On this day: Greek Singer Maria Farantouri was born

·

By Victoria Loutas

Maria Farantouri is a remarkable Greek singer and political activist, who has made immeasurable contributions to Greek music industry and greater society. She was born on November 28 in 1947 and has gone on to lead a successful and enriching life.

Maria Farantouri was born in 1947 in Athens Greece, to a working-class family. Like much of Europe, Greece was recovering from the devastation of WWII and the German Occupation, meaning most of her childhood was spent in hardship. 

By adolescence, she discovered her passion for singing by participating in the choir of The Society of Greek Music, a progessive organisation which worked to support new music based on Greek traditions. 

At age 16, Farantouri met the legendary Miki Theodorakis while she was training to become a classical singer. They immediately connected and formed the beginning of a life-long, artistic relationship. 

Four years later, in the spring of 1967, a group of right-wing army colonels seized power in Greece, and the brutal junta lasted until 1974. Under the junta, politically active Theodorakis was imprisoned and his progressive music was banned. During this time, Farantouri went into exile in Paris and later in London, where she became part of the social unrest sweeping the world.

Over the seven years that the junta lasted, Theodorakis managed to smuggle out manuscripts of his music to Farantouri, which she would record and release. In this time, Theodorakis and Farantouri produced several iconic protest recordings and contributed to the protest canon that was inspiring students and demonstrators globally.

Maria’s smoky contralto was the perfect vehicle for Theodorakis’ music, says Gail Holst-Warhaft, who published a biography of Theodorakis in 1981. Together, they made the perfect artistic pair. 

(Maria Farantouri and Mikis Theodorakis)

After the junta ended in 1974, Farantouri continued to develop her artistic career as she expanded her sound in a variety of directions, including jazz. 

While her career was blooming, she met Tilemachos Chytiris, Greek poet and politician who also aided in the anti-Junta movement. Together, they married and had one son, Stephanos. 

In the meantime, Farantouri continued her political activism and eventually was elected to the Greek parliament. She represented the Panhellenic Socialist Movement and served from 1989 to 1993. 

On 23 September 2004, the President of the Hellenic Republic recognized the contribution of Maria Farantouri to the Greek music industry, awarding her the Gold Cross of the Order of the Phoenix. 

The contributions Maria Farantouri made, not only as an artist but as a political activist in the anti-junta movement will forever be honoured and cherished. 

Cretan Convention - Web Banner

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Kostas Sloukas praises Greek Australian fans as Panathinaikos arrive in Sydney

Panathinaikos BC touched down in Sydney this week for the second leg of the 7th Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament.

From family legacy to the Federal Court: A look into Justice Anastasis Liveris’ legal career

In an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, the Greek Australian judge reflected on how he felt to achieve this major career milestone.

The Greek influence on Australian television

Among the many communities that helped shape TV culture were Greeks, whose presence both on and off screen left a lasting mark.

Critically endangered monk seal welcomes newborn on Karpathos island

The first Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) birth of 2025 has been confirmed on the island of Karpathos.

Campaigners celebrate as Milos luxury hotel project is halted

Environmental activists have welcomed the suspension of a controversial five-star hotel project on Milos’s world-famous “moon beach”.

You May Also Like

Hundreds of jobs on the line as Greek Australian company goes into administration

SA Structural, one of Australia's biggest structural steel manufacturers, has fallen into administration, according to The Advertiser.

‘Juric magic’ – Ferreira brace secures a Sydney Olympic victory against Sydney United 58

"A win is important, especially after the effort they've put in the last 5 weeks," Sydney Olympic coach Ante Juric said to The Greek Herald.

Mary Konstantopoulos: The voice women’s sport in Australia desperately needs

"Whenever I get emails from young women or young people wanting me to share their stories or saying thank you for the work that I do, it reminds me of the impact," Mary Konstantopoulos said to The Greek Herald.