A Beginnig: the Theatre

The Romanian theatre was born in 1816, in the residence of the Caragea family. The famous princess Ralu, the ruler’s daughter, had this initiative. At that time, she had already translated a book about he history of Greece, she was reading Schiller and Goethe and she was listening to Mozart’s and Beethoven’s music.

She improvised in her own quarters a stage where the pupils of the Greek school acted. They performed “Oreste”, “Daphnis and Chloe” and a few other plays.

It was a success, so she thought to found a real theatre. In 1818 the legendary “Cismeaua Rosie” (The Red Waterpump) appeared on the street then called Podul Mogosoaiei (Mogosoaia’s Bridge), now Victory Avenue, the oldest street in Bucharest. Its name came from a red brick well near the still existing White Church.

The theatre burned in1825, but we still have its description written by a great historian, V.A. Urechia: ”There was a stage and in front of it a big red velvet sofa. Benches, small and big, in rows, musicians in red clothes and the fireplace was lit by wax candles in enameled candlesticks. The entrance fee was one ducat for sitting on a big bench and one “leu” for a small one. The audience could have sweets, refreshments and brandy at each one’s will.”

On this first stage plays as Schiller’s "The Thieves, or Goethe’s "Faust"
were performed for the first time for the Romanian audience. It’s been a long time and Bucharest has now many theatres, famous actors and very dear memories.