Vasso Devetzi (Piano)

Born: September 9, 1927 - Thessaloniki, Greek
Died: November 1, 1987 - Paris, France

Vasso Devetsi was a Greek pianist. She was a friend of the composer Mikis Theodorakis and the soprano Maria Callas. In 1955 in Paris, Theodorakis made an arrangement for solo piano, which he dedicated to Devetzi. In the 1960's and 1970's she lived long periods in Soviet Union, where the soprano Galina Vishnevskaja and the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich were her good friends, and she often accompanied them. During her last years she was the president of the Maria Callas Foundation, which provided international scholarships for young singers..

Her recordings include: Henri Sauguet: Piano Concerto No. 1 in A minor, with USSR Radio Orchestra conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky (Le Chant du Monde); J.S. Bach: Keyboard Concertos, with Moscow Chamber Orchestra conducted by Rudolf Barshai (Philips); Haydn & W.A. Mozart: Piano Concertos with the same forces (Melodiya/Angel); Gabriel Fauré: Piano works (Nonesuch); Bach Recital (Festival); Haydn: Piano Sonatas (Mercury); L.v. Beethoven: Variations for cello & piano & R. Strauss: Cello Sonata, with Mstislav Rostropovich; Dmitri Shostakovich & Mussorgsky: Songs, with Galina Vishnevskaya, Ulf Hoelscher & Mstislav Rostropovich (Melodiya).

Source: Mikis Theodorakis Website; Alain Pâris: Klassische Musik im 20. Jahrhundert, Übersetzt von Rudolf Kimmig, bearbeitet von Ralf Noltensmeier. 2. Auflage April 1997. Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, München.
Contributed by Laura Sandler (April 2008, April 2010; Antti Metsänkylä (Helsinki, Finland, April 2010)

Vasso Devetzi: Short Biography | Bach Discography: Recordings of Instrumental Works

Links to other Sites

Mikis Theodorakis: Little Suite for piano