Dinos Tavridis
| Dinos Tavridis | |
|---|---|
| File:DinosTavridis.jpgDinosTavridis.jpg | |
| Born | Constantinos Tavridis Thessaloniki, Greece |
| 🏫 Education | National Theatre of Northern Greece |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 📆 Years active | 1968 - |
Dinos Tavridis (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist.) also known as Konstantinos or Constantinos Tavridis is a Greek TV producer, presenter, music curator, journalist, actor and artistic director for television and theatre.
Dinos has a career spanning 6 decades producing high-profile series and shows and beginning when he was a student and taking up theater roles. Initially trained in drama, he performed with the National Theatre of Northern Greece and retired from acting after portraying Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar. He transitioned to TV production in the 1980s, founding ACT Productions and producing high-profile shows and international co-productions. Dinos served as Artistic Director twice for 4 years for the Festival of Ancient Olympia, founding it and bringing renowned artists to Greece. Relocated in London, he continues to work on new projects, including The Throne of Blood, a play inspired by Greek tragedies.
Biography
Tavridis was born in Thessaloniki, Greece with noble roots and the only child in a big family of well-known philanthropists. At the age of six, his teachers discovered a talent in acting, and they favored him to star in all the school’s theatre performances.
Although his family insisted he follow an academic career continuing the family’s tradition, Dinos envisioned to be initially an actor and then a director or a producer from his early years and into secondary school. Though he originally passed his exams to enter law school at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki , he never finished it and eventually followed his artistic visions studying at the National Theatre of Northern Greece, graduating with honours in 1970.
In 1977 he moved to Athens and lived there for more than 30 years spending time between there and New York but also in Paris in the 1980’s. During this time, he worked as a presenter covering shows on national television and started his first productions via his company ACT productions.
Career
Theatre
In 1968 - at the beginning of his second year as a student at the drama school - he was selected by director Kostis Mihailidis.[1] to play Cardinal Richelieu, in the epic production of Edmond Rostand’s play “Cyrano de Bergerac (play)” , for the National Theatre of Northern Greece. Impressed by his talent, he was offered a role for 9 consecutive years at the National Theatre of Northern Greece with rave reviews, performing a wide range of classic and modern characters at the theatre’s repertory in Thessaloniki and in the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus, of Philippi, the Hellenistic theatre of Dion and at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens. As an actor, his dream role was Pontius Pilate in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar , when he first saw the musical in London in the early 1970s. He decided to end his acting career, after playing that very role in the 1978 Greek production of it, in Athens [2].
Television and Radio
In 1977 he moved to Athens and lived there for more than 30 years. He also spent a lot of time in New York and in Paris during the 80’s.
Meanwhile, he started his career in the TV industry as a broadcaster, with a weekly 15-minute travel-show in ERT-2 National TV channel “EXPRESS 315”, sponsored by the National Railways Organisation for 4 years . Being successful, he was offered another show in 1979: a touristic chat show with special guests, “FLIGHT AT 10,000 FEET”[3]
for the renown OLYMPIC AIRWAYS. At the same time, he presented a weekly 30 mins radio programme about the latest pop/rock hits for WEA (Warner Electra Atlantic) RECORDS in ERT-2 Radio channel.
Travelling the world, he had the chance to meet celebrities like Warner Bros Vice President and mogul record producer Jerry Wexler, legendary Hollywood director Elia Kazan, Hollywood stars Richard Gere, Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Jude Law, Glenda Jackson, Tom Courtenay, Jane Birkin, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Rosamund Pike, Eva Green, Ben Wishaw, Alain Delon, Gerard Depardieu, Annie Girardot, Régine Zylberberg, Valeria Golino and fashion designers Gianfranco Ferré and Laura Biagiotti.
His favorite actress is Dame Judy Dench. He met her in 2009 and since then a strong friendship has developed between them with her being his dearest friend.
TV productions & co-productions
In 1984 he made the decision to become a TV Producer, after renown stage director Minos Volanakis - his mentor and good friend – proposed to stage Greek tragedies in English, starring British stars. The first one would be Medea with Glenda Jackson
In 1985, he founded his own company ACT PRODUCTIONS[4] (ACT T.V. Theatre and Movie Productions ltd) and in 1986 he had
his first two productions:
WITHOUT FLASH on IMDb Search this movie on 
starring the
Greek stars
Giannis Fertis
and
Pemy Zouni
in ERT-1
and the quiz show “ TRAVELLING THROUGH THE GREEK MYTHS & HISTORY” Taxidi stous mythous kai tin istoria on IMDb Search this movie on
with
Antigone Amanitou
, in ERT-2
He was the first Greek TV Producer το focus on European TV co- productions. He worked a lot with the well known French TV director André Flédéric on IMDb . In 1988, he was the co-producer in NANA CLASSIQUE, a show starring the worldwide famous singer Nana Mouskouri and special guest - stars (the famous French singer Charles Aznavour, among them), filmed exclusively in ancient Greek locations and was broadcast as the Christmas Eve show, both in the French National TV Channel France 2 (then known as ANTENNE 2) and the Greek National TV Channel ERT-2, directed by Flédéric.
In 1989 he produced 22 x 30’ episodes game show “THE LUCKY FLIGHT” for ERT-1 with Nikos Ziagos. In 1990, he acquired the rights for the famous daily French TV program Le Bébête Show – a 5 mins satirical chat show, with the most popular politicians transfigured in charming puppet pets, debating on the daily current affairs. The program would have been broadcasted on ERT-2, and it was proudly announced that the comedian star Lakis Lazopoulos would be the host and writer, due to his unique popular humour. After months of preparations, the then government took by storm everyone and decided to ban the show and its premiere. It was a huge political scandal debated in the Parliament.
In 1991 in ET-1, he produced a 8 x 30’ episodes documentary titled
“MEDITERRANEAN TRADITIONAL FOLK SONGS”, a French –
Spanish - Italian - Greek co-production, directed by
Sonia Cantalapiedra [5]
He produced the 33 x 30’ episodes romcom “TALK TO MY LAWYER” (Tha miliseis me to dikigoro mou on IMDb Search this movie on ), starring the popular comedian Giannis Bezos and Natalia Tsaliki on IMDb , Vasilakopoulou/ Roubini Vasilakopoulou on IMDb , Maria Konstandarou on IMDb , Ersi Malikentzou on IMDb ,
directed by Dimitris Papakonstandis on IMDb
for ANTENNA TV (1992 - 1993).
For ANTENNA TV also, he produced the 31 x 45’ episodes costume drama STRAS on IMDb Search this movie on ,
written by Elena Akrita/Giorgos Kyritsis on IMDb , with a brilliant cast starring
Kostas Arzoglou on IMDb , Elena Akrita, Giorgos Kyritsis, Olia Lazaridou, Aimilios Heilakis, Nikos Kalogeropoulos,
Marie Konstandatou and directed by Reina Eskenazy on IMDb (1994-1995).
In 1996, “LIFE IS A CINEMA”, a weekly 60’ variety show - a contribution to the centenary of the film industry – for ET-1,with Hollywood stars as guests, directed by André Flédéric, cancelled in the 11th hour, as Aliki Vouyouklaki – a national treasure – who was the hostess, was suddenly diagnosed with cancer and passed away shortly after.
He exclusively secured broadcasting rights in Greece and Cyprus for the whole COUSTEAU LIBRARY – 120 TV documentary films by the legendary oceanic explorer Jaques Yves Cousteau.
He was the executive producer to the very last 90’ TV portrait of the renowned Greek star and Minister of Culture Melina Mercouri. A production for the French TV series LES GEANTS DU MUSIC HALL[6] , directed by Andre Flederic for the France 3 Channel. In that, Melina reconciled after an ongoing 30 year feud with the famous Oscar-winning composer Manos Hadjidakis, before she passed away.
In 2004, Tavridis was the executive Producer of the epic
period production
LE DERNIER SEIGNEUR DES BALKANS on IMDb Search this movie on (LAST BEY OF THE BALKANS), directed by Michel Favart on IMDb
. This was a massive historical French - German – Polish
– Spanish – Greek co-production of 600 minutes, where
he was also the casting Director for the
Greek parts, as well as the music curator
and supervisor to Mikis Theodorakis’ music.
Artistic Director
In 1997, Tavridis founded the Festival of Ancient Olympia [7] [8] in the birthplace of the Olympic Games. At a 4.500 seats amphitheatre – a miniature copy of the famous Epidaurus ancient theatre - built by the president and the habitants of a small community – he launched its first season with the dance legend Mikhail Baryshnikov and his ballet in an exclusive, sold-out performance.
He was the Artistic Director of the Festival for two years, and during that time the elite of the Greek music and theatre had performed there, along with some international artists such as the Japanese drummers KODO and the famous soloists of the legendary Bolshoi Ballet and Mariinsky Ballet Russian ballets, in a special tribute to the divine Russian ballerina Galina Ulanova.
Owning to initial success, in 2001 he was offered the job again for another two years. He launched the 2001 season with an exclusive concert by the famous opera-singer Dame Kiri Te Kanawa accompanied by the Athens State Symphonic Orchestra. There was also the famous Spanish flamenco dancer Cristina Hoyos with her group, as well as the young soloists of the famous Paris Opera Ballet, among others.
Dinos also launched THE GOLDEN KOTINOS (the olive wreath that was the award to the champions of the ancient Olympic games), a yearly honorary prize for distinguished international artists for their contributions to the Art’s world. The very first was offered to an emotional Kiri Te Kanawa.
For the 2002 season, he secured an exclusive performance of the legend tenor Placido Domingo. The tenor generously agreed to sing in the finale the OLYMPIAN ANTHEM, as a contribution to the forthcoming 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The Ministry of Culture declined to fund this event and the concert was cancelled.
Other Activities
Tavridis was the promoter of the prolific soprano Julia Migenes’ exclusive concert at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens in 1991. She starred as Carmen with Placido Domingo in the film version of Bizet’s opera CARMEN, directed by Francesco Rosi.
Dinos also was the co-promoter to Sir Elton John’s concert in 2000, at the renown Odeon of Herodes Atticus, for the ATHENS FESTIVAL. Due to the phenomenal public demand, a second sold-out concert was added at the last minute.
He was once in his life involved in the night club industry, launching in summer 1985 the very first Greek private night-club “PRISON” [9]. For the opening night, he invited the French film star Annie Girardot, to co-host the event. The crème de la crème of the Athens society packed the club, and among them the legendary eccentric collector Alexander Iolas and the thespian of the Greek theatre Alexis Minotis. The remarkable event was the talk of the town, covered by the national and international Press. In the club, a lot of Greek and international celebrities enjoyed the Athens nightlife and among them the British rock band The Stranglers, the Pink Floyd’s Richard Wright and the well-known German stage director Peter Stein, among others.
Dinos also worked as a journalist for 2 years in the weekly popular Greek magazine FANTAZIO.
Recent Years
Since a teenager, London was his favorite destination and his perennial love. He used to regularly visit it till he got the decision to move in permanently there. Judi Dench was his very favorite actor and in 2009 he finally met her in person, and she honored him with her friendship.
Minos Volanakis – a world distinguished stage director and translator, who has worked at the London Royal Opera House and also in many theatres with actors Judi Dench, Glenda Jackson, Susanna York, Vivien Merchant and others - was his mentor and dear friend, who nurtured Dinos’ passion for the Greek tragedies.
He has also produced for 2 years “THE EVER-LASTING LIGHT” on IMDb Search this movie on , a weekly programme for the UK’S HELLENIC TV.
Recently Dinos is working on the production of the epic play THE THRONE OF BLOOD by writer Constantine D. Alexander, based and inspired by the tragedies of the Greek classic authors.
References
- ↑ "Κωστής Μιχαηλίδης".
- ↑ "Ιησούς Χριστός Υπέρλαμπρο Άστρο - retroDB". www.retrodb.gr.
- ↑ "Πτήση στα 10.000 μέτρα - retroDB". www.retrodb.gr.
- ↑ "Φ.Ε.Κ. - Εθνικό Τυπογραφείο".
- ↑ "Sonia Cantalapiedra » Filmographie".
- ↑ "Les Géants du Music Hall Melina Mercouri, Canal D COMPLET (youtube)".
- ↑ "Δήμος Αρχαίας Ολυμπίας | Επίσημη Ιστοσελίδα Δήμου – Δήμος Αρχαίας Ολυμπίας, Νομός Ηλείας, Πελοπόννησος, Ελλάδα". arxaiaolympia.gov.gr.
- ↑ "Olympia International Film Festival".
- ↑ "Disco Prison Intro (1985)".
External links
- RetroDB (Greek) (Brief overview of works)
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