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While waiting for spring celebrations, two magical Sundays are about to come at the National Theatre for Children. The first one will be on the 29th of March at eleven o’clock, in the Media Hall of The National Theatre of Bucharest, when the Magician of Stories invites children to the fifth Carnival, counting from the beginning of the year, this one a premiere as well, entitled the Flower Carnival! You must hurry to book one of the last tickets at this event beloved by children. And do not forget that on the night between Saturday and Sunday the Daylight Saving Time starts! Next Sunday, the Palm Sunday, on the 5th of April, when the National Theatre for Children turns fourteen, the performance will start at ten o’clock, given the fact that some parents want to go to church as well in order to take the holy willow and will follow two storylines: that of the willow and that of the bunny! On the first Sunday after the Easter Day, the Magician of Stories and his collaborators will be waiting for you, old and young, to the most modern of the stories: the fourteen year anniversary of the National Theatre for Children!   Translated by Minodora Tunaru MTTLC, University of Bucharest

The true masters of the theater are most easily found far from the stage. And they generally have no interest in theater as a machine for replicating conventions and reproducing clichés. They search out the pulsing source, the living currents that tend to bypass performance halls and the throngs of people bent on copying some world or another. We copy instead of create worlds that are focused or even reliant on debate with an audience, on emotions that swell below the surface. And actually there is nothing that can reveal hidden passions better than the theater. Most often I turn to prose for guidance. Day in and day out I find myself thinking about writers who nearly one hundred years ago described prophetically but also restrainedly the decline of the European gods, the twilight that plunged our civilization into a darkness that has yet to be illumined. I am thinking of Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann and Marcel Proust. Today I would also count John Maxwell Coetzee among that group of prophets. Their common sense of the inevitable end of the world—not of the planet but of the model of human relations—and of social order and upheaval, is poignantly current for us here and now. For us who live after the end of the world. Who live in the face of crimes and conflicts that daily flare in new places faster even than the ubiquitous media can keep up. These fires quickly grow boring and vanish from the press reports, never to return. And we feel helpless, horrified and hemmed in. We are no longer able to build towers, and the walls we stubbornly construct do not protect us from anything—on the contrary, they themselves demand protection and care that consumes a great part of our life energy. We no longer have the strength to try and glimpse what lies beyond the gate, behind the wall. And that’s exactly why theater should exist and where it should seek its strength. To peek inside where looking is forbidden. “The legend seeks to explain what cannot be explained. Because it is grounded in truth, it must end in the inexplicable”—this is how Kafka described the transformation of the Prometheus legend. I feel strongly that the same words should describe the theater. And it is that kind of theater, one which grounded in truth and which finds its end in the inexplicable that I wish for all its workers, those on the stage and those in the audience, and I wish that with all my heart. Krzysztof Warlikowski Biography Krzysztof Warlikowski is one of the most prominent European directors of his generation, born in Poland in 1962. In collaboration with scenic designer Małgorzata Szczęśniak, Warlikowski creates outstanding theatrical images. Through his work process, he leads his actors to reach the deepest layers of their creativity. He has created a new way of staging Shakespeare, his body of work contains also subversive interpretation of Greek tragedies, but he is also well known for his staging of modern authors. His 2002 production of Sarah Kane’s Cleansed at the Festival d’Avignon and the Festival de Théâtre des Amériques in Montreal received wide acclaim. It was a turning point for Warlikowski’s international presence. Since 2008 he has been the Artistic Director of Nowy Teatr (New Theater) in Warsaw, where he has so far directed four shows based on multilayers text adaptation: (A)pollonia (2009), The End (2010), African Tales by Shakespeare (2011) and Kabaret warszawski (2013). Now he is working on stage adaptation of In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. In Nowy Warlikowski created a very own thinking about the role and place of theatre in the society keeping on involving spectators into the debate. His headline for the theatre became: “Escape the theatre”. Warlikowski’s theatre productions were presented at the most important festivals: Festival d’Avignon, Festival Prensa de Otoño in Madrid , Edinburgh International Festival, Wiener Festwochen, Next Wave Festival BAM in New York, Athens Festival, International Theatre Festival Santiago a Mil In Chile, International Theate Festival PoNTI in Porto, XXI Seoul Performing Arts Festival in South Korea, Festival BITEF in Belgrad. A separate field of Krzysztof Warlikowski’s work involves opera. Warlikowski is directing in the greatest european opera houses including La Monnaie in Brussels, the Paris National Opera and Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich. In his attempt to “retheatralisation” of the opera he is perceived as one of the revolutionary opera director. He staged between others: Iphigenia in Tauris, The Makropulos Affair, Parsifal, The Woman without the Shadow, Medea, Lulu and recently Don Giovanni. Krzysztof Warlikowski is a winner of numerous awards, including the Award of the French Theatre Critics' Union, both in 2003 for production of Sarah Kane's Cleansed, judged to be the best foreign language production to be presented in France during the 2002/03 season. In 2008 French critics awarded also Angels in America. He was honored by the Theatre Critics' Section of the Polish branch of the International Theatre Institute for popularizing Polish theatrical culture abroad.In 2006 he received the prestigious Meyerhold Award in Moscow, and in April 2008, the X Europe Prize “New Theatrical Realities” in Thessaloniki, Greece. In May 2008 New York’s Village Voice gave Krzysztof Warlikowski its Obie Award for the direction ofKrum by Hanoch Levin, presented at BAM’s 25th Next Wave Festival. He was awarded a prize “Golden Mask” for the best foreign performance shown in Russia in 2011 for Nowy Teatr production (A)pollonia. In May 2012 Nowy Teatr was honored by the international jury chaired by Gerard Mortier of The Diagilev Award in Perm for the performance African Tales by Shakespeare. In 2013 he received a high French distinction of Commandeur des Arts et Lettres.      Translation: Philip Boehm

The I.L. Caragiale National Theater of Bucharest, which is one of the oldest and most prestigious cultural institutions in Romania, has been awarded, alongside other important cultural institutions and personalities, the Royal Decoration "Nihil Sine Deo" today, 25th March, 2015. During the ceremony, which is set to take place this afternoon, at the Peleș Castle, the decoration will be handed out to the general direct of the National Theater of Bucharest, Mr. Ion Caramitru. Royal Decoration "Nihil Sine Deo" is a distinction which is awarded at the decision of the Headof the Royal House of Romania. Royal Decoration "Nihil Sine Deo" is given to outstanding personalities in the social, scientific, educational, cultural, spiritual, economic, politic and military, who have reached a respectable number of years in their profession or have achieved a high performance level, have had an extraordinary initiative, have shown generosity and sense of responsibility, and have used their personal example to enrich Romania’s present. […] The decoration can be awarded to institutions or organizations, if their work is consistently circumscribed to the criteria mentioned above. The possessors of the Royal Decoration "Nihil Sine Deo" will celebrate the Decoration Day every year, on 20th April, which is the day of birth of King Carol I of Romania (1839) and the day he was elected Ruling Prince of the Romanian United Principalities (1866). Royal Decoration "Nihil Sine Deo" may be granted to a total of more than 200 personalities in life, both Romanian and foreign citizens. The number also includes distinguished institutions or organizations. The ceremony at the Peleș Castle subscribes to the series of events hosted by the elegant edifice on 24th and 25th March, 2015, during the anniversary of Her Royal Highness Princess Margaretaof Romania’s birth.   Translated by: Izabela – Elvira Vațe MTTLC, The University of Bucharest

On Sunday, 22nd March, 2015, starting at 11:00, all children are awaited by the Magician of the Stories to a new premiere, during the Spring Stories. The Snowdrop, the Alpine Squill, the Daffodil, the Hyacinth, the Crocuses and the Lily of the Valley are announcing the arrival of the Spring. The stories of the old tell us that each flower has had a human face at the beginning of the World. Flowers have deary faces, of delicate beauty at the National Theater for Children too. In the garden with enchanted flowers, preparations are being made to choose the Flower Fairy. As every year, near the Palm Sunday, on every spectacle, a flower princess leads the Cortège of Beautiful Flowers. The National Theater for Children is waiting you with further new stories, many surprises and wonderful news, but which we can't reveal yet. All we can promise you is that on the following Sunday, on 29th March, the fantasies of the young and of the entire family will be put to a tough test: the Flowers' Carnival is coming! We are waiting for you on Sunday, during the matinée, to the premieres of the National Theater for Children.                                                   Translated by: Izabela – Elvira Vațe MTTLC, The University of Bucharest

On Thursday, 5th March 2015, 19:30, at the Aterlier Room of the NTB, The Sentimental Tectonics, by Eric-Emanuel Schmitt, will be played for the 150th time. The same wonderful actors: Ilinca Goia, LiviuLucaci, Tamara Creţulescu, Carmen Ionescu and Valentina Zaharia will present to you for the 150th time a captivating love story, a fiery game of vanity and jealousy, in which a man is at stake for four women who have decided to fight for keeping him or winning him. A fresh play, written by one if the most played French authors and two characters coming right from Romania… A very attractive stage discourse, in a play signed by the director Nicolae Scarlat, about the philosophy of love and the downthrows caused frequently by almost feeble earthquakes, which can leave deep marks. Turnarounds of all kinds, ups and downs on a bumpy or mined road, such as it is with love, where everything can explode in an instance…all these in a play that aims straight to you heart!                                                   Translated by Podaru Gina   MTTLC, University of Bucharest

The Quinquagesima’s Carnival – a highly appreciated event by the little beings of Bucharest’s National Theatre – brought to our attention that    Spring Stories approach. On Sunday, on the festive day of the 1st of March, the protagonist of the matinee show of the Children’s National Theatre will be the Snowdrop. The little spectators will know the touching story of the spring’s first messenger, the one which, before all of the other flowers, drags out its head from the cold snow, enjoying us with its delicacy and its discreet perfume. At the same time, the children will be a part of the story and they can choose to be: a sun ray, a snowdrop or another flower. The viola will also be a protagonist which will meet the spring and the spell that, Sunday after Sunday, by means of new theatre premieres, The Magician of the Stories and the actors of “Abracadabra” make, helped by the characters of the fairy tales and the popular tales, which will be read in a modern way. Like every Sunday, on the 1st of March the show will begin at 11.00 and it will take place in the Media Hall of the National Theatre in Bucharest. Dear children, parents and grandparents, we are gladly waiting for you to come to the theatre so we can braid together the first flowers in the crown of the Spring Stories!   Translated by Ana-Maria Țone, MTTLC, University of Bucharest

Friday, on February 27th, at 18.30 at Media Hall, an event dedicated to one of the greatest actresses of the Romanian theatre will take place: Memories from the theatre, Elvira Godeanu! One of the missions of the Geo Barton Foundations is that of keeping the memory of the great actors of the Romanian theatre alive. In our endeavour we met the availability of the general director of the NTB, Mr. Ion Caramitru and of the artistic director, Mrs. Ilinca Tomoroveanu, figures of mark of the Romanian stage, thus arising this project of evocation of our great actors. The evening dedicated to Elvira Godeanu will be our tribute towards one of the great actresses of Romania, who entered the theatre’s history by interpreting some memorable characters. By ”meeting” this great personality, we will have the chance to enter the universe of Elvira Godeanu, and be stunned by the values which stood at the basis of her wonderful career: work, fun, gracefulness! Notions which we also highly need today! You are welcome! Translated by Ana-Maria Țone, MTTLC, University of Bucharest

Sunday, February 22, 2015 at 11 a.m. we are waiting for you to attend the Carnival Before the Great Lent , at The National Bucharest Theatre’s Media Hall. The children’s imagination as well as the one of their parents will be put to a test once again. The Fairytales Magician and his team await for you to compete in the rhythm of a carnival, freely choosing your favorite character to bring on stage with the help of a proper costume. The ones who can not make up their mind will be given a carnival costume on the spot. This Sunday, no one has to be indifferent to the spirit of celebration which will embrace nature with the arrival of spring. ’’The most original homemade costume will receive an award. We’ll choose the most beautiful mask, the most intelligent prince and the wisest princess, because that’s how things are at a carnival, everyone wants to be what he/she is not,’’ tells the actor Marian Râlea. Being a child is a serious thing, your hosts say, inviting you to prepare as well as you can, starting with your mask and costume up to the short story that will accompany the character you chose. You will be able to find out more about the significance of this moment, of entering the beginning of the Lent with the help of a joyful group which will turn the world upside down, by coming to the theatre. We are waiting for you with open arms, let the Carnival begin! Translated by Diana Apetroaei MTTLC, University of Bucharest

Organic, by Saviana Stănescu, directed by Andrei Măjeri, ends the series of shows produced in the first phase of the 9G at NTB Program, conducted through the Ion Sava Center of Research and Theatrical Creation.                                         The show brings forward a dire subject, taken from today’s topical news – organ trafficking – and tells a realistic story... but envelops it in a black comedy of good quality. The American dream and the life of emmigrants in a chameleonic ideal world takes on dramatic accents, as well as comical ones. Just imagine what the Bundys from the well-known comedy series would look like, if they lived off organ trade, instead of shoe sales... Silva Helena Schmidt, Andrei Stehan and Lucian Rus turn their acting from drama to comedy, from a realistic performance to the grotesque of the dreams imagined by Ada Milea, Arcadie Rusu, Les Ateliers Nomad, Ioana Păun, Tudor Giurgiu. Organic is a very present and engaging show, displaying grave accents, humor and irony, all accompanied by musical, theatrical, choreographic and visual surprises. Translated by Ioana Axenoi - Pănescu

Famous from the story ”Apolodor, A Travelling Penguin” by Gellu Naum (Ion Creangă Publishing House, 1988), a volume charmingly illustrated by N. Nobilescu, but especially from his fulminatory success at Ada Milea’s concerts and her song Apolodor, here we have again this little tenor, sick with longing, who starts out on a new journey from the circus where he ended up, on the ice of a freezer. The Story Magician invites children, but also parents and grandparents, Sunday morning, at 11 o’clock, at the Media Hall at NTB, to a new premiere of the National Theatre for Children. Together they will revive the delightful character and his terrible misadventures while travelling round the world with his unconsumed longing. Translated by: Bianca-Lidia Zbarcea MTTLC, University of Bucharest