The Union of Interpretive Creation of Musicians in Romania (UCIMR) announces the cultural project "Veturia Ghibu", which aims to pay tribute to the life and remarkable contribution of an important and often underestimated figure of Romanian musical culture, pianist and soprano Veturia Ghibu, recognizing her central role in promoting the lied genre in Romania, in the development of Romanian musical creation and in the organization of cultural life in Transylvania, especially in Cluj-Napoca, after the Great Union.
By celebrating in 2024 the 135th anniversary of his birth and 65 years since his passing into eternity, the project brings back to attention an essential period in the history of Romanian music, marked by the reconfiguration of national identity and integration into the European cultural network.
Veturia Ghibu was the wife of the scholar, fighter for the Great Union of 1918 and militant pedagogue Onisifor Ghibu and a musician with major influence in the development of Romanian musical creation and in the promotion of the lied in Romania, being the initiator of this musical genre in our country. As a soprano, pianist and teacher, several important premieres in the interpretative and educational musical field are linked to her name in the period 1919-1948: she is the first promoter of Romanian music recitals, supporter of musical education, concert organizer, animator of cultural-musical life in Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu and Bucharest, collaborator of George Enescu, accompanied by him in concerts, the first performer of Romanian origin recorded on disc (Casa de Discuri "Columbia" – UK, 1927), the first Romanian broadcast on Radio-Paris.
However, very little is known and talked about Veturia Ghibu's contribution today, and the project that bears her name aims to pay tribute to her life and work, bringing attention to her importance and influence on Romanian and European musical culture.
Thus, 5 musical stops, scheduled for September and October, in cities with a significant connection to her life and work (Bucharest, Brașov, Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu and Sinaia), will provide an opportunity for the collaboration between the human factor and new technologies to portray Veturia Ghibu in contemporary tones, bringing her closer to the general public. The conferences-shows will include historical-bibliographic and musicological presentations, multimedia dialogue recitals, question and answer sessions, a digital photography exhibition, in cities dear to the artist, to which she was linked through her biography, her formative years, her pianistic and singing activity. The musicological conferences on Veturia Ghibu's life and work will be presented following extensive research carried out by Dr. Bianca Manoleanu, soprano and Associate Teaching Staff at the National University of Music in Bucharest, and Dr. Corneliu Beldiman, historian, museographer, scientific researcher at the National Museum of the Eastern Carpathians and at the National Institute for the Study of Totalitarianism, Romanian Academy Bucharest. The dialogue recitals will be presented by Dr. Bianca Manoleanu, with the participation of a voice and piano duo, composed of Stanca-Maria Manoleanu, soprano, and Mihai Murariu, pianist-composer. They will perform lieder composed by contemporary composers, in a multimedia dialogue with recordings of Veturia Ghibu performing contemporary lieder from her time;
The events will include question and answer sessions with journalist Ivona Cristescu, musicologist and TVR producer. In parallel, there will be a digital photography exhibition with images from the life of Veturia Ghibu, which those interested will be able to access on www.ucimr.ro.
Event schedule
The events are scheduled between September 19 and October 10, as follows:
CLUJ-NAPOCA, Gheorghe Dima Music Academy – Concert Studio, Thursday, September 19, 7:00 PM
BRAȘOV, Brașov Philharmonic, Small Hall, Saturday, September 21, 12:00
SINAIA, Peleș Castle – Great Concert Hall, Saturday, September 28, 4:00 PM
SIBIU, Astra County Library, Festive Hall, Monday, September 30, 7:00 PM
BUCHAREST, National University of Music Bucharest, Opera and Multimedia Studio, Thursday, October 10, 7:00 PM
A Lied (from the German "Lied", meaning "song") is a vocal musical composition, usually accompanied by piano, based on a lyrical text, often a short poem.
The “Veturia Ghibu” project is carried out by the Union of Interpretative Creation of Musicians in Romania (UCIMR), in collaboration with the Gheorghe Dima Music Academy, the Brașov Philharmonic, the Peleș National Museum, the ASTRA Sibiu County Library and the National University of Music Bucharest, the “Bianca” Sociocultural Association, the National Institute for the Study of Totalitarianism and ENJOY TV Romania, and is co-financed by AFCN. The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or for the way in which the project results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the funding beneficiary.
About UCIMR
Founded in 1995, at the initiative of the first violist of the Bucharest Philharmonic, Ștefan Gheorghiu, the Union of Performative Creation of Musicians in Romania is a non-profit organization of public utility, which for almost 3 decades has contributed to the development and spread of classical music, both nationally and internationally. UCIMR supports the performing arts, from soloists, choristers and instrumentalists to dancers or ballerinas, by initiating and implementing cultural projects aimed at facilitating the exchange of experience and the promotion of artists in the most diverse environments. UCIMR's mission is to develop the Romanian cultural landscape by promoting authentic artistic values. The association creates opportunities for affirmation dedicated to young artists, but also supports the activity of retired artists.
The Union of Interpretive Creation of Musicians in Romania and the Peleș National Museum are organizing the concert "Veturia Ghibu, Lady of the Lieder" on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 4:00 PM.
Access is by invitation, which is requested at the email address peles.ro@gmail.com.
The cultural project "Veturia Ghibu", of the Union of Interpretative Creation of Musicians in Romania (UCIMR), aims to pay tribute to the life and remarkable contribution of an important and often underestimated figure of Romanian musical culture, the pianist and soprano Veturia Ghibu, recognizing her central role in promoting the lied genre in Romania, in the development of Romanian musical creation and in the organization of cultural life in Transylvania, especially in Cluj-Napoca, after the Great Union.
By celebrating in 2024 the 135th anniversary of his birth and 65 years since his passing into eternity, the project brings back to attention an essential period in the history of Romanian music, marked by the reconfiguration of national identity and integration into the European cultural network.
Veturia Ghibu was the wife of the scholar, fighter for the Great Union of 1918 and militant pedagogue Onisifor Ghibu and a musician with major influence in the development of Romanian musical creation and in the promotion of the lied in Romania, being the initiator of this musical genre in our country. As a soprano, pianist and teacher, several important premieres in the interpretative and educational musical field are linked to her name in the period 1919-1948: she is the first promoter of Romanian music recitals, supporter of musical education, concert organizer, animator of cultural-musical life in Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu and Bucharest, collaborator of George Enescu, accompanied by him in concerts, the first performer of Romanian origin recorded on disc (Casa de Discuri "Columbia" – UK, 1927), the first Romanian broadcast on Radio-Paris.
