Canto General

"To me, Canto General by Pablo Neruda is the Gospel of our time." This quote of the composer Mikis Theodorakis on the textual basis of one of his most famous works shows very clearly how important this composition is within his oeuvre.

The musical setting of major parts from the poem of the Chilean national poet Pablo Neruda in the original Spanish language unites the Greek and Chilean cultures into a remarkable symbiosis. Theodorakis created an epic oratorio in which the composer combined the songs of the Incas, the songs of the Andes and the rhythms of the tropics with the tonal world of the Greeks into a work that is among the most powerful and most intense works written by him. Most of the thirteen songs of "Canto General" captivate the audience with their sweeping polyrhythmic inventions, catchy repetitions of short motifs and simple compositional forms. With this work, Theodorakis' metasymphonic art reaches a new dimension.

"A passionate appeal to the public." (Fono Forum)