Romanian soprano Mariana Nicolesco, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador: 'Nothing can bring people closer than singing'

Romania’s well known soprano Mariana Nicolesco (in picture), laureate of the UNESCO Medal for Artistic Accomplishments and UNESCO Artist for Peace “in recognition of her commitment to musical heritage, artistic creation, dialogue between cultures, and of her contribution to promoting the ideals of the Organization”, attended the recent UNESCO meeting in Paris, as Goodwill Ambassador of the organization. The Romanian soprano held a speech during the UNESCO meeting, in which she concluded that “nothing can bring people closer than singing.” “No book will ever teach us to sing. The direct transmission, from master to pupil, of this art’s laws and eternal values will always be an assurance that they will not get lost in any way. It would be tragic if it got lost, as the voice and the singing are our primary connection with the Creator and our mean of communion. Because, indeed, nothing can bring people closer than singing,” said Mariana Nicolesco. The Romanian soprano was born in 1948 in a small village in Giurgiu County, in Southern Romania. She studied violin at the Music High School in Brasov and voice for a brief period at the Music Conservatory in Cluj, before winning a scholarship at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome, where she studied canto. She performed in famous operas houses at Teatro dell’Opera di Roma (Luchino Visconti’s invitation), Metropolitan Opera in New York, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona or the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich as well as in prestigious concert halls like Carnegie Hall in New York, Royal Festival Hall in London, Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Musikverein in Vienna, Salle Pleyel in Paris and the Great Conservatory Hall in Moscow. Mariana Nicolesco created the Romanian National Festival and Song Competition, celebrating the International George Enescu Year (2005) proclaimed by UNESCO with the world premiere of the great composer’s complete songs in Japan at the World Exhibition in Aichi, then in Tokyo and Nagoya , as well as in Prague, Rome, Paris and New York.. She initiated the Hariclea Darclee International Voice Competition and Festival at Braila, offering young artists the opportunity to attend Master Classes. We previously wrote about the Romanian artist here: A family of famous Romanians – Radu Varia and Mariana Nicolesco. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com