“He was born in Thessaloniki, baptized in its poetry and spirituality. In her multicultural performances, her experiences and traumas”, said the former President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, in the funeral speech he delivered at the funeral of Dionysis Savvopoulos.
Also, K. Sakkelaropoulou emphasized, among other things: “In this city of heavy and sweet at the same time inspiration of our own city, the land of our birth and our reference, the scene.
Maybe this memory, the stories of the early and young years we managed to share, made you call me my new childhood friend. The truck passed by the national highway and took you far away, to Pera Meri, and thus began your and our journey together.
You sang for us, for the people, the nation and the history, the tradition and the modern, our identity, the synthesis of East and West, but also for our little life, for each of us personally. So much music, so many lyrics.
You always thought of them as a whole, you said as a whole. And then the fruit of your songwriting genius blossomed. We fell in love, we hurt, we rejoiced, we got paid, we connected with ourselves and others.
You touched our souls in an indelible way.
Your voice will forever echo within us and your memory will live on in every note and every word you left us. Your work is not only a musically imprinted political and cultural history of our country. It is a poetic study, a Savvopoulian language, bold and tender, subversive and healing, that speaks to every generation, new and old.
You became, were and remained true to the end, as you promised when you left Thessaloniki behind. Your word never wavered. Not even on a junta in prison, in the face of darkness and censorship. You didn’t get dragged by your audience. You were always ahead, even in front of him. You went from triumph to disapproval when he took offense to your critical gaze. But you stood up, with dignity, with your head held high and came back, winning us over again. With Aspa always by your side shining and supporting you.
And the years came, the last ones with the test of health but also your own way of saying goodbye, the concerts full of people and rhythm, the book of reckoning and reconciliation, with the welcoming evenings, friends and memories, with the fullness of life, your presence filling us and illuminating us and your faith, that everything is here, nothing is lost.
And those who left are here.
We come from places of light. We’ll take care of her Aspa, don’t worry. Have a nice trip dear Dionysisยป.
Watch live: The last farewell to Dionysis Savvopoulos, this time the funeral speeches