SOS!! Bucharest's Jewish State Theatre in tatters

(Photo source) It was a tragedy waiting to happen that could so easily have been avoided - and another example of 'merge si asa' from mayor oprescu... City Hall has been well aware of the urgent work required at the theatre for quite some time but did they move? Don't be daft. As recently as last year, the theatre accountant was informed that City Hall would prioritise renovation in 2013. But 2013 has been and gone and nothing has been done. Voilà, the result.

(Photo source) On Saturday night, severe snowstorms destroyed 80m, ie 30%, of roof at Bucharest's Jewish State Theatre directly above the stage, causing untold damage - see photos HERE. Firefighters spent several hours securing the area. Passers-by and parked cars in the street below were also at risk from falling debris along with a kindergarten next door. Continuous blizzard conditions haven't helped matters. Today, the stage is immersed in water, the theatre itself soaked, the basement flooded and hundreds of sets completely destroyed. The freezing elements typical of the season threaten to further damage all that lies within. The building itself is now isolated and all access forbidden due to danger of electrocution.

(Photo source) Needless to say, all performances have had to be cancelled, including an entire event in memory of those who perished in the Holocaust due to have opened on 25th January. Anyone who bought tickets will find them valid for future performances, says the official page on FaceBook.

(Photo source) The prestigious Jewish State Theatre, a historic monument, was built as a clinic by Dr. Iuliu Barasch towards the end of the XIXc. The theatre building (Teatru Baraşeum or Sala Baraşeum) was used from the early 1930s as a Yiddish-language theatre, originally under private management.

The theatre continued to operate during the early years of the Second World War, during which time it became a  shelter for Jewish actors and playwrights from Eastern Europe who had been banned from other cultural institutions. During the war years, the Baraşeum Jewish Theatre premiered over thirty productions, about half of them directed by Sandru Eliad. Although officially exclusively Jewish, at times various Gentile intellectuals helped the company illegally, especially with translations; this was well enough known to provoke indignation from at least one anti-semitic newspaper. Some Gentiles, mostly intellectuals, showed support for the theatre by coming to performances. (Wikipedia) 

(Photo source) The theatre was established as the State Jewish Theatre (Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat, TES) in 1948 and has operated in the former Baraşeum building almost continually since then. It was the first state-operated Yiddish theatre in the world; a second Romanian State Jewish Theatre was established in Iaşi in 1949, but disappeared in 1964. 

No investment has been made in the building since 1955. With historic monument status, the STATE is responsible for it (legea 422). Gigel has promised to resolve the situation as rapidly as possible. "The building of the State Jewish Theatre is not administered by the ministry but as it hosts a very important cultural institution, I will not hesitate to be involved in finding a solution," he told Mediafax news agency. It seems that the theatre falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Tourism - why, I cannot begin to fathom.

(Photo source) It is an incredibly successful theatre and has seen some of Romania's greatest actors including Alexandru Finti, Beate Fredanov, Willy Ronea, M. Bradu, Jeny Shmilovici, Agnia Bogoslava, the Gamberto sisters, Moni Ghelerter, Nicolae Stroe and Mircea Crisan at its footlights. See THIS from Romania Libera on a documentary by Radu Gabrea, "Si s-au dus ca vântul..." The potential loss whether one is Jewish or not is simply unimaginable, for it is a cultural heart for history, memory and patrimony alike. It is one of the few living remnants of the once vibrant Yiddish culture in Eastern Europe and still performs plays in the Yiddish language.

Here are some more recent performances: 'Tragedie dentara', 'Exil în pamântul uitarii', 'Papasarul', 'Yentl' and 'Hoţii de frumuseţe'. Please also take a look at THIS wonderful interview given by the theatre's director since 2012, international award-winning actress Maia Morgenstern.

(Photo source) Ms. Morgenstern, desperately trying to protect the building from yet further damage, has said that no 'concrete' response of the whens and hows has yet been forthcoming from City Hall. The Inspectorate for Construction visited to establish a 'strategy' for what is to be done, but it all takes time - and time is something that the structurally ailing theatre clearly doesn't have...

Leni Caler

Citeste mai mult: adevarul.ro/cultura/istorie/baraseum-teatrul-vremea-holerei-1_50b9f36b7c42d5a663ad287d/index.html

In the meantime, please sign THIS petition initiated by Oana Monica Nae addressed to mayor oprescu demanding that the theatre be saved from ruin. The more signatures there are, the more pressure is put upon the authorities.

Alexandru Finţi, Beate Fredanov, Willy Ronea, M. Bradu, N. Stroe, Mircea Crişan - See more at: http://www.b365.ro/m-morgenstern-se-cauta-solutii-pentru-prevenirea-unui-dezastru-si-mai-mare-la-teatrul-evreiesc_201570.html#sthash.DqIcAcVn.dpuf

Alexandru Finţi, Beate Fredanov, Willy Ronea, M. Bradu, N. Stroe, Mircea Crişan - See more at: http://www.b365.ro/m-morgenstern-se-cauta-solutii-pentru-prevenirea-unui-dezastru-si-mai-mare-la-teatrul-evreiesc_201570.html#sthash.DqIcAcVn.dpuf

Alexander Finti, Beate Fredanov Willy Ronea, M. Bradu , N. Stroe, Mircea Crisan. - See more at: http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=fr&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=ro&tl=en&u=http://www.b365.ro/m-morgenstern-se-cauta-solutii-pentru-prevenirea-unui-dezastru-si-mai-mare-la-teatrul-evreiesc_201570.html&usg=ALkJrhjX_DZFR_3UY76RV2Lag91_6ZfogA#sthash.sAcfQB42.dpufon its boards. The potential loss of such a culture centre so dear to the hearts of both jews and gentiles alike is simply unthinkable. Horrifying to see some of the comments on FB, type 'the jews have money - let them pay for their theatre'. For shame. This theatre is a huge part of Romanian history both in terms of culture and patrimony.Maia Morgenstern, the theatre's director who is trying desperately to find solutions to protect the monument from further damage, said that no concrete (no pun intended) response as to how long reparation would take had been received from City Hall so far... The State Inspectorate for Construction visited the site to develop a 'strategy' for what is to follow, but it all takes time - something that clearly the structurally ailing theatre doesn't have.

Here is an article from today's Jerusalem Post:

Roof collapses on Romania’s Jewish theater

By JTA, 01/30/2014 10:49

The 19th century building is considered by some to be "the most important institution of Romanian Jewry."

State Jewish Theater, Bucharest, Romania. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

BUCHAREST — Heavy snows caused the partial collapse of the roof of the State Jewish Theater, paralyzing one of Romanian Jewry’s foremost cultural institutions.

A snowstorm on Jan. 25 devastated about a third of the roof of the 19th century building that houses the theater, the institution’s director, Maia Morgenstern, told JTA.

“Unfortunately, the part of the roof that collapsed was directly over the stage area, so performances cannot go on,” she said. No one was hurt in the collapse, but now “the water keeps pouring and pouring into the building and part of it is completely flooded.”

According to Morgenstern, “City officials have already pledged to provide resources for fixing the situation, but this building has been neglected for so long, it needs to be reconstructed, not just renovated.”

She was not sure when and even if the theater would be operational again.

Between 100 and 200 people attend the theater’s performances four nights a week, Morgenstern said.

“I think it is one of the most important if not the most important institutions of Romanian Jewry,” she said.

See more from the international press here: Washington Post, Jewish Business News, News Channel 6, GlobalPost, Daily Motion and USA Today. 

More news as it comes...