# Iakovos Kambanellis

Iakovos Kambanellis (Greek: Ιάκωβος Καμπανέλλης; 2 December 1921 – 29 March 2011) was a Greek poet, playwright, screenwriter, lyricist, and novelist.

## Biography

Born 2 December 1921 in Hora on the island of Naxos, the sixth of nine children of Stefanos Kampanellis, an experienced pharmacist, and Aikaterini Laskari. His father came from Chios, while his mother came from an old noble family in Istanbul. Iakovos Kambanellis appeared as one of the most prominent Greek playwrights of the 20th century and he is considered to be the father of modern Greek theater. As a survivor of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, he wrote the lyrics of the "Mauthausen Trilogy" with music by Mikis Theodorakis. He has also written a memoir known as Mauthausen describing his experiences from the concentration camp. He wrote the scripts of at least 12 films and he directed three of them. In addition, he is well known as a lyricist, having written the lyrics for more than 100 songs. He was a member of the board of the Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece (MIET – Morfotiko Idryma Ethnikis Trapezis), along with some of the most prominent Greek artists. From 1981 to 1987, he was Director of the Radio section of the Greek National Broadcasting Company (E.R.T.). In 2000 he was elected member of the Academy of Athens. The same year he was awarded the medal of the Order of Phoenix by the President of the Greek Republic.

## Death

Kambanellis was rushed to the hospital on 4 February 2011 due to complications of his long-term kidney failure. At the age of 89, he died on 29 March 2011 from kidney failure, nine days after his wife's death.

## Theatre

| Year | Transliteration | Title | Performed at |
| 1950 | Choros pano sta stachya | Χορός πάνω στα στάχυα Dance upon the Cobs | Adamandios Lemos Company |
| 1955–56 | Evdomi mera tis dimourgias | Έβδομη μέρα της δημιουργίας Seventh Day of Creation | National Theatre, 2nd stage |
| 1957 | Aftos kai to panteloni tou | Αυτός και το παντελόνι του He and his pants | Vassilis Diamantopoulos |
| 1957 | I kryfi zoi tou Warren Mitty | Η κρυφή ζωή του Γουώρεν Μήττυ The secret life of Warren Mitty | Vassilis Diamantopoulos |
| 1957–58 | I Avli ton Thavmaton | Αυλή των Θαυμάτων The Courtyard of Miracles | Art Theatre |
| 1958–59 | I ilikia tis nihtas | Η ηλικία της νύχτας The Age of Night | Art Theatre |
| 1959 | O Gorillas ke i Ortansia | Ο Γορίλας και η Ορτανσία The Gorilla and the Hydrangea | Elsa Verghi Theater Company |
| 1959–60 | Paramythi choris onoma | Παραμύθι χωρίς Όνομα Fairy tale without a Name | Vasslis Diamantopoulos New Theatre |
| 1963–64 | Geitonia ton angelon | Γειτονιά των αγγέλων Neighborhood of Angels | Karezis' Company |
| 1966–67 | Viva Aspasia | Βίβα Ασπασία " Long live Aspasia" | Karezis' Company |
| 1966–67 | Odyssea gyrise spiti | Οδυσσέα γύρισε σπίτι Ulysses, come home | Art Theatre |
| 1970–71 | Apikia ton timorimenon | Αποικία των τιμωρημένων Colony of the Punished | Marietta Rialdi Experimental Theatre |
| 1971–72 | Aspasia | Ασπασία Aspasia | Karezi-Kazakos Company |
| 1972–73 | To megalo mas tsirko | Το μεγάλο μας τσίρκο Our Great Circus | Karezi-Kazakos Company |
| 1974 | To kouki kai to revythi | Το κουκί και το ρεβύθι The Chickpea and the Broad Bean | Karezi-Kazakos Company |
| 1975 | O ehthros Laos | Ο εχθρός λαός The Rival People | Karezi-Kazakos Company |
| 1976–77 | Prossopa yia violi ke orhistra | Πρόσωπα για βιολί και ορχήστρα Characters For Violin And Orchestra | Art Theatre |
| 1978–79 | Ta tessera podia tou trapeziou | Τα τέσσερα πόδια του τραπεζιού The Four Legs of the Table | Art Theatre |
| 1981 | O babas o polemos | Ο μπαμπάς ο πόλεμος Daddy War | Art Theatre |
| 1988 | O aoratos Thiasos | Ο αόρατος Θίασος The Invisible Troupe | National Theatre |

## Cinema

He wrote several scripts for films including:
* Stella directed by Michael Cacoyiannis
* O Drakos (The Ogre of Athens) directed by Nikos Koundouros
* Arpagi tis Persefonis (The Siege of Persephone) directed by Grigoris Grigoriou
* To kanoni kai t'aïdoni (The Cannon and the Nightingale) directed by himself and Giorgos Kampanellis
Many of his plays are translated in several languages and produced in countries all over the world: in Austria, Bulgaria, Iran, England, Germany, Hungary, Romania, U.S.A., Russia, China, Norway and Sweden. His plays translated in Iran by Reza Shirmarz, famous playwright, translator, author and researcher, have been republished several times in a short time. He worked as a journalist in newspapers Eleftheria (1963–65), Anendotos (1965–66) and Nea (1975-1980). He has been a member of the Greek Theatre Writers' Company.