Here are 2 famous musicians from Greece died at 58:
Dionysios Solomos (April 8, 1798 Zakynthos-February 9, 1857 Corfu) also known as Dionysios Solōmos was a Greek poet.
Dionysios Solomos is regarded as one of the most important figures in modern Greek literature, and his poems are highly celebrated in Greece to this day. He is most widely known for writing the Hymn to Liberty, which eventually became the Greek national anthem. In 1824, Solomos began writing his most famous work, "The Free Besieged" - an epic poem that centered around the Ottoman siege of the island of Messolonghi in 1821 during the Greek War of Independence. The poem was not completed until 1855. Solomos was also a scholar of the Greek language and is credited with helping to shape the modern Greek language by writing in the vernacular rather than in the ancient Greek used by many other poets at the time. Today, his legacy is celebrated in Greece with monuments, museums, and even a university named in his honor.
In addition to his poetic and linguistic accomplishments, Dionysios Solomos was also a supporter of the Greek War of Independence from Ottoman rule. He even volunteered to join the rebellion but was unable to due to health issues. Instead, he used his poetry to express the ideals of the revolution and inspire his fellow Greeks to fight for their freedom. Despite his contributions to Greek culture and society, Solomos struggled financially for most of his life and lived in relative obscurity until the last few years of his life. However, his work eventually gained recognition and he is now widely regarded as one of the greatest Greek poets of all time.
Solomos was born on the island of Zakynthos, which was then part of the Venetian Republic. His father was a wealthy merchant, and Solomos received a good education, studying Greek, Italian, French, and English. At the age of 21, he moved to Italy to study literature and continued his studies in Paris, where he was influenced by the Romantic movement. He returned to Greece in 1828 and settled on the island of Corfu, where he spent the rest of his life.
Despite his success as a poet, Solomos was a private person and shunned publicity. He never married and lived a quiet life, focusing on his writing and his studies. He was a prolific writer, and in addition to his poetry, he also wrote essays on language, literature, and history. His work was influential in shaping modern Greek culture and literature, and he is considered a key figure in the Greek National Awakening, a period of political and cultural revival that followed the War of Independence.
Today, Solomos is revered in Greece as a national hero and a symbol of Greek culture and identity. His legacy continues to inspire Greek poets and writers, and his work is studied in schools and universities throughout the country. The Dionysios Solomos Museum in Zakynthos houses a collection of his manuscripts, letters, and personal belongings, and his portrait appears on the Greek 500-drachma banknote.
In addition to his achievements in literature, Dionysios Solomos was also a philanthropist and advocate for education. He used his wealth to support charitable causes, including the construction of schools and the establishment of scholarships for poor students. He believed in the transformative power of education and saw it as a means of empowering the Greek people and promoting social progress. His commitment to education can be seen in his work "The Hymn to Freedom," which includes lines about the importance of education in the development of a free and democratic society.
Furthermore, Dionysios Solomos had a deep interest in music and was a skilled musician himself. He often composed melodies to accompany his poetry and believed that music was an essential element of Greek culture. His work "The Hymn to Liberty" was originally set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros, a friend of Solomos who was also a musician. The hymn eventually became Greece's national anthem, demonstrating the enduring influence of Solomos on Greek culture and identity.
Despite his position as a leading literary figure in Greece, Solomos experienced numerous personal tragedies, including the deaths of several close family members. These losses had an impact on his writing, with many of his poems exploring themes of grief, loss, and mortality. Nonetheless, Solomos continued to produce poetry throughout his life, cementing his place as one of Greece's most enduring cultural icons.
Throughout his life, Dionysios Solomos was deeply interested in politics and the role of poetry in shaping society. He believed that poetry had the power to inspire change and promote social justice. In his work, he often tackled issues such as inequality, oppression, and the struggle for freedom. He also supported numerous political and social causes, including the campaign for Greek independence and the fight against poverty and discrimination.
In addition to his literary and political work, Solomos was a prominent figure in the cultural life of Corfu, where he spent much of his life. He was a respected member of the local community and was involved in numerous cultural and social organizations. He also played an active role in promoting the arts, particularly music, theater, and literature.
Despite the challenges and setbacks he faced throughout his life, Dionysios Solomos remained dedicated to his art and his ideals. He saw poetry as a vehicle for expressing the human experience, and his work continues to resonate with readers and audiences around the world. Today, he is remembered as one of Greece's greatest poets and cultural icons, whose legacy continues to inspire generations of artists, thinkers, and activists.
He died as a result of apoplexy.
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Maria Dimitriadi (April 11, 1950 Athens-January 6, 2009 Athens) a.k.a. Μαρία Δημητριάδη was a Greek singer.
Her albums: , , , , 18 lianotragouda tis pikris patridas and .
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