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Elli Solomonidi-Balanou

Cartoonist, Set Designer, Costume Designer
She was born in Athens in 1931 to Minor Asian parents. She attended courses at the Athens-based School of Fine Arts and also studied at the Department of Set/Costume Design of the Constantinos Doxiadis Athens Technological Institute. Among her instructors were Yiannis Moralis, Yannis Tsarouchis, Spyros Vassiliou, Vassilis Vassiliadis and engraver Tassos (Anastasios Alevizos). She also studied at the French Institute of Athens; on a scholarship from the Italian Institute, she attended art classes at the Italian University for Foreigners, Perugia. She worked as a music producer with the Greek State Radio (EIR), where she was also in charge of the music in some radio theater broadcasts. In 1965 she became the first set/costume designer with the theater department of the newly established Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT). She is a member of Greek and international organizations and agencies, such as: the Hellenic Centre of the International Theatre Institute, UNESCO International Dance Council (CID), Center for the Study and Research of Greek Theater (Theatrical Museum of Greece), Association of Smyrneans, Greek Guiding Association, Christian Theater Society, National Historical Museum and Friends of the Museum of the City of Athens. She is a partner in the Society for the Promotion of Education and Learning. She worked for a long time as a cartoonist with the Athens dailies Mesimvrini and Kathimerini. Her album titled “30 years of sketches, Theater-Music-Dance” was published in 1988. She presented her work in solo and group exhibitions. She collaborated with Spyros Evangelatos’ Amphitheater and the independent theater scene. In 2011 she was honored by the Academy of Athens for her 50-year contribution. She worked with the GNO from 1961 to 1995 as set/costume designer in the operas: Werther, Manon and Manon Lescaut; the operetta: Countess Maritza [Gräfin Mariza]; and, the ballets: Carmen, Carmen Suite, Giselle, Don Quixote and Les Sylphides. Overall, she worked in 31 productions and/or revivals. // Last update of the biography: December 2015 - The list of productions below is continually updated.