Angela Papazoglou
Angela Papazoglou | |
|---|---|
Αγγέλα Παπάζογλου | |
| Born | Angela Maronitou November 8, 1899 |
| Died | August 17, 1983 (aged 83) Kokkinia, Greece |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Notable work | Dervísaina (Δερβίσαινα), recorded 1934 |
| Spouse | Vangelis Papazoglou |
| Children | 1 |
Angela Papazoglou (Greek: Αγγέλα Παπάζογλου; November 8, 1899 – August 17, 1983) was a Greek rebetiko singer from Smyrna, then part of the Ottoman Empire. She is best known for her memoirs, which were published posthumously and adapted into a play.
Biography
Angela Papazoglou was born Angela Maronitou on November 8, 1899, in Smyrna, now called İzmir, to Eleni Maronitou and Dimitris Maronitis.[1] Her father Dimitris was a violinist. She learned to play the santouri and violin at a young age, and by the time she was 11, she appeared onstage with her father.[2] By the time she was 17, Papazoglou was singing at venues across Smyrna with other rebetiko players. To appeal to the diverse audiences of cosmopolitan Smyrna, she sang in Hebrew, Arabic, and Armenian as well as Greek. She learned a variety of Greek musical styles and also different genres from Europe and the Middle East. She went by the stage name Angelitsa while performing.[3]
In 1922, following the Great Fire of Smyrna and the Greek-Turkish population exchange, Papazoglou resettled in Kokkinia, Greece.[2] Music was important to Papazoglou throughout her life. Speaking on her experience as a refugee, she said, "They had taken everything from us; only our songs were left."[4]
In 1924, Angela Papazoglou met Vangelis Papazoglou, a composer of rebetiko music. They married in 1927 and had one son, Giorgis. In 1929, Papazoglou went blind after a period of illness.[2] Papazoglou's husband Vangelis discouraged her from singing. He died in 1943 of tuberculosis.[3]
Angela Papazoglou died on August 17, 1983. She left recordings of seven songs, including six amanedes.[2] After her death, her son Giorgis published her memoirs under the title Dreams of the Unburnt and Burnt Smyrna (Greek: Ονείρατα της άκαυτης και της καμένης Σμύρνης). The book describes her life during major historical events, including the Occupation of Smyrna, the 4th of August Regime, and the World War II.[5] Her memoirs provided the inspiration for the play Angela Papazoglou, a dramatized theatrical account of her life. It was first staged in 1999, with Anna Vagena playing the lead.[2] The play focuses on her experiences as a refugee fleeing Smyrna after the war. As of January 2026, Angela Papazoglou is still performed onstage in Greece.[6]
Discography
Recordings of Angela Papazoglou's music appear on two anthologies:
- Women of Rembetika 1908-1947, 4-CD collection, JSP Records, 2012[7]
- Smirneiko Et Rebetiko: Les Grandes Chanteuses 1915-1936 (Smirneiko and Rebetiko: The Great Singers 1915–1936), Silex Records, 1995[8]
References
- ^ Duru, Emy (July 19, 2022). "Η Σμύρνη και η προσφυγιά μέσα από τα μάτια της Αγγέλας Παπάζογλου". Documento (in Greek). Archived from the original on July 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Αγγέλα Παπάζογλου". Σαν Σήμερα (in Greek). Archived from the original on November 11, 2020.
- ^ a b "Η τυφλή ρεμπέτισσα Αγγέλα Παπάζογλου. Η "λεβεντιά" του άνδρα της και το ρεκόρ θεατρικών παραστάσεων της Άννας Βαγενά". Μηχανη του Κρονου (in Greek). Archived from the original on December 7, 2024.
- ^ "Άννα Βαγενά: Η «Άγγελα Παπάζογλου» είναι βγαλμένη μέσα από τα σπλάχνα του λαού μας". Dialogos (in Greek). January 11, 2026. Archived from the original on January 11, 2026.
- ^ Nanouris, Dimitris (June 26, 2022). "Ονείρατα της άκαυτης και της καμένης Σμύρνης". efsyn (in Greek). Archived from the original on June 26, 2022.
- ^ "Έρχεται η θρυλική παράσταση «Αγγέλα Παπάζογλου» με την Άννα Βαγενά". Katherimini (in Greek). January 7, 2026. Archived from the original on January 7, 2026.
- ^ "Women of Rembetika". Discogs.
- ^ "The Great Singers Of Smirneiko And Rebetiko = Smirneiko Et Rebetiko Les Grandes Chanteuses (Enregistrements Historiques 1915 - 1936)". Discogs.