Ion Luca Caragiale is, without a doubt, one of the strongest and most lucid consciences of Romanian literature. A brilliant playwright, a formidable journalist, and a merciless observer of social realities, Caragiale knew better than anyone else how to capture the mechanisms of ridicule, hypocrisy, and human vanity. Less well known, however, is the episode of his administrative career, when he led the National Theatre of Bucharest, a short but extremely tense experience that led to the departure of great names of the Romanian stage, such as Aristizza Romanescu and Constantin Nottara.

A famous playwright with administrative ambitions

Until the mid-1880s, Ion Luca Caragiale’s financial situation was modest. Although he enjoyed literary recognition, he lived on a civil servant’s salary at the State Monopolies Administration, without real material comfort. His talent was known and appreciated, but it did not bring him the stability he aspired to.

This situation changed radically after the death of Ecaterina Momolo Cardini, known as “Momuloaia”, a distant relative on his mother’s side. She had been the wife of a wealthy Italian merchant, Girolamo Momolo Cardini, the owner of an important commercial complex in Bucharest. The inherited fortune was considerable, estimated at nearly three million lei, a huge sum for that time.

The inheritance that changed his destiny

Caragiale was among the six heirs of Momuloaia’s fortune and began to receive, twice a year, a substantial annuity from the exploitation of the Frătești estate, located in Vlașca County. This financial change allowed him to lead a better life and, above all, to raise his social aspirations.

At the same time, the success of the play A Lost Letter definitively consecrated him as a playwright, despite the earlier failure of the comedy Carnival Scenes, which had been loudly booed at its premiere. Caragiale had become an authoritative voice in the cultural world, but artistic glory was not enough for him. He wanted an official position, one that would confirm his prestige and influence in society.

The refused support of Titu Maiorescu

In 1888, the political context seemed favorable. The Conservatives had returned to power, and Titu Maiorescu, his mentor and friend, had become Minister of Religious Affairs. For Caragiale, the appointment to the leadership of the National Theatre seemed a formality. To his surprise and disappointment, Maiorescu refused to support him.

The exact reason for this refusal was never clearly explained. It is possible that Maiorescu considered that Caragiale’s literary talent was not sufficient to manage a complex institution, marked by egos, rivalries, and administrative problems. For Caragiale, the refusal of his mentor was a painful blow.

The decisive intervention of Queen Elisabeth

Disappointed but determined, Caragiale sought support elsewhere. Queen Elisabeth, known under the literary pseudonym Carmen Sylva, was a great supporter of the arts and literature. It is said that, in response to the playwright’s complaint, she simply and directly told him: “Then I will appoint you myself.”

Thus, in July 1888, Ion Luca Caragiale was appointed director of the National Theatre of Bucharest by royal decree. At the same time, he was decorated with the Order of the Star of Romania, an official recognition of his value. For Caragiale, this seemed to be the crowning of his social and professional ambitions.

A short and conflict-filled mandate

The 1888–1889 season proved to be extremely agitated. Caragiale came to the leadership of the theatre with a rigid vision of discipline and an authoritarian management style. He wanted order, punctuality, and strict observance of rules, in an artistic environment accustomed to freedoms and compromises.

The actors quickly felt the change. Many of them considered that the new director did not understand the specifics of theatrical life and imposed excessive measures. Tensions grew from month to month, and conflicts became increasingly visible.

Aristizza Romanescu and Constantin Nottara at the center of the scandal

Among those most affected by Caragiale’s managerial policy were Aristizza Romanescu and Constantin I. Nottara, two emblematic figures of the Romanian stage. Both had solid careers and great influence within the National Theatre troupe.

Dissatisfied with the way Caragiale led the institution, the two actors eventually decided to leave the theatre. Their departure was perceived as a true earthquake in the artistic world and marked one of the most controversial episodes of Caragiale’s short mandate.

The conflict with Nottara went beyond professional disagreements. Personal relationships complicated the situation, as the great actor’s wife had an amorous relationship with none other than Caragiale himself, a fact that deepened resentments and fueled backstage scandals.

The press, a relentless adversary

Criticism did not come only from within the theatre. The press of the time proved extremely vocal, constantly attacking the managerial policy of the new director. Journalists accused him of lack of administrative experience, authoritarianism, and ill-inspired decisions.

Newspaper articles contributed to the deterioration of Caragiale’s public image as a director, even though, paradoxically, his reputation as a playwright remained intact. Media pressure and internal tensions made his position increasingly fragile.

The end of the mandate and bitter lessons

On May 5, 1889, Ion Luca Caragiale officially ended his mandate as director of the National Theatre of Bucharest. The experience made him realize that the world of theatre, seen from the administrator’s position, was far more complicated than he had imagined.

Although he was a genius of dramatic writing, leading an artistic institution required different skills, which Caragiale did not fully master. His mandate ended with a bitter taste, but also with an experience that enriched his understanding of human nature.

A moment of personal happiness and withdrawal from public life

The year 1889 nevertheless brought him a moment of personal happiness. During a performance by the actress Sarah Bernhardt, Caragiale noticed Alexandrina Burelly, the daughter of architect Gaetano Burelly. In love, he asked her to marry him, and the wedding took place on January 7, 1889.

The couple spent their honeymoon in Italy and had two children together: Luca and Ecaterina, called Tușchi. In the following years, Caragiale focused on his literary and journalistic activity, and in 1905 he settled permanently in Berlin, where he lived until his death, in 1912.

A controversial but revealing episode

Ion Luca Caragiale’s mandate at the leadership of the National Theatre was short, intense, and full of conflicts. Although supported by Queen Elisabeth, his authoritarian style led to the departure of great actors and to harsh criticism from the press.

Nevertheless, this episode did not affect his status as a great playwright at all. On the contrary, it remains a revealing page in his biography, illustrating the tensions between art, power, ego, and society in a fascinating era of Romanian culture.

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