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(Image source) Today, June 11th, marks the anniversary of an appallingly tragic stain on the page of Romania's history. In short, it was the decapitation of Romanian industry in order to ultimately liquidate the bourgeoisie. It was the day of nationalisation, 1948 - a page that brought with it 65 years of suffrance, loss, pain and grief for hundreds of thousands of Romanians. Wikipedia explains: "The early years of Communist rule in Romania were marked by repeated changes of course and by numerous arrests and imprisonments as... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) "Have you ever heard of Nicolae Kirculescu?" a friend asked me this weekend. "Um... no. Who is he?" Who is he indeed. Shame on me. My friend promptly sent me a youtube link for a beautiful piece unknown to me but familiar, certainly, to all Romanians for it is the theme tune for "TeleEnciclopedia", an educational TV programme that has been running every Saturday evening on TVR1 at 18h45 since 1965. 'Moment muzical' is a lovely, rich piece for piano and orchestra, part of 'Four studies for piano and orchestra' and... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) How lovely it is to have some good news to report for a change. Some months ago, I wrote a post HERE on the appalling neglect and frighteningly imminent destruction of George Enescu's mother's house in Mihaileni, Moldova where he spent time during childhood, youth and adulthood (and later owned). Pianist and President of the International George Enescu Society in Vienna, Raluca Stirbat, made it her hell-bent raison d'être to see the house saved and registered on the list of Romania's Historic Monuments, and, after... [Lire la suite]

Romania celebrates International Children's Day today - a special event to honour and protect children around the world, but particularly at home. The International Day for the Protection of Children has been observed in many countries as Children’s Day since 1950. It was established by the Women’s International Democratic Federation during a congress in Moscow. The day also has its origins at the World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva dating back to 1925. It was established universally in 1954 to protect children... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Incredible... that monstrous oprescu has really gone too far. Last night, the Federatia Romana de Tenis (FRT) destroyed all the trees (1.6 hectares) in Parcul Operei. Why? For tennis courts. TENNIS COURTS!!!! Like Bucharest needs flamin' tennis courts more than it needs green spaces. How many are left now? And people wonder why the dust gets thicker, pollution more severe, the weather has changed so noticeably, there is more flooding in the city than there used to be and the cases of asthma in children continue to... [Lire la suite]

And so... Romania has a new entry in the Guinness Book of Records, this time for the largest flag measuring 349 x 227 metres. Congratulations to the Flags Factory, which created the chef d'oeuvre - an idea dreamed up by Antena 3 to celebrate the 413th anniversary since Michael the Brave united all Romanian territories into one big happy country. The whole bunfight included Angela Gheorghiu singing "Deșteaptă-te române" accompanied by the Army Orchestra and the Radio Choir. I wonder how much Gheorghiu was paid, since she is known for... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Delighted to hear our petition for the Brukenthal and for Romanian Culture made it to the Romanian national press this morning. Please see the articles HERE and HERE both from Adevarul, and also published in Historia.ro, Wall Street.ro, Ziarelive, Yahoo News Romania, Ziare.ro, Turism Istoric and Ziare Brasov. Furthermore, if you missed the earlier article in Cotidianul by Roxana Dascalu, you can read it HERE. Ramona Găină, Florina Pop, Florina Barbu, Simona Suciu, Bianca Sara, Dorin Ţimonea, Cristina Răduţă, Ionuţ... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) BREAKING NEWS: More from Romania's culture scene that has left me so outraged I am not sure to be coherent... Well, here it is: The first Romanian contemporary art museum in the country, The Visual Art Museum in Galati, IS DEFINITIVELY CLOSING ITS DOORS. Why? Because the Archbishopric of the Lower Danube has repossessed the Bishopric Palace which housed the museum, and has had them evicted. That's why. The museum’s heritage section exhibited Romanian art from the second half of the 19th century (Theodor Aman,... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) If you care about Romanian culture, are concerned by the happenings we have recently seen at the Brukenthal Museum in Sibiu - an example of the damage these cuts can do, but just ONE among many - and would like to add your voice to a chorus of others demanding a public debate defining a course of necessary reform within the culture sector, please read the petition below and sign it HERE (texts in Romanian, German and French). Perhaps, together, we can make a difference. Petition for the Brukenthal Museum and for... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) It is inconceivable (to me, anyway) that there can be such resounding silence in the press today concerning the threatened Brukenthal Museum in Sibiu, partially closed as I type due to lack of funding. Perhaps Daniel Morar's resignation from DNA is more important? But Romania's oldest (and probably finest) museum under the axe should have caused a massive public outcry, not to mention a loud surge of indignance. Sadly, however, only a handful of people seem concerned. Where are the petitions? Where are the protests?... [Lire la suite]