Savina Yannatou
# Savina Yannatou

Savina Yannatou (Greek: Σαβίνα Γιαννάτου, Savína Yannátou; born 16 March 1959, Athens) is a Greek singer.

After taking classical guitar lessons and participating in the children's choir of Yannis Nousias for some years, she studied singing with Gogo Georgilopoulou and Spiros Sakkas in Athens, and later attended postgraduate studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. In 1979 she began working as a professional and two years later participated in the recording of the critically acclaimed album Εδώ Λιλιπούπολη ("Lilipoupolis here", that is, "We are broadcasting from Lilipoupolis"); following that, her career took off and has since released numerous albums, collaborating with many Greek composers. In the mid-1990s, she joined forces with select jazz / traditional musicians forming a band known as Primavera en Salonico, which started by interpreting Sephardic and Mediterranean songs, but later expanded to music from various areas of the world. Gradually, she has extended her vocal techniques to include throat singing, glossolalia and ululations among others.

Besides that, her repertoire consists mainly of Greek music, although she has been a founding member of an Early music ensemble (Εργαστήρι Παλιάς Μουσικής), and has always displayed a keen interest in exploring free jazz and avant-garde music. Said explorations have led her to on- and off-stage collaborations and sessions with international musicians such as Barry Guy, Peter Kowald, Floros Floridis, Günther Pitscheider, Gerald Preinfalk of the band BPM, Ken Vandermark, Sussan Deyhim, Damo Suzuki of the krautrock group Can, and Kiya Tabassian of the Ensemble Constantinople.

Yannatou is also a songwriter ("Dreams of the mermaid. Is king Alexander alive?", "Rosa das Rosas", "Musique Des Chambres"), as well as a composer for theatre, dance theatre and video art. She occasionally participates in select workshops, teaching vocal improvisations to actors and musicians. Most all of her early albums were published by Greek music label Lyra. She is from Sumiglia album (2005) on currently an ECM artist.

## Discography and participations

Releases (solo/group/compilations):

| Year | Album | Album Artist | Label |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1980 | Εδώ Λιλιπούπολη | Manos Hadjidakis – Various artists | Columbia – Minos EMI |
| 1981 | Σαμποτάζ | Lena Platonos | Lyra |
| 1982 | Κέρκυρα ’82: Αγώνες Ελληνικού τραγουδιού | Manos Hadjidakis – Various artists Live Recording | Κέρκυρα – Minos EMI |
| 1982 | Καρυωτάκης, 13 τραγούδια | Savina Yannatou & Lena Platonos | Lyra |
| 1983 | Ρεβάνς (O.S.T.) | Dimitris Papadimitriou | Lyra |
| 1983 | Το '62 του Μανου Χατζιδάκι | Savina Yannatou & Lena Platonos | Lyra |
| 1985 | Εν Αθήναις | Nikos Kypourgos | Lyra |
| 1985 | Ερωτόκριτος και Αρετούσα | Nikos Mamangakis | Σείριος – Minos EMI |
| 1985 | Η ηχώ και τα λάθη της | Lena Platonos | Σείριος – Minos EMI |
| 1985 | Μίλα μου για μήλα | Stavros Papastavrou | Σείριος – Minos EMI |
| 1985 | Lullabies Νανουρίσματα | Savina Yannatou | Lyra |
| 1985 | Ο Οδυσσέας στο ποτάμι | Michalis Gregoriou | Σείριος – Minos EMI |
| 1986 | Dreams of the Mermaid. Is king Alexander alive? Ζει ο βασιλιάς Αλέξανδρος; | Savina Yannatou | Lyra |
| 1986 | New excursion Νέα εκδρομή | Elena Papandreou | Lyra |
| 1986 | Λεπιδόπτερα | Lena Platonos | Lyra |
| 1986 | Μinimal suite – Double image | Vangelis Katsoulis | Praxis |
| 1988 | Το αηδόνι του αυτοκράτορα Του Hans Christian Andersen | Lena Platonos | Lyra |
| 1990 | Μαρία Ντολόρες παρελθόν | Dimitris Maragkopoulos | Σείριος – MBI |
| 1990 | Το φλυτζάνι | Petros Dourdoubakis | Lyra |
| 1991 | Ερωτική πρόβα | Dimitris Lagios | Columbia – Sony Music |
| 1992 | Africa (O.S.T.) | Panagiotis Kalantzopoulos | Cantini |
| 1992 | Ίνα τί | Dimitris Lagios | Minos EMI |
| 1993 | Die zweite Heimat (O.S.T.) New arrangements and performances inspired by the film | Nikos Mamangakis | Milan – Sony BMG |
| 1993 | Ατασθαλίες | Vasilis Nikolaidis | Lyra |
| 1994 | Masko | Savina Yannatou & Nikos Touliatos | Cήμαντρον Εμσε |
| 1994 | Φέρτε τα! | Aera Patera | Olon Music |
| 1995 | Spring in Salonica: Sephardic folk songs Άνοιξη στη Σαλονίκη: Σεφαραδίτικα λαϊκά τραγούδια Primavera en Salonico: Canciones populares Sefardíes | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico | Lyra |
| 1995 | Εάλω η Πόλις. Θρήνοι για την άλωση της Κωνσταντινούπολης | Early Music Workshop | FM Records |
| 1996 | Ιστορίες αποχαιρετισμού. Μουσική για τις παραστάσεις της εταιρείας θεάτρου Διπλούς Έρως | Dimitris Kamarotos | Theseum |
| 1997 | What summer is made for. Live at Rivermead Reading, 1996 WOMAD Festival | Various artists Live Recording | Womad Select |
| 1997 | Αναπνοές | Lena Platonos with Savina Yannatou | Lyra |
| 1997 | Αποχαιρετισμοί της θάλασσας Ποίση Τάκη Σινόπουλου – Άρη Αλεξάνδρου | Michalis Gregoriou | Minos EMI |
| 1997 | Μελωδίες της ανατολής. Τραγούδια της Σμύρνης | Various Artists Compilation | FM Records |
| 1997 | Μέσ' απ' το σκοτάδι Through the darkness | Vangelis Katsoulis | Lyra |
| 1997 | Προστάτης οικογένειας (O.S.T.) | Nikos Mamangakis | Δίφωνο |
| 1997 | Σκοτεινή πράξη. Ορατόριο σε ποίηση Τάσου Λειβαδίτη | Michalis Gregoriou | Lyra |
| 1997 | Τέμπλο Templo | Giorgos Christianakis | Virgin Greece |
| 1998 | Vananda | Andreas Georgiou | Libra Music |
| 1998 | Zoolixo Λίγο | Zoolixo Ligo | E2 |
| 1998 | Όπως η θάλασσα | Omadiki Αpodrasi | Lyra |
| 1998 | The photographers (O.S.T.) Οι φωτογράφοι | Nikolas Gkinis | Κίνησις |
| 1998 | Mediterranea: Songs of the Mediterranean Τραγούδια της Μεσογείου | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico | Lyra Sounds True |
| 1999 | Μικρές αγγελίες | Michalis Siganidis | Lyra |
| 1999 | Μικρό έπος για τον Ανδρέα Ροδινό | Nikos Mamangakis | Sony Music Ιδαία |
| 1999 | Virgin Maries of the world Παναγιές του κόσμου | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico | Lyra |
| 1999 | Shores of twilight (O.S.T.) Τα ρόδινα ακρογιάλια | Dimitris Katakouzinos | Ostria – Eros |
| 2000 | Rosa das rosas | Savina Yannatou | Lyra |
| 2001 | Mode Plagal III | Mode Plagal | Lyra |
| 2001 | Terra nostra | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico Live Recording | Lyra ECM |
| 2001 | Εδώ Λιλιπούπολη. Ζωντανή ηχογράφηση σπό το μουσικό θέατρο Βόλου | Various artists Live Recording | Lyra |
| 2001 | Έλληνες συνθέτες. Τραυλός, Λαπιδάκης, Παπαδάτος, Τενίδης | Plucked String Orchestra of Patras | Κίνησις |
| 2001 | Garden secrets Τα μυστικά του κήπου | Nikos Kypourgos | Σείριος – Minos EMI |
| 2002 | Lilly's story (O.S.T.) | Nikos Mamangakis | Universal |
| 2002 | Μια φορά κι έναν καιρό... Παραμύθια και διηγήματα απ' την Ελλάδα και τον κόσμο | Various artists Compilation | Δίφωνο |
| 2002 | Savina Yannatou sings Manos Hadjidakis Πάω να πω στο σύννεφο Η Σαβίνα Γιαννάτου σε τραγούδια του Μάνου Χατζηδάκι | Savina Yannatou | Lyra |
| 2003 | Asate | Andreas Georgiou | Libra Music |
| 2003 | Your golden boat Tvá zlatá loďka | Irena Havlová & Vojtěch Havel Live Recording | Indies Records |
| 2003 | Ένα γράμμα στον πατέρα μου | Various artists Compilation | Lyra |
| 2003 | Μπλέ Σε ποίηση Ρηνιώς Παπανικόλα | Michalis Gregoriou Live Recording | Legend |
| 2003 | Σας τα 'παν άλλοι; Κάλαντα δωδεκαημέρου | Various artists Compilation | Μελωδικό Καράβι |
| 2004 | Garden theater Κηποθέατρο | Nikos Kypourgos Live Recording | Σείριος – Minos EMI |
| 2005 | Electra | Arild Andersen | ECM |
| 2005 | Levantina | Vojislav Ivanović | Εμσε |
| 2005 | Sumiglia | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico | ECM |
| 2006 | En concert | Miquel Gil Live Recording | Galileo |
| 2006 | Heimat (O.S.T.) 58 music pieces from Edgar Reitz films Heimat I,II,III | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2006 | Tutti baci | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico Elena Ledda & Mauro Palmas | Lyra |
| 2006 | Άσμα ασμάτων. Ιερά τραγούδια του έρωτα | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2006 | Η μπαλάντα του Ερωτόκριτου | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2006 | Μέγα ορατόριο των Ελλήνων. Στρατηγού Μακρυγιάννη | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2007 | Far West – Tribal dances | Sotiris Debonos | HitchHyke |
| 2007 | Musique des chambres Μουσική δωματίων | Savina Yannatou | Lyra |
| 2008 | Songs of an other | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico | ECM |
| 2008 | Τραγούδια του Αιγαίου | Orchestra of Colours | Λέσχη Του Δίσκου |
| 2008 | Πάντως ήταν νύχτα – La poupée | Stella Gadedi | Lyra |
| 2009 | Birthdays | Felizol | Puzzlemusik |
| 2009 | Οι άλλοι | Michalis Siganidis Live Recording | Lyra |
| 2009 | Σώμα | Soma | Polytropon |
| 2010 | Ερωτόκριτος. Όπερα σε πέντε μέρη | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2010 | Η όπερα των σκιών | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2010 | Attikos | Savina Yannatou & Barry Guy Live Recording | Maya Recordings |
| 2010 | Ερωφίλη | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2010 | Η συναυλία στο Παλλάς | Lena Platonos Live Recording | Lyra |
| 2010 | Ερωτόκριτος. Η εκδοχή της Σητείας | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2010 | Το τραγούδι του Μπελογιάννη και της Έλλης Παππά | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2011 | Ομήρου Οδύσσεια | Nektarios Karantzis | Lyra |
| 2011 | Εγκώμιο στον Αλέξανδρο Παπαδιαμάντη | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2011 | Η Οδύσσεια του Νίκου Καζαντζάκη | Nikos Mamangakis | Ιδαία |
| 2015 | Songs of Thessaloniki | Savina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico | ECM |
| 2020 | Ways Of Notseeing | Savina Yannatou & Joana Sá | Clean Feed |

## Compositions for performances

### Theatre

| Year | Play | Director | Commission |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1997 | Medea | Nikaiti Kontouri | National Theatre of Greece |
| 2005 | The Bacchae | Sotiris Hatzakis | National Theatre of Greece |
| 2006 | The Dybbuk Between Two Worlds | Sotiris Hatzakis | National Theatre of Greece |
| 2007 | Iphigenia in Aulis | Sotiris Hatzakis | Thessalian Theatre |
| 2007 | Η Γυναίκα της Ζάκυθος | Sotiris Hatzakis | Ymittos Festival |
| 2008 | The Caucasian Chalk Circle | Sotiris Hatzakis | National Theatre of Northern Greece |

### Dance theatre

| Year | Play | Director | Commission |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1993 | Medea of Silence | Aspasia Kralli | Theatre of Silence |
| 1995 | Hades in a Room Orpheus and Eurydice | Aspasia Kralli | Theatre of Silence |
