Dimitris Mitropoulos
Dimitri Mitropoulos’s musical career encapsulates the musical course of early 18th – 19th Century Greece (also known as the first century of the Greek Independence period) in a truly unique and exemplary manner. Born in Athens and having initially studied there in the beginning of the 20th Century with Armando Marsick - the Belgian composer and conductor- as his main teacher, he went on to complete his studies in piano, composition and orchestra direction in Brussels and Berlin. His musical character was thus shaped by whatever European musical thinking tradition was being established in Greece over the second half of the 19th century. His music was further shaped by the two influential music schools that predominated during the period of his studies - namely the German and French school. His opera titled “Beatrice” (written 1917-1920) fully reflects these influences - with the French music school taking first position of course, as “Beatrice” was in fact based on the “marvel” written by Maeterlinck. In a similar manner, its musical idiom demonstrates Frank’s influence par excellence, as well as that of Debussy and Wagner. Much more than the usual, detectable influences that one expects to find in a young composer’s work however, “Beatrice” also bespeaks a level of dramatic talent so prominent that even C. Saint-Saëns, the “grand maître” of French music of that period, spoke out about “Beatrice” and its composer in a most flattering manner, after seeing it in Athens in 1920, during what came to be its sole staged performance.
