Have fun in Bucharest

In the literary world of interwar Bucharest, disputes between writers and critics were not at all unusual. The capital of Romania had become, in the first half of the 20th century, an effervescent cultural center, where literary magazines, literary circles and meetings among intellectuals constantly fueled heated polemics. In this climate took plac...

In the history of Romanian light music there are many names that shone brightly for a time, only to be almost completely forgotten afterward. Among them is Mara Ianoli, one of the most elegant and expressive artists of Romania’s revue stage. Born on February 4, 1924, in Bucharest, Mara Ianoli became within only a few years an emblematic presence of...

On October 24, 1946, in Bucharest, Anca Miranda Călugăreanu was born, the one who would become known as Anda Călugăreanu, one of the brightest and most sensitive presences of the Romanian stage. She came from a family with Armenian roots on her mother’s side, and her childhood was not without difficulties. After her parents’ divorce, she grew up al...

In a century marked by wars, regime changes, and identity upheavals, Romania experienced not only collective dramas, but also love stories that defied conventions and the times. One of the most moving and elegant sentimental histories of the 20th century has at its center the great violinist Ion Voicu and Princess Madeleine Cantacuzino. He, nicknam...

In the gallery of personalities who shone in interwar Bucharest, the name of Prince Ion Șerban Filotti Cantacuzino holds a special place. A descendant of an aristocratic family with resonance in the history of Romania, the son of a great actress and the grandson of a world-renowned scholar, he managed to carve out his own path, combining medical sc...

Few people have burned for theatre with the intensity with which Sică Alexandrescu did. For him, the stage was not just a space of creation, but a way of existing. He was born in theatre, he grew up in theatre, and he died working for theatre. He discovered and launched huge names, staged performances that became legendary, and took Romanian theatr...

In an era when the name Cantacuzino was synonymous with power, refinement, and aristocratic tradition, Marie Blanche “Bălașa” Cantacuzino chose an unusual path for a princess. Born in the heart of Bucharest, into one of the oldest and most prestigious boyar families, Bălașa did not content herself with living exclusively from the privileges of her...

The destiny of Constantin C. Nottara seems written under the sign of art from the very first day of his life. Born into a family in which stage, music, and literature were everyday realities, he grew up in an environment where talent was not only encouraged, but breathed in. The son of renowned actors of the National Theatre in Bucharest, Constanti...

The perfume of interwar Bucharest has not completely faded. It still lingers discreetly today among the weathered buildings of the Old Town, on the streets where, once, lanterns lit the steps of coquettish ladies and troubadours with guitars held close to their chests. It was an era of intense passions, long nights in cafés, and romances sung with...

Bucharest has not only been sung about in poetry and literature but also in music, starting from the early decades of the 20th century. The capital of Romania inspired composers, lyricists, and performers who captured the charm of the city, the contrast between the neighborhoods and the elegant boulevards, the nostalgia of old fairs, and the vibran...