Television audiences will have the opportunity to watch the tribute show "Crai Nou. Viața lui Ciprian Porumbescu", a tribute to the great Romanian composer. In response to numerous requests from the public, this production of Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania, which was performed in March at the "Ion Luca Caragiale" National Theatre in Bucharest, will be screened for the first time on Wednesday 3 April at 22.00 on TVR Cultural.
Directed by Ruxandra Bălașu, with a script conceived by Șerban Fleancu and Ruxandra Bălașu, this performance succeeds in bringing to the fore not only Porumbescu's musical talent, but also the nuances of his life. Vlad Rădescu, who is appreciated for his role in the 1973 biographical film "Ciprian Porumbescu", takes on a new role, that of the composer's father, Iraclie Porumbescu. Emilian Mârnea as Ciprian Porumbescu, Maria Alexievici as Mărioara Porumbescu, Mihai Căpățînă, Radu Mateucă, Alexandra Stroe and Nicoleta Moscalenco complete the exceptional cast.
The show "Crai Nou. Viața lui Ciprian Porumbescu" was played to a full house, the interest of the audience being visible from the moment the long queues for access to the event formed. The deep emotion and the captivating story of Porumbescu's life moved the audience to tears, confirming the great success of the show, which received many positive reviews, including in Japanese. Following numerous requests from the public, Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania, in partnership with TVR Cultural, is making this remarkable production available to viewers, offering them the opportunity to connect with Ciprian Porumbescu's valuable cultural heritage.
The audience will be transported to the end of the 19th century, through significant places for Porumbescu, such as Stupca, Cernăuți and Brașov, highlighting his musical achievements such as "Balada" and the operetta "Crai Nou", but also the struggle he waged for Romanian identity in Bucovina occupied by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. On the other hand, the script also explores delicate aspects of the composer's personal life, revealing an impossible love that deeply marked his creative soul.
Ciprian Porumbescu's great-granddaughter, Stanca Emilia Scholz Cionca, underlines the importance of rediscovering the composer's life and work, stressing that: "It's interesting that Ciprian creates myths. He is a character who had a remarkable charisma during his lifetime. We should be concerned with his writings and his real life. There is still no complete bibliography of his compositions and that's a pity. Only two or three are played and he wrote more than 250," says the composer's great-granddaughter.
Through this initiative, Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania pays tribute to Ciprian Porumbescu, an emblematic figure of Romanian culture. His contribution was essential in shaping Romanian cultural identity and the formation of the modern national state.
The performance "Crai Nou. Viața lui Ciprian Porumbescu" is part of the annual National Thanksgiving Day project, initiated by Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania, which pays tribute to national values and Romania's cultural heritage.
