L'aube du théâtre roumain moderne :

perspectives historiques et socio-culturelles

Abstract

   Through a historical and socio-cultural lens, this article explores the dawn of modern Romanian theatre, marked by a turbulent period in history spanning from the second half of the 18th century to the mid-19th century, culminating in the creation of the Romanian National Theatre.

       In the broader European context of the time, theatre functioned as a genuine civilising force and played an avant-garde role, extending far beyond the sphere of mere entertainment. The stage became a space for shaping mentalities and articulating social transformation. This dynamic is equally visible in the Romanian principalities, whose turbulent historical context heightened the need for cultural instruments capable of fostering change. Intellectual figures such as Gheorghe Asachi and Mihail Kogălniceanu recognised the catalytic potential of theatre as a medium for education, reform, and the consolidation of a modern social consciousness.

       In the Romanian principalities, theatre prepared the ground for the liberation of minds and for emancipation from Ottoman and Greek domination. It also became the epicentre of revolutionary ideas and, above all, of national values that inspired the people – first during the 1821 uprising led by Tudor Vladimirescu, then during the 1848 revolution, and later in 1859 with the Union of the Principalities under Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza.

       The art of dramatic interpretation began to develop in the second half of the 18th century thanks to foreign French and German troupes touring the Romanian lands, and later through the Philharmonic Society, which initiated a school of literature, declamation, and vocal music under the direction of Constantin Aristia. Aristia and Ion Heliade Rădulescu fought against prejudices claiming that theatre could only entertain and never educate the masses, against the notion that women could not appear on stage because it was considered immoral, and against the idea that being an actor was not a legitimate profession. Once these ideas were overcome, theatre contributed to the emancipation struggle of Romanians in the united principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, helping to shape a national identity, culture, and an official language – Romanian.