The history of Romanian music includes names that shone through talent, but also destinies broken by cruel times. Among these personalities is Mansi Barberis, one of the most important composers of 20th-century Romania, an artist of great refinement, but also a woman who endured extreme suffering under a merciless political regime. Her vast and diverse musical output, as well as her innovative contribution to Romanian artistic life, were long overshadowed by the injustices of history.

Cultural origins and the first signs of talent

Mansi Barberis, born Clemansa Barberis, came into the world on March 12, 1899, in Iași, into a family with strong cultural traditions. Her father, the engineer Giuseppe Barberis, and her mother, Marguerite Cazaban, came from an intellectual milieu of high standing. 

From the same family emerged prominent figures of Romanian culture, such as the actor Jules Cazaban, the writer Alexandru Cazaban and the sculptor Ion Irimescu.

From childhood, Mansi Barberis displayed an exceptional musical sensitivity. Her talent was noticed early, and the path toward a solid artistic career became a natural one. 

She attended the Conservatory in Iași, where she studied with renowned professors such as Alfonso Castaldi, Luigi Narice, Sofia Teodoreanu and Antonin Ciolan, acquiring rigorous training both theoretical and practical.

European education and encounters with great musical schools

After graduating from the conservatory in 1922, Mansi Barberis chose to continue her studies in the great musical centers of Europe. Her desire for perfection led her to Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Rome, where she studied violin, piano, singing and composition.

In these cities, she came into contact with major personalities of the international music scene, an experience that broadened her artistic horizons and strengthened her personal style.

In Berlin, she deepened her studies of harmony, counterpoint and orchestration under Wilhelm Klatte, while her vocal studies were guided by Lula Misz Gmeiner. 

She attended and participated in concerts conducted by legendary names such as Wilhelm Furtwängler, Karl Böhm, Bruno Walter, Siegfried Wagner and Kabasta, gaining exceptional artistic experience.

A student of George Enescu and a pedagogical career

Upon returning to Romania, Mansi Barberis became a violinist in the Iași Symphony Orchestra, where she had the privilege of performing under the baton of George Enescu. 

This collaboration proved decisive for her artistic development, profoundly influencing her musical conception, her sense of formal balance and her expressive depth. The Enescian spirit can be subtly found in her creations through rigor, profundity and authenticity.

Alongside her activity as a performer, Mansi Barberis devoted herself to teaching. She was a professor of singing at the Conservatory in Iași and later at the Conservatory in Bucharest, where she trained generations of young musicians. Her students described her as a demanding yet deeply dedicated teacher, capable of transmitting not only technique, but also a sincere love for art.

Compositional debut and artistic affirmation

Mansi Barberis’s first works were presented to the public in 1920, marking a promising debut. In 1923, her talent was confirmed when she won a prize at the “George Enescu” competition for a choral work. This success consolidated her position in the Romanian musical world and gave her the confidence to continue her creative path.

Over the years, Mansi Barberis built an impressive body of work. She composed 19 pieces for piano, around 40 symphonic works, 80 lieder and four operas: Apus de soare, Kera Duduca, Domnița din depărtări and Căruța cu Paiațe. Her music stands out for its lyricism, balance and deep understanding of dramatic expression.

The first female string quartet in Romania

A landmark moment in her career was the founding, in 1936, of the group “Femina”, the first female string quartet in Romania. Together with Lucia Burada, Jeana Botez and Mariana Iarosevici, Mansi Barberis created an innovative ensemble at a time when the presence of women in chamber music was limited.

The “Femina” quartet represented not only an artistic premiere, but also an act of courage and cultural emancipation. Through this project, Mansi Barberis contributed to promoting female talent and diversifying Romanian musical life, proving that artistic excellence has no gender.

Personal tragedy and communist persecution

Beyond her artistic achievements, Mansi Barberis’s personal life was marked by devastating tragedies. She was married to the surgeon Gheorghe Plăcinteanu and had two children: Sorana Coroamă-Stanca and Ginel Plăcinteanu. After the establishment of the communist regime, her family became a victim of political repression.

Her son, Ginel Plăcinteanu, a respected physician, was arrested in 1952, accused of plotting against the regime. After a brutal investigation, he was sentenced to death and executed in the Râmnicu Sărat prison at only 36 years of age. This loss was devastating for the composer, leaving a wound that never healed.

Her husband was also arrested, and Mansi Barberis was expelled from the Union of Composers and professionally marginalized. Her artistic career was practically blocked, and her name was pushed into oblivion.

The final years and posthumous rediscovery

The years that followed were marked by isolation and suffering. Mansi Barberis lived withdrawn, far from the spotlight, bearing the burden of a pain impossible to express. Only after the fall of the communist regime did her artistic personality begin to be rediscovered and re-evaluated.

The composer passed away on October 11, 1986, in Bucharest. On the occasion of the centenary of her birth, writer Ana Sâvățădăoae described her as “a life straight as a stretched string, in the Enescian expression, a moral and aesthetic emblem of the composer”.

The legacy of a great artist

Mansi Barberis remains one of the most important figures of modern Romanian music. Despite personal tragedies and the injustices she endured, she preserved her dignity and faith in art until the very end. 

Today, her musical legacy is being rediscovered, and her name is reclaiming its rightful place in the history of Romanian culture.

More than a great composer, Mansi Barberis was a symbol of resistance through art and of an unbroken passion for music.

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