Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, professionally known as Vangelis, took his last breath on May 17 in Paris, France at the age of 79. According to several media in France, the renowned musician and composer died due to Covid-19. His lawyer announced the news to ANA News Channel by saying, “It is with great sadness that we announce that the great Greek Vangelis Papathanassíou passed away late on the night of Tuesday, May 17.”
The self-taught Greek musician was a composer and producer of electronic, progressive, ambient and classical orchestral music. He is best known for Academy Awards winning music works in films like ‘Chariots Of Fire’ (1981), ‘Blade Runner’ (1982), ‘Missing’ (1982), ‘Antaractica’ (1983), ‘The Bounty’ (1984), ‘1492: Conquest Of Paradise’ (1992) and ‘Alexander’ (2004).
Born in Agria, Greece, Vangelis begun his career in several pop bands like ‘The Forminx’ and ‘Aphrodite’s Child’ in 1960 as progressive psychedelics rock classics. Later, he started working in films as a composer in the ‘60s like ‘My Brother: The Traffic Policeman’ (1963), ‘5000 Lies’ (1966) and ‘To Prosopo Tis Medousas’ (1967).
Over more than 5 decades of his career in the industry, Vangelis was renowned for his experimental music. He had also won the prestigious Oscar for films like ‘Chariots Of Fire’ and ‘Blade Runner’.
The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has mourned his death and tweeted, “Vangelis Papathanassíou is no longer with us. The world of music has lost the international (artist) Vangelis.”
The Prime Minister has also called Vangelis one of the pioneers of electric music and said, “He began his long journey on the Chariots Of Fire. From there he will always send us his notes.”
