Editing Mikis Theodorakis (section)

== Back to Greek roots ==
[[File:Mikis Theodorakis.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Mikis Theodorakis shortly after his return to Greece in 1961]]

In 1960, Theodorakis returned to Greece and his roots in Greek music. With his song cycle ''[[Epitaphios (Ritsos)#Musical setting|Epitaphios]]'', he contributed to a cultural revolution in his country.<ref>George Giannaris, op. cit., p. 118 sq</ref> His most significant and influential works are based on Greek and world poetry – ''Epiphania'' ([[Giorgos Seferis]]), ''Little Kyklades'' ([[Odysseas Elytis]]), ''Axion Esti'' (Elytis), ''Mauthausen'' ([[Iakovos Kambanellis]]), ''Romiossini'' ([[Yannis Ritsos]]), and ''Romancero Gitano'' ([[Federico García Lorca]]) – he attempted to give back to Greek music a dignity which in his perception it had lost. He developed his concept of "metasymphonic music" (symphonic compositions that go beyond the "classical" status and mix symphonic elements with popular songs, Western symphonic orchestra and Greek popular instruments).<ref name="GNA 2019">{{cite web |title=Mikis Theodorakis: Music, politics, passion |url=https://www.greeknewsagenda.gr/topics/culture-society/7033-theodorakis |website=Greek News Agenda |access-date=14 September 2021 |date=29 July 2019}}</ref>

He founded the ''Athens Little Symphony Orchestra'' and gave many concerts in the country, trying to familiarize people with symphonic music.<ref>Λάδης, Φώντας (2005). Μίκης Θεοδωράκης το χρονικό μιας επανάστασης 1960–1967. Αθήνα. σελ. 20–250. {{ISBN|978-960-256-468-4}}</ref>

After the assassination of [[Gregoris Lambrakis]] in May 1963 he founded the ''Lambrakis Democratic Youth'' ("Lambrákides") and was elected its president.<ref>Gail Holst. ''Mikis Theodorakis. Myth & Politics in Modern Greek Music'', p. 74 sq</ref> Under Theodorakis's impetus, it started a vast cultural renaissance movement and became the greatest political organisation in Greece with more than 50,000 members.<ref>Mikis Theodorakis: Journal of Resistance, (Dictionary), p. 328</ref> Following the 1964 elections, Theodorakis became a member of the Greek Parliament, associated with the left-wing party [[United Democratic Left|EDA]]. Because of his political ideas, the composer was black-listed by the cultural establishment; at the time of his biggest artistic glory, a large number of his songs were censored-before-studio or were not allowed on the radio stations.<ref>Gail Holst, op. cit., p. 78</ref>

During 1964, he wrote the music for the Michael Cacoyiannis film ''Zorba the Greek'', whose main theme, since then, exists as a trademark for Greece. It is also known as "Syrtaki dance", inspired by old Cretan traditional dances.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2 September 2021|title=Mikis Theodorakis: Greek Patriot, Renowned Composer Dead at 96|url=https://greekreporter.com/2021/09/02/mikis-theodorakis-dead/|access-date=2 September 2021|website=[[Greek Reporter]]|language=en-US}}</ref>