Anna

Dalaras' news in English

483 posts in this topic

Dear All,

I feel that we have a misunderstanding here about the whole concept of the Topic : Anekdota tragoudia.

We are not talking about business here or propositions how Dalaras or his company has to do their work.

We just express our wish to release those songs in some way. We are not talking about a fact is just a wish. :music:

On the other hand our hesitation is that probably his company either himself believe that such a release would not be marketable. Our entries here possible might be a sample that people want such a release. Nothing more or less.

:wow::huh:

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Natalie I agree with you that the language or cultural difference might brought up misunderstands sometimes. :razz:

On the other hand to avoid being out of topic I mentioned here the purpose of Thanasis suggestion. However all ideas are welcomed. :D:D

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From Kathimerini 23.12.2006

Ritsoss Romiosyni and Elytiss Axion Esti on double CD with music by Theodorakis

HELBI

Composer Mikis Theodorakis, whose pioneering music had the people singing the words of some of the greatest Greek poets, has released a CD of his music to Yiannis Ritsoss Romiosyni and Odysseas Elytiss Axion Esti, sung by George Dalaras and Tassis Christoyiannooulos, with narrations by actor Giorgos Kimoulis. Theodorakis attended a press conference this week to announce the release of the recording in time for Christmas, with officials from the sponsor ERT and Universal Records. Profits from sales will go to benefit the non-profit Epistrophe Association for people fighting addictions. The association uses a 12-step method, approaching the recovery one day at a time. The association has a halfway house in Kallithea that is home to 11 youths and is subsidized by Constantine and Geli Angelopoulou. At the press conference, Theodorakis caused a stir by asking why ratings are so important and questioned their reliability. He suggested that ERT, as the state media, broadcast Romiosyni and Axion Esti at prime time.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_artic...3/12/2006_78193

and here are the CD's:

http://www.musical.gr/cddetails.scr?gui_la...e=0602517209428

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From Kathimerini 27.12.2006:

Double CD of love for composer

Over two nights at the Athens Concert Hall in November 2005, George Dalaras sang the poetry of Yiannis Ritsos and Odysseas Elytis to the music of Mikis Theodorakis.

The performances of «Romiosyni» and «Axion Esti» were recorded and are now on a double CD album. All proceeds from sales will go toward Epistrofi, a non-profit organization for recovering drug addicts, run by Geli Angelopoulou.

The two concerts were of historical value since they featured the first rerelease of «Romiosyni» since 1966, when it was recorded with the legendary Grigoris Bithikotsis on vocals. «Bithikotsis had set a very high standard for the song,» noted Theodorakis. «It holds very particular difficulties for any interpreter.» Dalaras, who sang the song in 2005 agreed, saying that «when we say we love the great composers, we also have to prove it, and this is what I try to do at every given opportunity.»

The music at the concerts was performed by the Greek Radio and TV (ERT) Contemporary Music Orchestra under Andreas Pylarinos and the Mikis Theodorakis Folk Orchestra. The participating choirs were the Public Power Corporation Choir, the Athens Municipality Choir and the Leondiou High School Youth Choir of Nea Smyrni. In addition to Dalaras, the other soloists were Tassis Christoyiannopoulos and Giorgos Kimoulis.

An event was also held early last week to announce the 2007 program of the Mikis Theodorakis Museum, which was inspired by the composer's 14-month exile in Zatouna in the Peloponnese, during the dictatorship (1967-73).

The building where the composer was held has been renovated and transformed into a cultural center and organizers are hoping to have it fully operational in the new year. Among their plans is a corridor lined with busts of poets Seferis, Ritsos, Elytis, Neruda and others who inspired Theodorakis's music.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_artic...7/12/2006_78241

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:D Happy New Year to all!!

:D although the first news are not this good ...

NET and ERT Satellite changed their TV programme, so no Lefteris Papadopoulos CD Σπάει το ρόδι tonight.

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It's not very directy Dalaras-related, but I thought quite a few people here might be interested to know that radio Melodia is free again, meaning that anyone can listen to it over the internet via http://www.melodia.gr, instead of having to pay the (very modest) fee they asked the last few years.

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DALARAS IS GIVING ONE SPECIAL CONCERT ON 30 JANUARY at the Megaro Mousikis Athinon. He will sing the Misa Criolla and Navidad Nuestra.

Ticket sales started this morning.

With a credit card you can order tickets from abroad by telefone, 0030-210 72 82 333.

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UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Dalaras learns more about refugee issues

ATHENS, Greece, January 10 (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador George Dalaras has been busy in recent weeks finding out about refugee issues in Greece and will soon visit Africa to see UNHCR field operations at first hand.

The popular Greek singer and musician, who was appointed a UNHCR goodwill ambassador in October, last week visited the Athens Aliens Police Directorate with a UNHCR delegation.

In mid-December, Dalaras met Minister of Public Order Vyron Polydoras and discussed refugee protection issues in Greece. He plans to hold further discussions about refugees and the work of UNHCR with the ministers of interior and health in the coming weeks.

Dalaras also hopes to visit refugee camps in Sierra Leone and Liberia from February 12-18. Details are yet to be finalised, but this will be his first formal visit overseas as a UNHCR goodwill ambassador.

During the January 3 visit to the Athens Aliens Police Directorate, Dalaras toured the rooms where asylum seekers are interviewed, visited cells that are used to hold illegal immigrants as well as asylum seekers, and met detainees. He heard about measures that had been implemented to speed the processing of asylum seekers and deter economic migrants from seeking asylum in a bid to prolong their stay in Greece.

Dalaras and the UNHCR representatives said it was important to keep upgrading the quality of the asylum procedure so that guarantees for the protection of refugees would not be sacrificed for speed. Dalaras also proposed a pilot programme for the observation of asylum procedures by trained volunteers.

"It is very important that asylum seeker claims are examined in a fair, fast and efficient way and that they live in human conditions. I want to contribute so that these rights are protected," he said during the visit, adding: "Refugee protection is not a matter of compassion; it is a matter of social solidarity, human rights principles and the state's obligation."

Although Dalaras has been a UNHCR goodwill ambassador for less than four months, his relationship with the agency causes goes back several years while the singer's mother was a refugee from Asia Minor. He will be starring in a UNHCR benefit concert at the Athens Concert Hall on January 30.

By Ketty Kehayioylou

In Athens, Greece

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/45a50c174.html

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When you open this link:

http://www.naxos.com/sungtext.asp?s=8.557542

you get the lyrics of Navidad Nuestra, in Spanish and in English. (if you scroll further down youll also find the Missa Criolla).

Its the whole Navidad Nuestra. I think Dalaras will do (as he did the 2 times before, in Herodion, Athens Sept. 2001 and Megaro Thessaloniki Jan. 2002) the 3 songs :

2. La Peregrinacion

4. Los Pastores

5. Los Reyes Magos

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Dalaras will participate in a tribute to Manos Eleftheriou at the Ianos bookstore on Wednesday 31/01/2007. The seated and standing capacity of the bookstore has been filled. :wacko:

Dalaras will also participate in the tribute to Mihalis Gkanas at the same place on Wednesday, 21/02/2007. :):music:

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Goodwill Ambassador Dalaras gives voice to the refugee children of Africa

ATHENS, Greece, January 31 (UNHCR) UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador George Dalaras has highlighted the plight of refugee children in Africa by playing two sold-out benefit concerts in Athens earlier this week. The famous musician and singer will next month meet refugees in Liberia and Sierra Leone during his first overseas trip on behalf of the UN refugee agency.

Proceeds from the atmospheric and warmly received concerts Monday and Tuesday at the Athens Concert Hall will be used by UNHCR to help programmes aimed at refugee children in Africa.

Dalaras, urging his audience on Tuesday to continue supporting the work of UNHCR, said that millions of uprooted refugee children worldwide were the victims of war and persecution. "They were obliged to abandon their homes, it was not their choice. The path is very narrow," he said, before adding: "Together we can widen the narrow path."

A brief film on UNHCR's work around the world opened Tuesday's concert before Dalaras came on stage to perform two famous religious works, Misa Criolla and Navidad Nuestra, by Argentinian composer Ariel Ramirez. He was accompanied by Mexican singer Martha Moreleon, a choir and an orchestra.

"Performing these two great works has a symbolic value as the lyrics and the music vibrate a message of acceptance, protection and respect for persecuted refugees," Dalaras explained shortly before this week's two concerts.

In the second part of the concert, he sang Greek songs by famous composers such as Mikis Theodorakis related to the plight of migrants and refugees as well as favourites requested by the public. These went down well with the 1,500 concertgoers, who cheered and applauded throughout.

Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, head of the UNHCR office in Athens, thanked the audience for its warm response to the benefit concert. "Tonight's concert is the beginning of a series of actions that aim at putting a spotlight on aspects of today's refugee reality ... focusing on Africa," he said.

Dalaras, who will visit Sierra Leone and Liberia from February 12-18, was formally inducted as a UNHCR goodwill ambassador last October.

By Ketty Kehayioylou

In Athens, Greece

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/45c0c7034.html

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The program booklet of the last concert at MMA includes information about the works of Ariel Ramirez and their performance in Greece. The 1st performance was conducted by Stauros Xarhakos on March 3, 1989 in the Pallas theater.

Ariel Ramirez described his Misa Criolla as "a work which is tied to tradition and therefore, gains more with the passing time.". He announced that "that performance was one of those rare occasions when my involvement was needed only in small details". He added " I was deeply moved by the truth was Xarhakos' conducting, his understanding of the pieces and his technique.

When I heard Giorgos Dalaras singing, I immediately understood, even though we speak different languages, that he is a singer of the people, and being the people of Greece, they possess the necessary power to perfectly convey an emotion. At that moment, I decided that I must write music for him, and I will do it. I feel lucky that this artist blessed with such unique voice, voice that is filled with emotion, voice that penetrates into our hearts, performed my composition in such a unique way."

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When I heard Giorgos Dalaras singing, I immediately understood, even though we speak different languages, that he is a singer of the people, and being the people of Greece, they possess the necessary power to perfectly convey an emotion. At that moment, I decided that I must write music for him, and I will do it. I feel lucky that this artist blessed with such unique voice, voice that is filled with emotion, voice that penetrates into our hearts, performed my composition in such a unique way."

:pity:

Hi Vitaly

My gosh I was taken surprise by your message!!!

Are you telling us as of today, "Ariel Ramirez is going to write some new musical score compositions for Dalaras to sing"?

Thats great, I didn't know that before by now you think he would already have done so.

The man is getting up there in age and wasn't sure he even still writes music today.

but if it can happen, we will definately look forward to it.

Probably will be Classical music too - and whether its religious or not remains to be seen.

:)

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Hi Vitaly

My gosh I was taken surprise by your message!!!

Are you telling us as of today, "Ariel Ramirez is going to write some new musical score compositions for Dalaras to sing"?

Thats great, I didn't know that before by now you think he would already have done so.

The man is getting up there in age and wasn't sure he even still writes music today.

but if it can happen, we will definately look forward to it.

Probably will be Classical music too - and whether its religious or not remains to be seen.

:)

Christo - that was only a translation from the concert program

He obviously said this in 1989, and maiby he was distracted or busy or whatever. Too bad :razz:

It is easy to promise when you are excited :mad: We all do it

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Written introduction of Dalaras to the recent concerts at MMA - translation from the program - shows the same passion and dedication as when he sings

Performance of the two great works by Ariel Ramirez Misa Criolla and Navidad Nuestra represent for me a special emotionally charged event. These songs I have known, loved and admired from a young age, and they deeply touch me. Especially at the present concerts when their performance acquires also a symbolic meaning since the words and music convey a message of acceptance, protection and respect of the prosecuted, the refugees. These are works that send a message of equal rights for all people, referring to primordial roots of their values, of culture, of safe home. Using religious texts combined with a folk music the composer brilliantly sends a message of hope and of understanding that there are no inferior people in God. They represent a spiritual practice in equality of haves and have-nots, with the have-nots facing the God, the society and the civilization.

We Greeks live in a country where the spirit of solidarity with the refugees and the persecuted of the world existed at all times.

There is no greater suffering on the earth than having lost your homeland Euripides said 2500 years ago.

Therefore, it is our sense of honor and culture and not just of philanthropy that makes us to proclaim our support and compassion toward such people and to send our message saying that in our times it is not enough to take politically correct" decisions, it is important to provide services and to reinforce a culture of tolerance, assistance, social equality, a culture that would help the refugees to survive.

Those who have followed the events of recent decades feel embarrassed because of the contradiction between great achievements in technical, scientific and material spheres and lagging behind in the humanity and compassion the result is an indifference causing people to behave in the best case as politically naive and immature, and in the worst case as barbarians.

Unfortunately, at this time there are 21 million refugees, more than half of them women and children exiles and war victims. In the final account there are no victors in the war, only defeated. And there are political refugees, persecuted because of their ideas and their free thinking, who often times must leave their homes with a half-eaten plate on the table, and are forced to play constantly a hide-and-seek game which they had not chosen on their free will.

I bow to them with admiration of their perseverance and dedicate to them my song, a voice of my soul.

I wish to thank from my heart to the UN High Commission for Refugees for the opportunity they gave me, to the exceptional musicians, singers, choir members, the choir director Kosti Konstantara and to all who worked with inspiration and love to make these concerts possible.

I feel honored and moved by your participation, and especially, by your involvement in demonstration of solidarity and support in the drama of refugees which is obligation of all us citizens of the world.

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Dalaras gets in tune with Liberian refugees on first field visit

FOYA, Liberia, February 16 (UNHCR) For years, he sung for refugees and gave them a voice through fundraising performances. Now, the echo is reverberating, loud and clear, as the refugees welcomed Greek singer George Dalaras on his first field trip as the UN refugee agency's newest Goodwill Ambassador.

On a five-day visit to meet refugees in West Africa, Dalaras met with Sierra Leonian President Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabah and was greeted in the country's refugee camps on Tuesday by screaming banners, music and dances. At Jembe camp in southern Sierra Leone, Liberian girls burst into an exuberant welcome dance for him, their bare feet coated in dust like tan-coloured socks. Sitting under a palaver hut in nearby Tobanda camp, refugee women in their Sunday best listened attentively as he spoke, while little girls with specially braided hair darted around outside, their yellow eyes shining at the prospect of visitors.

"The world stood by and let refugees suffer," Dalaras said, acknowledging, "Whatever we can do is probably less than what you need and deserve."

Dalaras became UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador in October 2006, but is a long-time supporter of refugee rights. Himself the son of a refugee from Asia Minor, he took part in UNHCR's 50th anniversary celebrations in 2001, recorded a special CD to raise awareness of refugee issues in 2003, and in January this year, played two sold-out concerts in Athens to raise funds for UNHCR's programs for refugee children in Africa.

"We cannot claim to be civilised if we close our eyes to what's happening in Africa. It's a moral obligation," said Dalaras' wife, Anna, who also volunteers for the UN.

The mood was festive and infectious as they paid their first visit to refugee camps since Dalaras became UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador, joining the ranks of Barbara Hendricks, Adel Imam, Angelina Jolie, Giorgio Armani and Julien Clerc.

"I don't know why they came, but it's made everyone happy, so I'm happy too," said Baidu Fambulleh, a seven-year-old Liberian refugee at Jembe camp.

"They are alright ['great' in Liberian lingo]," said Fatou Sana, an 18-year-old woman from Lofa county in northern Liberia, balancing a baby on her hip. "They came all the way to see us. They are the people who help us."

On Wednesday and Thursday, Sana joined a return convoy of 284 Liberian refugees on an overnight journey led by Dalaras from Blama way station in south-eastern Sierra Leone, to Foya district in northern Lofa county.

"Congratulations to all of you for your courage and commitment to coming back home to help rebuild your country," said Abid Mir, UNHCR's Deputy Representative in Sierra Leone. "We know you're in safe hands, and wish you all the best."

Sierra Leone hosts an estimated 27,365 refugees, including 21,696 Liberian refugees living in eight camps across the country. Now in Liberia, the Goodwill Ambassador is expected to complete his regional visit on Friday.

By Needa Jehu-Hoyah

In Lofa county, Liberia

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/45d479782.html

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Thank you, Anna! :razz:

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UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Calls on President Kabbah

Freetown - Tuesday, 13th Feb. 2007: The UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. George Dalaras and wife who are currently visiting Sierra Leone on Tuesday, 13th February 2007 paid a courtesy call on His Excellency the President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah at his Hill Station office in Freetown ...

The whole article with some photos:

http://www.statehouse.sl/nacsa-unhcr-feb2007.html

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Dalaras ends West Africa trip with pledge to highlight refugees cause

MONROVIA, Liberia, February 20 (UNHCR) Greek musician and singer George Dalaras wrapped up his first overseas visit as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador at the weekend with a pledge to raise awareness about the work of the refugee agency and the people it helps in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

"Words can't express the pain I feel when I see uprooted people," Dalaras told UNHCR staff and other aid workers last week in Liberia's Lofa county. He said he would continue looking for ways to help refugees and others of concern to UNHCR, including lobbying governments for help and staging benefit concerts.

Dalaras, who was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador last October, kicked off his tour on February 12 in Sierra Leone, where he met with President Ahmad Tejan Kabah and spoke to Liberian refugees during visits to two camps. Sierra Leone hosts an estimated 27,365 refugees, including 21,696 Liberian refugees living in eight camps across the country.

Mid-week, he joined a return convoy of 284 Liberian refugees on an overnight journey from Blama waystation in south-eastern Sierra Leone to Foya district in northern Liberia's Lofa county. He escorted a returnee family to their home community and lauded the returnees' determination to rebuild their lives. Dalaras also praised those who work to help the uprooted.

UNHCR has facilitated the return of nearly 90,000 Liberian refugees from neighbouring countries under a programme launched in 2004 and moved home some 329,000 internally displaced people. An estimated 200,000 spontaneous returnees have been recorded since the civil war ended in 2003. At the end of June, UNHCR plans to end large-scale repatriation of Liberian refugees.

All over the country, UNHCR and its humanitarian partners have helped restore basic services, including clinics, schools, roads, bridges and water and sanitation facilities. Dalaras visited clinics and schools run by volunteer Liberians in Lofa county and said he would highlight their commitment and try to get help for them.

In Monrovia, the Goodwill Ambassador discussed his visit and observations with Justice Minister Francis Johnson Morris. He told the minister that he would solicit funds to help UNHCR's education and health programmes in Liberia.

Dalaras also visited a UNHCR-funded computer training school for urban returnees in the Liberian capital, Monrovia. He was accompanied by his wife Anna, a UNHCR volunteer, as well as staff from the agency's Athens office.

Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, head of the UNHCR office in Greece, said the mission had been very successful in familiarising Dalaras with UNHCR's work out in the field. "The UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador now has a thorough idea of what UNHCR activities are in the field and what UNHCR colleagues' commitment and solidarity means," Tsarbopoulos said.

"He also had the opportunity to meet and speak with refugees in the field. These experiences will be very useful for further raising of awareness and funds for refugees in Africa," he added.

By Sarah Fyneah Brownell

In Monrovia, Liberia

http://www.unhcr.org/news/NEWS/45db2ca92.html

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