Dance of the Dictators is one of the movements for piano trio alone from Hatzis's multimedia music theatre work Constantinople. Hatzis was inspired by his own memories from adolescence - members of the ruling junta preaching cultural nationalism and then dancing tangos during leisure time - and by the ‘dancing' strategies used by Saddam Hussein and the Coalition leaders attempting to sway public opinion during the weeks preceding the 2003 war in Iraq.
Born in Greece, educated in the United States and a Canadian citizen since 1985, composer Christos Hatzis (b.1953) is becoming widely known as a leading figure in contemporary classical music. His works are performed and broadcast throughout the world, and their frequent combination of a powerful spiritual foundation with an immediately accessible appeal has made a deep emotional impact upon audiences and performers alike.
