Semeli Economou, also known as Santa Semeli, is an actress, director, writer, producer, poet, performer and musician.
Background
She is the daughter of Cypriot classical concert pianist and composer Nicolas Economou. Semeli Economou was born and raised in Munich in an artistic environment. Her father Nicolas Economou was renowned Cypriot concert pianist and composer whose friendship with many musicians, artists and thinkers of his time made the Economou household an artistic hub.
Her mother is Greek American.
Career
Semeli started taking ballet lessons at the age of four. From a very young age Semeli took piano lessons and would often improvise with her father and pianists such as Chick Corea on two pianos. When Semeli was seventeen her father tragically died in a car accident.
Economou studied acting and directing at The School of the Science of Acting (now Kogan Academy of Dramatic Arts) under her teacher and mentor Sam Kogan.
Upon graduating she started teaching acting and directing there. Her active involvement at the school led her to be appointed a trustee on the board of directors.
Amongst other theatre roles, Semeli played Rosina in Opera Piccola’s production of Rossini"s The Barber of Seville at Linbury Studio, Royal Opera House that was broadcast live. They successfully produced the British Premiere of Eugene O’Neill’s Lost Plays.
Amongst other plays Semeli Economou produced and directed O’Neill’s Anna Christie winning Time Out’s Critics Choice.
As a screenwriter Semeli collaborated with Puerto Rico guru Quentin Bell and turned his novel Penance in Paradise into the screenplay called Rich Bastard. Under her own film company Cosima Films she produced and directed the short film The Burning Bush based on Viennese painter’s Oskar Kokoschka’s play. During filming is where she met Icelandic actor Haraldur Agustsson with whom she later formed the music group Semeli lives between New York and London and serves on the board of trustees at the Nicolas Economou Foundation which is based in Cyprus.
In 2013 Semeli Economou together with Haraldur Agustsson founded the music group In June 2014 they released their first single Arrivederci Bob under their own label Cosima Music which reached number 3 in the Cyprus i-Tunes charts.
In November 2014 they released their self titled debut album.
Membership
Semeli is the founding member of the music group.