Popular Cypriot composer passes away

Popular Cypriot composer Achilleas Lymbourides has passed away, at the age of 88.

Born in Nicosia in 1920, Lymbourides studied music and violin. He is considered to be a pioneer composer of Cypriot folk songs. Lymbourides’ contribution to the theatre and journalism in Cyprus has been long and significant. He died on Wednesday.

Lymbourides composed many popular Cypriot folk songs, most popular of which are ''Ta mavra mathkia'', ''I Drosoula'', ''To aeroudin'', ''To matsikoridon'', ''I vrisi'', ''San gyr’ i mera tze se do'', ''I koufi tis elias'' and ''I milia'', which deal mainly with love.

In 1942 he founded together with Phivos Mousoulides the first permanent professional Cypriot theatre “The Lyric”, where a series of successful plays were performed.

Lymbourides wrote plays and translated famous foreign plays into Greek.

In 1952 he published the magazine ''O Fakos''. He also published series of books, including the ''History of Cypriot Journalism (1878 – 1960)'', ''Cypriot Theatrical Pages'', ''British Rule in Cyprus'' and ''Cyprus and World War 1910 – 1920''.

Lymbourides has received many awards and was honored by the state and many organisations for his long contribution to culture.

His funeral will take place Saturday morning.