Exhibitions
"A life dedicated to the stage" - George Motoi, the man and the actor - 90 years since the birth of the actor from Braila
As a post-mortem tribute on the 90th anniversary of the birth of George Motoi (January 22, 1936 – March 4, 2015), one of the actors of the "golden generation" of the Romanian stage, the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater—where he was an actor for almost five decades—is hosting, starting February 18, 2026, an exhibition of representative photographs from the beloved actor's long theater and film career.
The exhibition opening will take place on Wednesday, February 24, 2026, at 7 p.m., in the Media Foyer (wing facing Tudor Arghezi Street). Host: actor Alexandru Repan.
The exhibition can be visited daily between 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
George Motoi made his stage debut in 1958, after graduating from the Bucharest Institute of Theater and Cinematographic Art, where he studied under Irina Rachiteanu. His success in theater and film is linked to two great directors: Vlad Mugur and Malvina Ursianu. His noble, aristocratic presence, but above all the depth of his acting, propelled him into memorable roles. He performed on the stages of the theaters in Piatra Neamt (1958-1960), Bacau (1960-1964), Cluj (1964-1970) – under the guidance of director Vlad Mugur, and, from 1970, at the "I.L. Caragiale" National Theater in Bucharest. His career at the NTB was facilitated by his resounding success in the role of Caligula (played at the National Theater in Cluj), after which he was invited by Radu Beligan to join the troupe.
Among the most important roles and performances in which he appeared on the NTB stage are: The Mute man in "The Clown Arrives on Time" by Fanus Neagu, Vlaicu Voda in the play of the same name by Alexandru Davila, Despot Voda in Vasile Alecsandri's drama, Richard III in William Shakespeare's play, as well as dozens of other roles in landmark NTB performances, such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey, "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco, and "The Sacrificial Generation" by I. Valjan.
He played over 45 leading roles in films, collaborating regularly with director Malvina Ursianu. One of his most beloved roles is that of Voda Lapusneanu in the film of the same name (“Roles like these come along in an actor's career maybe two or three times, [....], because the role of Lapusneanu in this film is in no way inferior to Shakespeare's Hamlet, for example, or Camus' Caligula." - George Motoi, "Under the Actor's Mask").
George Motoi did not limit himself to acting, but also wrote and directed plays (debuting in 1967), taught acting, published a volume of essays entitled "Under the Actor's Mask", (1989), the book "New Stage Versions of Old Plays" (2010), and a volume of theatrical essays entitled "The Theater's Rendezvous with Life".
He passed away at the age of 79, leaving behind many fond memories and the example of a life lived with professionalism, modesty, and dignity.
Translated by Andreea Codrea-Boeriu
