The Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania announces the establishment of the ‘Noua Arboroasa’ Group for the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of composer Ciprian Porumbescu. The group aims to organise civic and cultural activities designed to highlight Ciprian Porumbescu's invaluable contribution to Romania's musical heritage.
The group, which aims to initiate an applied and consistent dialogue between generations, chose this name to have another opportunity to honour the work of Ciprian Porumbescu, this time with reference to civic engagement. It is well known that in 1875, Romanian students in Cernăuți, a city under Habsburg rule, founded the Arboroasa Society, which aimed to organise cultural events. Two years later, Ciprian Porumbescu became president of the society, focusing its activities on organising conferences followed by concerts. At that time, he was in his third year at the Theological Institute and was popular among his colleagues.
He composed a series of works for these musical evenings: ‘Tabăra română’ (The Romanian Camp), ‘Altarul Mănăstirii Putna’ (The Altar of Putna Monastery), ‘Hai, române!’ (Come on, Romanians!) and ‘Salutare’ (Greetings). A telegram sent to the City Hall of Iași on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the beheading of Prince Grigore Ghica sparked the discontent of the Austro-Hungarian Government, which ordered a search of the Arboroasa headquarters and the arrest of Ciprian Porumbescu. He was imprisoned in a dirty cell with two criminals. Here he was allowed access to the Amati violin, dated 1626, which he had received from his father. The prisoners listened to him play and burst into tears when they heard a doina. He wrote the work ‘Suspinul prizonierului’ (The Prisoner's Sigh) in prison. At the trial, all charges were dismissed, and the composer proved his innocence, being released after spending 11 weeks in prison.
The ‘Noua Arboroasa’ group is open to anyone who wants to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the renowned composer Ciprian Porumbescu. All you have to do is fill out the registration form at fundatiadanvoiculescu.ro.
Theatre performance of national value
The initiative to establish the ‘Noua Arboroasa’ Group is part of the National Day of Gratitude project, an initiative of the FDVDR, which pays tribute to national values. In 2024, the National Day of Gratitude will be dedicated to composer Ciprian Porumbescu and will be celebrated with a tribute show entitled "Crai Nou. The Life of Ciprian Porumbescu."
The event, which will take place on Monday, 11 March, at 7 p.m., at the National Theatre Bucharest, Painting Hall, will feature as special guests the great-granddaughter of the famous composer Scholz Cionca Stanca Emilia, as well as other members of the ‘Noua Arboroasa’ group. In fact, anyone can become a member of ‘Noua Arboroasa,’ including participants in the show, who will be invited to join the initiative.
Guests will have the opportunity to admire a unique exhibition reflecting the life and artistic work of the great composer. The exhibition brings together vintage photographs, documents and diary excerpts from the personal collection of Ciprian Porumbescu's great-granddaughter. On the occasion of this special event, three original sheet music scores from the collection of the National Library of Romania, representing a veritable cultural treasure, will be exhibited for the first time in public. Guests will have the opportunity to discover these rare items: ‘Balada’, “Camelii” and ‘Craiu nou’, the most famous works by composer Ciprian Porumbescu.
The event organised by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania pays tribute to one of the most brilliant figures of Romanian culture, offering the public an opportunity to connect with our country's cultural heritage.
