Romanian Cannes-winning director Liviu Ciulei dies at 88

Romanian film and theater director Liviu Ciulei died in Germany Tuesday, October 25, at the age of 88. Born on July 7, 1923, Liviu Ciulei is known as a Romanian theater and film director, as well as film writer, actor, architect, educator, costume and set designer. With a career spanning over 50 years, he had [...]

Romanian writer Cartarescu, high up in odds for Nobel prize for literature

Romanian writer Mircea Cartarescu (in picture) is among the favorites for the Nobel prize for literature this year, and a new entry in the top, based on the rankings at booking houses in the UK, according to UK media. (Read more about Mircea Cartarescu in our Famous Romanians article). Syrian poet Adonis, who won the [...]

Romanian writer Norman Manea receives Nelly Sachs literature award in Germany

Reputed Romanian writer Norman Manea has recently received the Nelly Sachs literary award in Germany, given by a jury made of literary critics from Die Zeit, Suddeutsche Zeitung, Der Spiegel, Frankfurter Rundschau and Deutsche Akademie Fur Sprache und Dichtung publications. 75-year old Manea, the most translated Romanian author, has also recently become honorary member of [...]

‘Mr. Jazz of Romania’ Johnny Raducanu dies of heart attack

Romanian jazz musician Johnny Raducanu, also known as “Mr. Jazz of Romania”, died of heart attack on Monday in Bucharest. He was 79. Bass player, pianist, composer, and band leader, Johnny Raducanu was born on December 1, 1931, in Braila, Romania. The Romanian artist, by his real name Raducanu Cretu, was born in a gypsy family [...]

Romanian-born Mona Garcea, producer for CSI NY, Two and a Half Men

A 35 years old Romanian-born has been producing some of the world’s most famous sitcoms, after starting off as the assistant of Hollywood producer Chuck Lorre. Romanian Mona (Ramona) Garcea, who emigrated with her family to the US in 1987 is now a producer at Hollywood, having worked on series like CSI NY, Two and [...]

Famous Romanians: Norman Manea, the most translated Romanian author

The reason we chose to feature Norman Manea in this article in the Famous Romanians series was that he has recently become honorary member of the Royal Society of Literature in UK, which made him the first Romanian to receive this distinction. It was not the only reason, though. Despite having lived outside Romania since [...]

Time magazine features Romanian writer Cartarescu’s reading recommendations

Romanian writer Mircea Cartarescu is one of the 23 writers asked by US magazine Time to make reading recommendations for its most recent summer issue. “I always reread J.D. Salinger’s books. Right now it’s Franny and Zooey. I think it’s at least the 10th time that I’ve read it. I know it almost by heart, actually. [...]

Famous Romanians: Emil Racovita, the founder of bio-speleology

Romanian Emil Racovita was a famous scientist, explorer and biologist, the founder of bio-speleology. He was elected academician and president of the Romanian Academy and, at only 25, he was also elected member of the Zoological Society of France. He was also the first Romania to go on a scientific research expedition to the Antarctic. [...]

Metropolitan Opera soprano Angela Gheorghiu withdraws from “Faust”production

Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu has withdrawn from the opera “Faust” by Gounod, which will premiere this fall at the prestigious Metropolitan Opera in New York. The Romanian soprano was replaced by Russian Marina Poplavskaya.  The withdrawal was due to artistic reasons, according to the New York Times. Angela Gheorghiu’s manager Jack Mastroianni said that the [...]

Romanian Vlad Iftinca, first pianist at the Metropolitan Opera

Some of the great voices of the world choose to work with Romanian Vlad Iftinca, who is the only Romanian artist employed at the Metropolitan Opera (Met) in New York. He is not only the first pianist of the famous music academy, but also responsible with promoting young talent. Great voices of the world from [...]

Famous Romanians: Max Ausnit, the King of Steel

Max Ausnit was known in the first part of the 20th century as the King of Steel in Romania. He was one of Romania’s principal industrialists at the time and not only had control and stakes in several factories in Romania, but he also controlled factories abroad, in Yugoslavia and Poland. He had to leave Romania twice and was condemned to death in absence by two different regimes in the country at the time. His son, Steven Ausnit, now 86, tells Romania-Insider.com the story of his father.

Famous Romanians: Nicolae Malaxa, the tycoon who built the first Romanian locomotive and car

Nicolae Malaxa was a Romanian industrialist who lived at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century and who created one of the biggest industry holdings of interbelic period in Romania. His holdings were nationalized by the Communist party and the Malaxa heirs are currently on their way to receiving compensation for the nationalized assets through Fondul Proprietatea, which will be listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange on January 25. But who was Nicolae Malaxa and what did he achieve in the first half of the last century?

Famous Romanians: Stefan Popa, the fastest cartoonist in the world

Stefan Popa is a Romanian cartoonist, famous worldwide for his rapidity to draw cartoons with humor, great sharp ideas and a suggestive force. He holds a Guinness World Record for being the fastest drawer in the world. He’s also known to the public as Stefan Popa Popa’s.

Famous Romanians: playwright Saviana Stanescu

Saviana Stanescu is a Romanian-born playwright and one of the most outstanding Eastern European writers. She lives in New York City and teaches at the Drama Department at the New York University. Her plays have won important awards such as the John Golden Award for Excellence in Playwriting or the MARULIC Prize for Best European Radio-drama.

Famous Romanians: piano teacher Carola Grindea

Carola Grindea was a famous Romanian-born piano teacher and the founder of two renowned music institutions: the European Piano Teachers Association and the International Society for the Study of Tension in Performance. She developed a therapeutic method, called Grindea technique, a pre-performance tool to help release tension and achieve mental focus.

Famous Romanians: writer Gabriela Adamesteanu

Gabriela Adamesteanu is one of the best known contemporary Romanian writers. Her books, written in a colorful and colloquial style, have been translated into more than 10 languages, turning her into a bestselling author.

Famous Romanians: pan flute performer Damian Draghici, the ‘Speed of Light’

Damian Draghici is a Romanian pan flute performer, famous for his triple-tongue staccato technique that allows him to play three times faster than the average pan flutist. He is known worldwide as “The Speed of Light”.

Famous Romanians: cartoonist Dan Perjovschi

Dan Perjovschi is a Romanian cartoonist, famous on the international art scene for his unique cartoons that are composed of various images and texts, applied directly on internal or external architectural surfaces. His drawings, half graffiti-half cartoon, cover the walls of museums and galleries worldwide.

Famous Romanians: Alina Cojocaru, principal dancer at the London Royal Ballet

Alina Cojocaru is a Romanian ballerina and one of the most acclaimed international stars. Often compared to Margot Fonteyn, she is known for her interpretative skills and for the elegant stage presence. She is currently the Royal Ballet principal dancer and has more international invitations than any other ballerina. By Alexandra Fodor Alina Cojocaru was [...]

Romanian writer Liliana Lazar awarded The Prize of the Five Continents of Francophonie

Romanian writer Liliana Lazar was awarded the Prize of the five continents of Francophonie, on Friday, during a ceremony held at the Château de Chillon, Montreux (Switzerland), in the context of the 13th Congress of the Francophonie.

Remarkable Romanians take center stage and share their stories at TEDx Bucharest

Several Romanians inspired the audience with their stories at the recent TEDx Bucharest event last week. They’re brilliant people who either stayed in Romania to achieve performances in their home country or chose to go abroad to test their limits and achieve their potential.

Famous Romanians: director Andrei Serban

Andrei Serban is a famous Romanian director who is known for his provocative visual images and the way he reinterprets classical works such as Greek tragedy or Chekhov. He has worked for the major theatres in US and Europe, including the American Repertory Theatre in Boston, where he has been directing for more than two decades.

Testing the limits: the man who dreams of being first Romanian to run marathons on seven continents

Andrei Rosu run two international marathons this year, starting with one at the North Pole, and was the first person to play the drums there. He dreams of becoming the first Romanian to run seven marathons on seven continents by this time next year. Andrei, an economist by profession, wants to climb the Everest, cross Africa by bike, sail around the world and cross Asia in a balloon, he says in an interview with romania-insider.com.

Famous Romanians: Raluca van Staden, the researcher who invented a cancer detection device

A Romanian researcher who invented a device which could detect cancer in early stages works on testing the device and eventually producing it in Romania, with the launch expected early next year. Researcher Raluca-Ioana van Staden has become famous for the invention which has been awarded internationally. After working several years abroad, teaming up with her husband, she chose to come back to Romania to help create a strong Romanian research team. She has talked to romania-insider.com about this invention, which could be expanded to detecting other diseases in the future.

Famous Romanians: director and screenwriter Jean Negulesco

Jean Negulesco was a Romanian director and screenwriter, a pioneer in cinemascope, a wide-screen technique in the 1950s. He has worked for the major American film studios such as Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox and he has received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

By Alexandra Fodor