Composer gets rivals together
In a show of unity indicating that the barriers between left and right that plagued Greece for so long have fallen, leading members of all political parties gathered yesterday to honor composer Mikis Theodorakis at the presentation of a book containing the composer’s autobiographical reminiscences with journalist Georgios Malouchos on SKAI radio. New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis praised Theodorakis for his efforts to bridge the divide. Others at the presentation of «Axios Esti» (He is Worthy), were former Communist Party general secretary Harilaos Florakis, PASOK MP and former Foreign Minister Karolos Papoulias, and Synaspismos Left Coalition leader Nikos Constantopoulos. Theodorakis said the politically varied panel reflected the «democratic Greece» he fought for. The panel members drew attention to the composer’s contribution to politics. Constantopoulos stressed that those who say Theodorakis is a great musician but not a politician do not do him justice. Meanwhile, Papoulias remarked that Theodorakis «did not write music for the world but to change the world.»
