supported young Areti Ketime producing her first album Apart from his prominent singing career Dalaras is considered to be one a talented musician as he plays most of the stringed instruments of a Greek folk band with great success including the guitar bouzouki baglamas tzouras and outi He has accompanied Al Di Meola and Paco de Lucia among others Dalaras most important projects include collaborations with several international singers including British singer Sting releasing together a duet of Sting s song Mad About You He has also collaborated with Pyx Lax Bruce Springsteen Jethro Tull Yehuda Poliker Emma Shapplin Goran Bregovic Apostolis Anthimos Dulce Pontes Andriana Babali and many others Dalaras moved from his homestay label of Minos EMI in favour of Universal Music Greece in 2006 thus ending an almost 40 year collaboration In 2000 Dalaras discovered a new local orchestra that specialized at traditional Smirneiko from Smyrna and Rebetiko songs The orchestra s name was Estoydiantina Neas Iwnias Estoudiantina Neas Ionias 22 and it came from Nea Ionia a city near Volos Dalaras pulled Estoudiantina in the light of publicity and make it known to the Greek public Since then Estoudiantina has become one of the most important and famous orchestras in Greece Estoudiantina s repertoire now also includes Modern Greek Greek Laiko and Mediterranean Early career EditDalaras first song Prosmonh Prosmoni expectation was recorded in 1967 The single never reached any popular status in fact it was barely released Dalaras even had to struggle to get into the studio as ironically the day he began his studio career was the day that the Greek military junta took over the streets of Athens and the roads were littered with tanks After several appearances on various recordings as a guest singer his debut album was released in early 1969 a self titled album released on the Minos label The recording included many compositions by Stavros Kouyioumtzis who in the early years proved a fountain of help towards Dalaras achieving musical success As Dalaras has said in various interviews he owes the fact that he became a singer to Kouyioumtzis who composed Dalaras first songs His relation with Kouyioumtzis remained friendly until the sudden death of the composer due to a heart attack in March 2005 The biggest hit of the record Poy nai ta xronia Pou ne ta chronia Where are the years is still sung today and is regarded as a mainstay in Dalaras large repertoire In 1970 he released the album Na tane to 21 Na tane to ikosi ena If only it were 21 that is 1821 a reference to the Greek War of Independence The album was immediately more successful than his debut LP and included hits such as Na tane to 21 Kapoy nyxtwnei Kapou nichtoni Somewhere the night falls and an instrumental version of Pou ne ta chronia The album was made up entirely of compositions by Stavros Kouyioumtzis The songs were mainly reinterpretations as was common in the late 60s for new Greek singers however not all the songs on their first release most of them on the smaller yet more distinctive LYRA label had proved successful and in many instances even now many people in Greece believe that the Dalaras songs are originals and not cover versions First gold album EditIn 1972 Dalaras along with singer Haris Alexiou received his big break in the Greek music industry when their LP Mikra Asia Mikra Asia Asia Minor went gold his first album to do so The songs were written by Apostolos Kaldaras a heavyweight in the laiko scene of the 50s and 60s who at this time decided to enter the political fray of Greek music Dalaras and Alexiou were immediately thrown into the limelight The LP was also recently re released in both CD and limited edition LP format by Minos EMI The Mikra Asia LP was followed up by Byzantinos Esperinos Vizantinos Esperinos Byzantine Vespers in 1973 The album consisted again of Dalaras and Haris Alexiou and was composed by Apostolos Kaldaras however the lyrics were by the emerging Lefteris Papadopoulos who had written Dalaras first official recording This was the last time that Dalaras officially worked with Apostolos Kaldaras in the studio however they worked together in live performances Unlike Mikra Asia Vizantinos Esperinos did not meet with exceptional sales and is somewhat forgotten in the repertoire of Dalaras s songs Rebetiko revival EditAfter several LPs and further collaborations with Kouyioumtzis Kaldaras Manos Loizos Mikis Theodorakis and others Dalaras decided to release his own renditions of rebetiko songs on the double LP 50 Xronia Rempetiko Tragoydi Peninta Chronia Rebetiko Tragoudi 50 Years of Rebetiko songs released 1975 The recording proved an immediate success despite the toning down of the lyrics However as a result a new movement was set to take place in Greek music and the once forgotten rebetes were finding themselves performing in some cases for the first time in 30 to 40 years He followed up this work with an LP in 1980 Rempetika ths Katoxhs Rebetika tis Katohis Rebetiko songs of the occupation which was a more gritty and meaty release more faithful to the tone of the original rebetika as heard in the 1930s However again references to drugs were cut out and only mentioned in passing Unlike the previous double LP this one contained some of the original musicians Bayianteras and Genitsaris in particular making an appearance on the album International Orthodox Youth Conference controversy EditDalaras had been scheduled to perform a concert on the closing night of the second International Orthodox Youth Conference held in Istanbul from 11 to 15 July 2007 23 The event organised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople had drawn the ire of the Turkish press and Turkish nationalist politicians who filed complaints to the Governorship of Istanbul to revoke the licence for the concert it had issued and the concert was abruptly cancelled by the Turkish authorities of the Governorship of Istanbul on the grounds that the country s Archaeological Service did not permit the use of the planned venue the 15th century Rumeli Hisar castle The site had previously been used for international theatre festivals and for an international dance festival until its use was prohibited by the Archaeological Service 24 The last minute cancellation of the concert attracted strong media coverage and criticism in neighbouring Greece 25 Personal life EditDalaras was born George Daralas son of the rembetiko singer Loukas Daralas He subsequently anagrammatized his name to Dalaras Since 1983 Dalaras is married to Anna Ragousi also his manager and former politician who served with the PASOK government in 2009 and 2011 They have one daughter Georgianna Dalaras is a collector of musical instruments and in his spare time he goes fishing and traveling on his motorcycle being a big motorsports fan References Edit H Proswpikh Diskografia toy Giwrgoy Ntalara Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 October 2022 List of Greek Discography 1950 2019 by Petros Dragoumanos Oi Megales Synaylies Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 October 2022 Oi Megales Orxhstres Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 October 2022 gr design magazine 10 2020 operator 30 September 1983 Olympiako Stadio ths A8hnas Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 Moysiko Koyti 1997 Aytobiografiko en8eto amp apokommata periodikwn efhmeridwn operator 27 September 1987 Ta LATIN sto Olympiako Stadio Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 Oi Megales Synaylies Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 gr design magazine 10 2020 Kwsteletoy Elina 3 October 1988 Sth synaylia ths Die8noys Amnhstias sto OAKA Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 The Cavafy Project www kavafis eu Retrieved 16 May 2023 operator 26 June 1992 Sto Wembley toy Londinoy Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 https www georgedalaras com wp content uploads 1994 04 billboard 28 5 1994 jpg operator 31 March 1994 H megalyterh synaylia ellhnikoy tragoydioy poy pragmatopoieitai pote sthn Amerikh Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 THE BIG ORCHESTRAS Giwrgos Ntalaras George Dalaras Dalaras gr Retrieved 6 January 2018 The Cavafy Project Kavafis eu Retrieved 6 January 2018 Oi Megales Orxhstres Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 operator 24 June 1994 kai me fws kai me 8anaton akatapaystws sto Megaro Moysikhs Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 a b THE KAVAFIS PROJECT Kavafis eu Retrieved 6 January 2018 operator 30 September 2017 Me thn Kratikh Orxhstra Smyrnhs sth Smyrnh Giwrgos Ntalaras in Greek Retrieved 16 May 2023 Estoudiantina A Mediterranean Ethnic Orchestra Estoudiantina com gr Retrieved 6 January 2018 Second Orthodox Youth Conference Istanbul Turkey Youth ecupatriarchate org 7 November 2007 Retrieved 15 July 2007 Dalara s Concert Cancelled 14 July 2007 Archived from the original on 10 August 2007 Retrieved 15 July 2007 Istanbul revokes licence for Dalaras concert Athens News Agency 7 July 2007 Retrieved 15 July 2007 External links EditOfficial website An unofficial website George Dalaras discography at MusicBrainz Ogdoo ERT Archive Dalaras Internet Community http www dalaras com MusicHeaven Music Corner TO BHMA Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Dalaras amp oldid 1155654955, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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