‘Chariots of Fire’ composer Vangelis dies at 79
Vangelis, the Greek electronic composer who wrote the unforgettable Academy Award-winning score for the film “Chariots of Fire” and music for dozens of other movies, documentaries and TV series, has died at 79. Greek media reported that Vangelis died in a French hospital late Tuesday. “Vangelis Papathanassiou is no longer among us,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted, calling him an “electronic sound trailblazer.” Vangelis’ breakthrough came with the score for “Chariots of Fire,” a 1981 film that told the story of two British runners in the 1920s. The opening-credits sequence one of the most instantly recognizable musical themes in cinema — and its standing in popular culture has only been confirmed by the host of spoofs it has sired.