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Greek Giant Mikis Theodorakis Featured in Oscars Memoriam 2022

Mikis Theodorakis Oscars
Legendary Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis who died in September 2021 was honored at the Oscars ceremony. Public Domain

Mikis Theodorakis, the greatest Greek composer in history, whose music has touched generations was featured in In the Memoriam video that was screened in the Oscars ceremony on Sunday.

The In Memoriam segment is one of the Oscars’ most cherished traditions, offering an annual opportunity to pay respects to beloved stars and industry veterans who died over the course of the year.

Mikis Theodorakis who died on September 2, 2021 at age 96 in Athens was among the personalities honored.

Oscars honor Theodorakis for his music

Theodorakis penned what is probably the best-known piece of Greek music, the film score to “Zorba the Greek,” an instrumental which is still played and danced to around the world to this day.

He produced a staggering number of musical works, encompassing both symphonic music and most predominantly Greek folk music, from which he drew most of his inspiration, making it famous the world over.

His ability to compose music that conveyed emotion and struggle is perhaps best displayed in his composition “The Ballad of Mauthausen.” This music has been described as one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written about the Holocaust.

Along with honoring Theodorakis, the In Memoriam video mentioned the legendary actor Sidney Poitier, the first black winner of the Best Actor Oscar, who died in January at 94, breaking the hearts of many who were inspired by his successful 71-year career in classic Hollywood films “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “Uptown Saturday Night.”

“Golden Girls” star Betty White, who died at the end of 2021 just shy of her 100th birthday, was also included in the moving roundup.

But, as the New York Post points out Bob Saget was confusingly left out, sparking outrage from fans angry to see the snub.

Saget himself was an Oscar winner, scoring a student Academy Award in 1977 for his black-and-white documentary, “Through Adam’s Eyes.”

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