The following people are among the creative Romanian Personalities in whom the Foundation has a particular interest.
Please click on the names below for further information:
Art
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Isaac Antcher
(1899-1992) Artist
Constantin Brancusi
(1876-1957) Sculptor
Brassai
(1899-1984) Photographer, Artist and Writer
Victor Brauner
(1903-1966) Surrealist Artist
Nicolae Grigorescu
(1838-1907) Painter
Jacques Hérold
(1910-1987) Poet and Artist
Isidore Isou
(1925-2007) Artist, Philosopher and Writer
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of one of his novels, The Love Express. The Foundation also a specially extensive collection of his published writings.
Marcel Janco/Iancu
(1895-1984) Painter
Jules Janco/Iancu
Georges Janco/Iancu
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Eugene Ionesco
(1909-1994) Novelist, Playwright, Essayist, and Artist
 Downloads available in this section.
Gherasim Luca
(1913-1994) Surrealist poet and artist
Downloads available in this section.
Stefan Luchian
(1868-1916) Impressionist Artist
Grégoire Michonze
(1902-1982) Painter
The Foundation has several of his works.
Jean Negulesco
(1900-1993) Film Director and Artist
Jules Pascin
(1885-1930) Artist
Jules Perahim
(1914-present) Surrealist Artist
Renee Perle
(Unknown-1977) Artist
Arthur Segal
(1875-1944) Painter
Janos Mattis Teutsch
(1884-1960) Artist
Ilarie Voronca
(1903-1946) Writer and Artist
Downloads available in this section. |
Literature
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Konrad Bercovici
(1881-1961) Novelist
Prince Antoine Bibesco
(1878-1951) Playwright
Princess Elizabeth Bibesco
(1897-1945) Writer
Princess Marthe Bibesco
(1886-1973) Writer
Lucian Blaga
(1895-1961) Writer and Philosopher
Brassai
(1899-1984) Photographer, artist and writer
Downloads available in this section.
Mircea Cartarescu
(b. 1956) Poet and Essayist
Ludovic Bruckstein
(1920 - 1988) Writer
Paul Celan
(1920-1970) Poet
E. M. Cioran
(1911-1995) Philosopher and Writer
Professor Mircea Eliade
(1907-1986) Historian of religions and writer of fiction
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of his first novel, Diary of a Near-Sighted Adolescent.
Benjamin Fondane
(1898-1944) Philosopher, Essayist, and Writer
Matila Ghyka
(1881-1965) Philosopher, Essayist, and Novelist
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of his magnum opus, The Golden Number, which will be published by Inner Traditions in the USA.
Jacques Hérold
(1910-1987) Poet and Artist
John Houseman
(1902-1988) Actor, Producer, Director, and Writer
Downloads available in this section.
Eugene Ionesco
(1909-1994) Novelist, Playwright, Essayist, and Artist
Downloads available in this section.
Isidore Isou
(1925-2007) Artist, Philosopher and Writer
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of one of his novels, The Love Express. The Foundation also has a specially extensive collection of his published writings. |
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Gherasim Luca
(1913-1994) Surrealist poet and artist
Downloads available in this section.
Gellu Naum
(1915-2001) Surrealist writer
Downloads available in this section.
Peter Neagoe
(1881-1960) Writer
Countess Anna de Noailles
(1876-1933) Poet and Writer
Sasa Pana
(1902-1981) Writer
Paul Paum
Surrealist writer
Mihail Sebastian
(1907-1945) Novelist and Playwright
Claude Sernet
(1902-1968) Writer
Dolfi Trost
(1916-1966) Surrealist writer
Downloads available in this section.
Tristan Tzara
(1896-1963) Poet, Essayist, Playwright
Downloads available in this section.
Helène Vacaresco
(1864-1947) Writer
Downloads available in this section.
Ion Vinea
(1895-1964) Writer
Ilarie Voronca
(1903-1946) Writer and Artist
Elie Wiesel
(1928-present) Novelist
Downloads available in this section. |
Music
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Bela Bartok
(1881-1945) Composer
The Foundation has his book 'Rumanian Folk Music', translated into English.
George Enescu
(1881-1955) Violinist, Conductor, and Composer
The Foundation has sponsored the first British performance of one of his compositions.
Angela Gheorghiu
(b 1965) Opera Singer
Clara Haskil
(1895-1960) Pianist |
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Dinu Lipatti
(1917-1950) Pianist and Composer
The Foundation has sponsored the world premiere performance of one of his compositions taken from the manuscript.
Radu Lupu
(b 1945) Concert Pianist
Sergiu Celibidache
(1912-1996) Orchestra Conductor
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Sherban Lupu, Violinist (1952 – 2023)
Violin performer, teacher and music editor Sherban Lupu has died, aged 71. He was considered one of the leading Romanian violinists of the last century and a champion of George Enescu’s compositions.
Born in Brasov, Romania in 1952, Lupu studied in Bucharest with George Manoliu and in London with Yfrah Neaman. He took master classes with Yehudi Menuhin, Sandor Vegh and Norbert Brainin of the Amadeus Quartet.
Lupu held the positions of violin professor emeritus at the University of Illinois, artistic director of the Gubbio Festival in Italy and associate concertmaster of the San Francisco Opera. He performed worldwide as a soloist.
In collaboration with the composer Cornel Taranu, Lupu finished and reconstructed the Caprice Roumain for violin and orchestra by George Enescu. Together with the Romanian Cultural Institute, Lupu published six volumes of previously unknown works for violin by Enescu, which he had discovered, edited and arranged. He held the post of president of the George Enescu Society of the United States from December 2011.
In 2000, Lupu received a lifetime achievement award from the Romanian Cultural Foundation for promoting Romanian culture and music internationally. Two years later, he received an honorary doctorate from from Cluj Academy of Music (Romania). In 2004 he received the title of Commander of the National Order of Merit and Service from the president of Romania. 2007 saw Sherban Lupu receive an honorary doctorate from the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Romania. He received a Fulbright Grant for the 2009-2010 academic year. He was the artistic director of the ’The Musical Citadel of Brasov’ International Festival, Romania from 2002.
Radu Lupu, Pianist
30 November 1945 Galati Romania - 17 April 2022 Lausanne Switzerland
Radu Lupu, Pianist (1945-2002)
Lupu won a Grammy Award in 1996 for an album of Schubert piano sonatas. In 1995 he won an Edison Award for a disc of piano works by Schumann. Other awards included the Franco Abbiati Prize in 1989 and 2006, and the 2006 Premio Internazionale Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli award.
Lupu retired from the concert stage in 2019. He died in Lausanne after a long illness.
Links to two renowned performances by Radu Lupu:
A rare video recording of a Lupu performance,
Mozart: Piano Concerto no 19 in F, K459, with David Zinman and the Deutsche Kammerphiharmonie
Generally acknowledged to be one of the greatest piano-duet recordings of all time, with Lupu partnered in 1984 by his fellow Leeds prize winner Perahia.
Schubert: Fantasia in F minor, with Murray Perahia
Cinema & Theatre
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Prince Antoine Bibesco
(1878-1951) Playwright
I.A.L. Diamond
(1920-1988) Screenwriter
Nadia Gray
(1923-1994) Actress
John Houseman
(1902-1988) Actor, Producer, Director, and Writer
Downloads available in this section.
Eugene Ionesco
(1909-1994) Novelist, Playwright, Essayist, and Artist
Downloads available in this section.
Peter Lorre
(1904-1964) Actor
Elina Lowensöhn
(1966-present) Actress
Radu Mihaileanu
(b. 1958) Film DIrector
Bela Lugosi
(1882-1956) Actor
Marin Karmitz
(1938-present) Film Producer and Director |
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Jean Negulesco
(1900-1993) Film Director and Artist
Gabriel Pascal
(1894-1954) Film producer, director, and stage producer
Lupu Pick
(1886-1931) Silent Film Director
Emeric Pressburger
(1902-1988) Film Producer and Director
Downloads available in this section.
Edward G. Robinson
(1893-1973) Actor, Painter, and Art Collector
Marcel de Sano
(1897-1939) Film Director
Mihail Sebastian
(1907-1945) Novelist and Playwright
Johnny Weissmuller
(1904-1984) Actor |
Intellectuals, Philosophers & Scientists
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Lucian Blaga
(1895-1961) Writer and Philosopher
E. M. Cioran
(1911-1995) Philosopher and Writer
Ioan Petru Culianu
(1950-1991) Historian of religions,
philosopher and writer
Neagu Djuvara
(1916-2018) Philosopher and historian
Professor Mircea Eliade
(1907-1986) Historian of religions and writer of fiction
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of his first novel, Diary of a Near-Sighted Adolescent.
Benjamin Fondane
(1898-1944) Philosopher, Essayist, and Writer
Matila Ghyka
(1881-1965) Philosopher, Essayist, and Novelist
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of his magnum opus, The Golden Number, which will be published by Inner Traditions in the USA. |
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Isidore Isou
(1925-2007) Artist, Philosopher and Writer
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of one of his novels, The Love Express. The Foundation also has a specially extensive collection of his published writings.
Professor Serge Moscovici
(1925-present) Social Psychologist
The Foundation has recently completed the translation of his autobiography, The Years Adrift.
Hermann Oberth
(1894-1989) Rocket Scientist and pioneer of space flight
Tristan Tzara
(1896-1963) Poet, Essayist, Playwright
Downloads available in this section. |
Romanian Royal Family
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Carmen Sylva
(1843-1916) Poet and Queen of Romania (Regina Elisabeta)
Queen Marie
(1875-1938) Writer
King Ferdinand I
(1865-1927, reigned 1914 - 1927)
King Michael I
(1921 - 2017, Reigned 1927-1930 and 1940 - 1947)
King Carol II
(1893 - 1953, reigned 1930 - 1940)
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King Michael I of Romania
(1921 - 2017, Reigned 1927-1930 and 1940 - 1947)
Photograph of King Michael as a child of eight on the royal terrace at Sinaia.
Please click on the following link to read an obituary from The Telegraph from 7 December 2017.
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Antoaneta Ralian
b 24 May 1924; died 26 November 2015
Antoaneta (Antoinette) Ralian, Romanian translator and publisher.
Please click on the following link to read an obituary from The Guardian Website from 14th December 2015:
Antoaneta Ralian's Obituary
Ionel Talpazan
b 16th August 1955, died 21st September 2015
Tarpazan was an ‘outsider artist’ inspired by UFOs.
Please click on the following link to download an obituary printed in The Daily Telegraph on 2nd October 2015:
Ionel Talpazan's Obituary (JPG, 0.6MB)
Radu Florescu
b 23rd October 1925, died
on 18th May 2014
Radu was a Romanian historian who "discovered" links between Bram Stoker's Count Dracula and Romania's real-life bloodthirsty arisocrat, Vlad Tepes, the 15th-century prince better known as Vlad the Impaler.
Please click on the following link to see the obituary printed in The Daily Telegraph on May 21st 2014:
Radu Florescu's Obituary (JPG, 0.4MB)
Liviu Ciulei
b 1923, he died on October 25th 2011 aged 88
A director, actor and set designer, Liviu Ciuleiwas a leading artist in Romanian theatre and film. Born in Bucharest to Liviu Ciulley, a lawyer and constructor, Ciulei studied architecture and theater at the Royal Conservatory of Music and Theatre. He made his theater debut in 1946, as Puck in an Odeon Theatre production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Soon after, he joined the theater company knwon as Teatrul Municipal din Bucureşti, later renamed Teatrul Bulandra, and directed his first stage production in 1957 — The Rainmaker. Between 1956-57, his theatre directing work was also reinforced by a series of consistent essays on directing an stage designing, in the context of a national media debate around the modernisation of the theatrical aesthetics.
In 1961, Ciulei gained an overall recognition for his version of Shakespeare's As You Like It. He was the recipient of the Directors' Award at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival for The Forest of the Hanged,[3] the film version of the Liviu Rebreanu's eponymous novel (where he also starred in the role of Klapka). In the 1980s, he was marginalized by the regime and transferred to work at Sahia film studio, as documentary filmmaker. He left in 1980 Romania with the motor vessel "Polar V" during the conduct of a documentary film about the life of Romanian sailors.
Ciulei was the artistic director of Teatrul Bulandra for more than a decade. After that, he worked in several European countries, as well as in the United States—notably at The Arena Stage in Washington D.C., where he directed Leonce and Lena (in Canada and Australia). Between 1980-85, he was the artistic director of Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After 1986 he taught at Columbia University and at New York University.
After the Romanian Revolution of 1989, back in his native Romania, Ciulei has directed a series of stage productions that have been both publicly and critically acclaimed. He was named Honorary Director of the theater he has always loved the most, Bulandra. Besides being the costume and set designer of the majority of his own productions, Ciulei, as an architect, contributed to the rebuilding of the auditorium of Bulandra Theatre. In 1996, UNITER (Uniunea Teatrală din România) awarded its annual prize to Ciulei.
Text from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liviu_Ciulei
Please click on the following link to see the obituary printed in the London Times on November 17th 2011:
Liviu Ciulei's Obituary (JPG, 0.4MB)
George Ross
b 1935, died at Hammersmith Hospital in London
on 18th April 2011
Romanian émigré and eccentric who tought physics and the philosophy of science whilst living a restless, bohemian life in London
Please click on the following link to see the obituary printed in the London Times on May 12th 2011:
George Ross' Obituary (JPG, 0.4MB)
Monica Lovinescu
19th November 1923 - 20th April 2008
Monica Lovinescu, the Romanian dissident whose broadcasts from exile in Paris enraged the communist authorities, died in April 2008 at the age of 84.
Please click on the following link to see the obituary printed in the London Times on April 25th 2008:
Monica Lovinescu Obituary (JPG, 0.4MB)
 1952 Lettrist self portrait by Isidore Isou Isidore Isou
29th January 1925 - 28th July 2007
Isodore Isou, the Romanian-born founder of Lettrism, died in Paris on 28th July 2007 at the age of 82. Isou was a hugely influential figure: an artist, poet, film maker and critic, his Lettrist movement was influenced by Dada and Surrealism. A memorial service was held on 3rd August 2007 in Paris.
See more information on Isidore Isou in the Personalities section here.
 Professor Liviu Librescu A tribute to Professor Liviu Librescu
The Foundation would like to pay tribute to the memory of Professor Liviu Librescu who was gunned down while protecting his students from a crazed gunman at Virginia Tech on April 16th 2007.
Please click on the link below to see some articles about him from British newspapers The Telegraph and The Independent.
Newspaper articles (PDF, 0.4MB)
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