Mihai Eminescu National Theatre of Moldova: 100th anniversary of foundation

Chisinau, 7 June /MOLDPRES/ - The 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Mihai Eminescu National Theatre (TNME) with status of national theatre will be marked on 6 October. The institution’s foundation was influenced by more initiatives coming from personalities of the Romanian culture and culture institutions.   

Contacted by MOLDPRES, TNME director Petru Hadarca said that, in the spring of 1935, during discussions on the public budget, the cults and arts ministry had put forward a proposal to suspend the work of the three national theatres from Craiova, Chernauti and Chisinau for one year. Although opinion directors from Rampa, as well as culture people from the three cities protested vehemently, on 1 April, the decision on suspending the subsidization of the three national theatres entered into force. The actors were to be employed at other theatres and the residents’ access to the culture institution was to be ensured by tours.    

According to Hadarca, the Bucharest-based National Theatre was to regularly move to Craiova and the National Theatre of Iasi – to Chernauti and Chisinau. The plays of the Chisinau National Theatre continued till late April.  

”And really, the life of the Romanian theatre from Chisinau did not stop. The 1935-36 theatrical season was ensured by tours of the National Theatres from Bucharest and Iasi and the plays were staged in the Orfeum hall, as the theatre’s building needed radical repair,’’ the TNME director noted.    

At the same time, Petru Hadarca also said that, in the fourth decade of the 20th century, the Iasi National Theatre had had frequent tours to Chisinau, especially as some of the actors played before on the stage of the Chisinau Theatre.   

”Namely the legendary Chirita, played by Miluta Gheorghiu, stage management of Maican, actually remained in the history books of the Romanian theatre as example of perfect theatrical achievement and one of the most long-living stage personages, being played till 1970s. Namely the memory of this Chirita of Miluta Gheorghiu was hidden from the Chisinau audience in the deepest places of the memory during the Stalin’s regime’s years. And as late as in 1957, after years of fear and terror, in a changed world, namely Chirita of Miluta Gheorghiu re-brought the Romanian language and its entire wealth and beauty from works by classical Romanian writers. The theatre is an art of emotions and intelligence, which is experienced in reality and has power to arouse the spirit and unite hearts,’’ Petru Hadarca added.