« tribute to Melina Mercouri »

MOURNING BECOMES ELECTRIFYING: Virraj Sorhvi pays homage to Melina Mercouri, fourteen years after the diva's death at a New York City hospital, by offering a rendition (as close to the Hadjidakis score as he can manage) of her memorable song, the signature theme from the Oscar-nominated film NEVER ON SUNDAY, which song in its original Greek version bears the title of «Τα παιδιά του Πειραιά» ("The Children of Piraeus" — and rightly so). This famous composition is also widely known in French-speaking lands as "Les Enfants du Pirée". Regrettably, Virraj's windows at the Simla Sanitarium & Hospital, where the video was shot, overlook not Phaleron Bay but the Outer Himalayas, a circumstance that will strain your faculty for wilful suspension of disbelief to its Outer Limits. This however will seem like nothing in comparison with the degree of the indulgence you will be required to accord his musical aptitude. The absolute pitch or the absolute lack thereof notwithstanding, what about the spirit in which (and with which) this is performed, though? Ah, well, yes; the spirit, The Spirit... (but ain't this what life's all about, compadre?)

The present video offers as well, albeit indirectly, an homage to Melina Mercouri's friend and husband, Jules Dassin, who conceptualized and produced the film NEVER ON SUNDAY, the vehicle of the song, and who passed away on 31 March 2008; and of course to the song's author, last but not least, Manos Hadjidakis, who died in 1994 just one hundred and one days after Melina Mercouri — who herself, by the way, did happen to die on... a Sunday.

It may be pertinent to note here that, later in his lifetime, Hadjidakis had come to develop an ambivalent attitude towards the song that was wholly his own creation, having observed that its progress through fame (with several linguistic versions en route) seemed to eviscerate it of the original content and emotional charge given it by the author, thereby impairing or severing the connection with the latter. This attitude prompted Melina Mercouri to remark jokingly that although the song had no "papa" (having seemingly been disowned by Hadjidakis) it did very much have a mother — in her. Hadjidakis' brilliant repartee was to congratulate her good-naturedly on what he called "this splendid ADOPTION". Ouch. Touché!

ΓΙΑ ΣΑΣ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ!!!


♦ Virraj has been hospitalized continuously since 4 July 2005; he has been convalescing (with active osteomyelitis or bone infection) at the Simla Sanitarium and Hospital since 28 May 2008. For the latest info, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/virraj

♦ video location: Simla Sanitarium and Hospital, Carton House, Chaura Maidan, Shimla, Himāchal Pradesh, India
♦ video date: Thursday, 12 June 2008 (15:35:00—17:20:00 IST | 10:05:00—11:50:00 GMT) — 1075th day of Virraj's hospitalization overall (16th day at Simla Sanitarium)

♥♥♥Greetings to the viewers of my video in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece (most views), Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lesotho, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and other parts of the world!♥♥♥

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• shimla
• शिमला
• sanatorium
• hospital
• greek
• music
• song
• ελληνική
• μουσική
• ελληνικό
• τραγούδι
• melina
• mercouri
• μελίνα
• μερκούρη
• manos
• hadjidakis
• μάνος
• χατζιδάκις
• piraeus
• πειραιάς
• πειραιεύς
• patient
• virraj
• sorhvi

[thalassaouranos]

Πραγματικά εξαιρετικό!

Σ'ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ!

[VirrajSorhvi]

ευχαριστώ για την εκτίμησή!!!

[TheMuehlbauer]

My compliments. Great Melina Mercouri...

[ipodamos1]

thank you Virraj.. get well soon!!

[sameegrl]

Very well done my friend!!!