Maria Farantouri

Maria Farantouri or Farandouri (Greek: Μαρία Φαραντούρη; born 28 November 1947 in Athens) is a Greek singer and also a political and cultural activist. She has collaborated with Greek composers such as Mikis Theodorakis, who wrote the score for Pablo Neruda's Canto General, which Farantouri performed all over the world. During the Greek military junta of 1967–1974, Maria Farantouri recorded protest songs in Europe with Mikis Theodorakis. In 1971, she recorded Songs and Guitar Pieces by Theodorakis with Australian guitarist John Williams which included seven poems by Federico García Lorca. She has recorded songs in Spanish ('Hasta Siempre Comandante Che Guevara'), Italian, and English ("Joe Hill" and Elisabeth Hauptmann's Alabama Song from Bertolt Brecht's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny), George Gershwin's works, as well as works by Greek composers Manos Hatzidakis, Eleni Karaindrou and Vangelis. Her voice is contralto with two octaves. The international press called her a peo...