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From the first performance
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Popular drama, opera or musical: any of these appellations can apply to The Dead Brother's Song, but its character is that of a contemporary popular tragedy.
In this complex work, Mikis Theodorakis blends the ethos of ancient Greek tragedy, the myths and symbols of the modern Greek history and the structural elements of folk and popular songs.
The idea of a popular musical pilgrimage to the inter-family conflicts of the Greek Civil War (1944-46) was born in 1960 in Paris. The composer wrote his own poems, soon to be made into seven songs 'each one of them a self-contained little story with its own characters, symbols and action'.
His search for an author for the theatrical texts which would tie the songs together was not easy, exiled away from home as he was, so the composer decided to try his hand in this field as well. His experiences blended with his imagination and the text emerged spontaneous and direct. Two more songs were soon added: one, Lullaby (Sleep, My Little Angel), from a poem by Kosfas Virvos; the parameters for scenic action and dance were organized in the creator's mind and the work was complete.
'In The Dead Brother's Song,' Theodorakis wrote in 1960, 'I was influenced by ancient tragedy. Apart from the fact that ifis always live and contemporary, it is especially suited to our times, where we see the people become Chorus, where we see whole nations becoming a Chorus.'
The geographical location and the historical time of the play are Athens at the time of the Greek Civil War, just after the end of WWII. Around the character of Pavlos Papamerkouriou (a rea -life character), 'dance' the imaginary characters of the tragedy: the mother, the brother, the friend, the beloved, all clothed in the lyricism of a genuinely popular music. The zeibekiko rhythm ('the great zeibekiko, the popular dance of dances,' the composer calls it) dominates many of the songs (One Day at Sunset, The Dream, Paul and Nicholas, Unite!)
The work was first performed in a choreographed form on April 20,1962, at the Rex Theatre, Athens, by the Greek Dance Drama group,directed by Michalis Cacoyannis, with a libretto by Spyros Vasiliou and choreography by Rallou Manou.
In its theatrical form it was first performed on October 15 of the same year at the Kalouta Theatre (Athens], by the Manos Katrakis Greek Popular Theatre, directed by Pelos Katselis, with sets and costumes by Nikos Nikolaou and choreographies by Zouzou Nikoloudi, who also played the mother. Manos Katrakis, Vera Zavitsianou, Despina Bebedeli and Nikos Xanthopoulos played the other leading roles. The songs were interpreted mainly by Grigoris Bithikotsis, accompanied by Kostas Papadopoulos and Lakis Karnezis.
Just after the performance, Mikis Theodorakis was caught in the crossfire between the right and the left, the one group accusing him of being an anarchist and a subversive, the other of having compromised with the establishment. Nevertheless, the prophetic message of reconciliation - or at least of its necessity - was a fact.
The songs and the music of the play were released as a record the next year with the same artists, but the song The Chain was missing, a victim of censorship.
The play, with additions and revisions, enjoyed its 'second chance' in 1980, when it was performed again, directed by Alexis Solomos, with Notis Periyalis and Eleni Zafeiriou. The singers this time were Yorgos Dalaras, Petros Pandis, Margarita Zorbala and Yannis Koutras. For the mother's scene, the song Lament was added, and so were two more songs, Weep, My Bitter Cloud, on a poem byTassos Livaditis and Ephiaites' Tango, which includes the song I'll Sing a Red Song on Yannis Theodorakis' verses.
And if some have forgotten the play, with its symbolism, its historical and human truths, nobody is ever going to forget its songs.
Yorgos V. Monemvasitis in: Programme Athen's Festival 2001
TO TRAGOUDI TOU NEKROU ADELFOU - THE BALLAD OF THE DEAD BROTHER, AST 128
Composition: 1960-1963 in Paris and Athens
Titles:
1. April
2. The Dream
3. The Chain
4. Lullaby
5. One Nightfall
6. Betrayed Love
7. Pavlos and Nikolios
8. In the Gardens
9. Glorification - Unite
Creation: 20.04.1962, Rex Theatre, Athens, by the Greek Dance Drama group,directed by Michalis Cacoyannis. Libretto by Spyros Vasiliou and choreography by Rallou Manou.
Scenic Creation: 15.10.1962 at Theatre Kalouta in Athens
Grigoris Bithikotsis, singer, Lakis Karnezis and Kostas Papadoupoulos, bouzoukis. Stage: Pelos Katselis, dir.: Mikis Theodorakis
2nd version: AST 244
Composition 1978-1980 in Athens
1. Hasapiko (dance)
2. April (M. Theodorakis)
3. The Dream (M. Theodorakis)
4. Lament (M. Theodorakis)
5. Lullaby (Sleep, My Little Angel) (K. Virvos)
6. Weep, My Bitter Cloud (T. Livaditis)
7. The Chain (M. Theodorakis)
8. One Day at Sunset (M. Theodorakis)
9. Ephialtes’ Tango – I’ll Sing a Red Song (M. Theodorakis-Y. Theodorakis)
10. Love Betrayed (M. Theodorakis)
11. Paul and Nicholas (M. Theodorakis)
12. At The Gardens (M. Theodorakis)
13. Unite! (Laud) (M. Theodorakis)
Creation: July 1980 in Athens
Giorgos Dalaras, Margarita Zorbala, Petros Pandis, Notis Pergialis, Eleni Zafeiriou. Stage: Alexis Solomos, dir.: Mikis Theodorakis
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