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Entries Tagged as '“Marthe BIBESCO”'

ROMANIA VAZUTA “ALTFEL”: ‘Blouse Roumaine – the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women’

April 26th, 2009 · Comments Off on ROMANIA VAZUTA “ALTFEL”: ‘Blouse Roumaine – the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women’ · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE, quotations, Translations

In primul rand mesajul lucrarii NU este unul ‘oficial’, parafat de cei care ne dramuiesc adevarul. Autorul este constient de faptul ca traim intr-o perioada a nesfarsitei “Tranzitii” unde bajbaim inca, pe carari intortocheate, ca sa ne aflam identitatea, Pe aceleasi carari misuna ‘experti’, autoproclamati ‘boieri ai mintii’, care nu numai ca isi dau coate intre ei ca sa ramana in capul bucatelor, dar sunt gata ori si cand sa ne abureasca memoria si sa ne re-scrie istoria. Metodele sunt aceleasi care au fost folosite sub dictatura: o amnezie preprogramata, urmata de un facsimile cosmetizat atat de neverosimil incat tipa dela distanta.

Acest fenomen nu este unul propriu Romaniei ci se afla in speta in toate tarile ‘ex-comuniste’ fiind insumat perfect de simplu si plastic de catre un parlamentar Polonez cand a afirmat:

‘Imperiile se destrama doar in cateva saptamani, in timp ce mentalitatea imperiala are nevoie de cateva generatii ca sa dispara’.

Antologia de fata nu isi poate permite sa ‘corecteze’ dintr-un condei aceste aberatii care se impamantenesc, dar isi propane in schimb sa ofere cititorului o lucrare sub un unghi ‘alternativ’ si pe undeva neconformist, despre o realitate istorica perceputa ‘de partea cealalta a baricadei’.

In al doilea rand alegerea subiectului si al punctului de referinta, plasarea lui intr-un context istoric si social dar si intr-un cadru European, plaseaza antologia “Blouse Roumaine” intr-o categorie foarte diferita.

In al treilea rand, ca Forma, lucrarea se adreseaza nu numai specialistilor din Universitati dar si publicului larg, facand-o accesibila unei categorii mari de cititori romani si straini.

In acest context formatul Antologiei ofera pentru prima data cititorilor Anglo-Saxoni, nefamiliarizati cu Romania, posibilitatea de a intelege ca Romanii nu au fost doar simpli consumatori ale unor valori Euuropene dar au contribuit in mod substantial la cultura Europeana si de peste Ocean. Aici Antologia evoca o panoplie intreaga de voci de femei de profesii foarte diverse si uneori neasteptate evocand astfel imagini cu totul insolite si admirabile: femei ramase in Romania dar si femei desradacinate, care au luat drumul exilului sau care s-au nascut pe pamant strain doar pentru ca parintii sau bunicii lor s-au exilat, femei care au reusit in mod extraordinar sa isi pastreze valentele romanesti.

Pe parcursul cartii vom putea face o selectie dintre cele o suta saizeci de biografii critice sau ne vom putea delecta alegand dintre cele sase sute de citate, in majoritate traduse pentru prima oara in limba engleza. Aici se vor gasi nu numai citate in proza dar si versuri. Cei care ar dori sa aprofundeze unele aspecte specifice au la dispozitie o bibliografie de circa 4.000 referinte inclusiv situri web (URL), credite de spectacole, recitaluri si expozitii, inregistrari audio, s.a.
Iata de ce, fara nici un dubiu “Blouse Roumaine” se poate considera o carte “altfel”. o Antologie foarte diferita care ramane, totusi, o carte de capatai si poate un manual de studiu pentru aprofundarea subiectelor de interes mai specializat.
Cautarea selectiva este usurata considerabil de existenta a nu mai putin de sase Indexuri organizate pe profesii, subiecte de citate, localitati geografice, nume de familie, sau ordine alfabetica sau cronologic.

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An Alternative Anthology of Romanian Women

April 26th, 2009 · 1 Comment · Books, PEOPLE, quotations, Reviews, Translations

‘Blouse Roumaine – the Unsung Voices of Romanian Women’
An E-Book Anthology by Constantin ROMAN
Synopsis

A Spanish grandee and Ambassador to the Court of St James’s once compared the success of an Anthology to that of a culinary chef d’oeuvre: for Santiago de Mora Figueroa y Williams, Marques of Tamarón, a great Anglophile but also a refined European:

The perfect anthology, like the perfect hors d’oeuvre, should turn us into gluttons. The many small dishes add up to a balanced and nourishing meal, but they are so exquisite that they whet one’s appetite for more. And the anthology should also include unexpected delicacies, things that even the literary gourmet had not heard about.

blouse-roumaine-cover2On a deeper reflection, Tamarón’s metaphor encapsulates perfectly well the ethos of the ‘Blouse Roumaine’. Yet, as an Anthology of Romanian women, this corpus was initially conceived to connect with a French painting of Henri Matisse – the eponymous canvas, ‘La Blouse Roumaine’ (1940), which hangs today in the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris: for every and each biography contained in this Women’s Anthology is like a minutely embroidered stitch on an ethnic tapestry, such as we have admired, not so long ago in the Retrospective exhibition of Matisse’s collection of textiles, presented at the Royal Academy in London and later also shown in New York. For those of us who missed this exhibition the analogy to the current book is like a roll call of women presented in a sequence of biographical cameos. These sketches are displayed like a series of miniatures in a virtual National Portrait Gallery: they are all glittering stars from Western galaxies and Eastern nebulae, in all 160 of them…

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Le rayonnement de la culture Roumaine en France

July 5th, 2006 · Comments Off on Le rayonnement de la culture Roumaine en France · Books, PEOPLE, Reviews, Translations

Le rayonnement de la culture Roumaine en France

(Plaidoyer pour la traduction en Français de l’Anthologie “Blouse Roumaine” par Constantin ROMAN – Juin 2006)

Blouse Roumaine – The Unsung Voices of Romanian Women (Centre for Romanian Studies, London, 2009) http://www.blouseroumaine.com/freeexcerpt_download.html
Blouse Roumaine – The Unsung Voices of Romanian Women (Centre for Romanian Studies, London, 2009) http://www.blouseroumaine.com/freeexcerpt_download.html

Inspirée de la toile homonyme de Henri Matisse, oeuvre exposée au Musée d’Art Moderne du Centre Pompidou à Paris, “La Blouse Roumaine” est une anthologie des Femmes de Roumanie, présentant des personnalités incontournables de la culture universelle. Cet ouvrage contient une majorité des femmes francophones – des femmes qui se sont exprimées a un moment ou un autre dans cette langue, ont écrit ou écrivent en Français, ont vécu en France ou bien y vivent actuellement, contribuant à la culture française comme professeurs, écrivains, peintres, sculpteurs, psychologues, philosophes, médecins, analystes politiques, poètes, actrices de cinéma ou de théâtre (sociétaires de la Comédie française), des femmes qui ont tenu des salons littéraires à Paris, les égéries qui ont inspiré les artistes Rodin, Brancusi, Renoir, Vuillard, Matisse, Fantin Latour, les compositeurs Chausson, Poulenc, Gounod, Fauré ou Saint Saens et Ysaÿe, des écrivains comme Proust, Colette, Cocteau, Morand ou Anatole France et Sacha Guitry, des cinéastes comme Jean Renoir, Marc Allegret, Christian Jacques, Jean Boyer, ou Pierre Colombier et Claude Autant-Lara, des pianistes et violonistes, des chanteuses d’opéra, des ballerines, enfin, des françaises qui ont épousé des Roumains ou la cause de la Roumanie et qui ont eu par la suite une contribution à l’histoire culturelle et politique de ce pays, des conseillères politiques, ou des Roumaines naturalisées françaises ou des Françaises d’origine Roumaine.

Le fait qu’une partie du public français ne connaisse pas ou ne saurait concevoir l’apport de la Roumanie au rayonnement de la France n’est point étonnant si l’on pense que la seule femme écrivain dont l’appartement soit minutieusement reconstitué et conservé au Musée Carnavalet de l’histoire de la ville de Paris, Anna de Noailles, poétesse Parnassienne soit présentée comme étant d’origine “Grecque”, alors qu’elle est née – Princesse de Bassaraba-Brancovan, issue d’une famille historique Roumaine. Malheureusement, ce genre de malentendu est emblématique en France.

Countess Anna de Noailles, nee Pss Bassaraba-Brancovan (by Ignacio Zuloaga)
Countess Anna de Noailles, nee Pss Bassaraba-Brancovan (by Ignacio Zuloaga)

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Poetry: Constantin ROMAN (XXVII) – Smaranda, In Memoriam Smaranda Braescu (1897-1948)

May 29th, 2006 · Comments Off on Poetry: Constantin ROMAN (XXVII) – Smaranda, In Memoriam Smaranda Braescu (1897-1948) · Books, PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

SMARANDA BRAESCU s-a nascut intr-o familie de tarani moldoveni din judetul Barlad. A fost parasutista, pilot, campioana europeana la parasutism (1931) si mondiala (in 1932, cu recordul de 7.200m la Sacramento, SUA). Pentru acest record Braescu a fost investita cu Crucea de aur “Virtutea Aeronautica”. In 1932 a stabilit primul record de traversare a Marii Mediterane in 6 ore 10 minute, strabatand distanta de 1100 Km, intre Roma si Tripoli, in propriul sau avion de tip Milles Hawk. Desi in Statele Unite i s-au oferit contracte lucrative Braescu a preferat sa se intoarca in Romania refuzand sa exploateze gloria de campioana in scopuri comerciale.
In timpul raboiului a fost activa ca pilot in celebra “Escadrila Alba” pe frontul de Rasarit si apoi pe frontul de Vest in Transilvania, Ungaria si Cehoslovacia.

Smaranda Braescu – Romanian Pioneer Pilot & Parachutist
Smaranda Braescu – Romanian Pioneer Pilot & Parachutist

Protestul transmis de Braescu Natiunilor Unite si Comandamentului Aliat din Romania demascand alegerile masluite din 1946 i-au atras urmarirea de catre politia politica a regimului Petru Groza. In continuare Braescu a activat in rezistenta anti-comunista, dar in 1948 a fost internata grav bolnava de cancer intr-un spital din Cluj. Aici a decedat in urma interventiei chirurgicale si a fost ingropata sub numele conspirativ de Maria Popescu. Totusi, la putin timp Securitatea a interogat si arestat toate persoanele implicate inclusiv medicii care au ingrijit-o la spital.

Dar ura administratiei comuniste a urmarit-o pe eroina noastra pana si in locul ei de veci, “unde nu este nici durere nici suspin” asa cum ne asigura ortodoxia noastra. In anul 1970 mormantul Smarandei Braescu, ingropata sub numele conspirativ de Maria Popescu a fost vandut unei alte familii si ori si ce urma a existentei acestei femei-erou din cimitirul central sin Cluj a disparut. Prin acest act s-a consfiintit conspiratia tacerii impuse de regimul comunist.

Dupa caderea regimului totalitar memoria eroului pilot Smaranda Braescu a fost reabiltata si mai multe strazi din Romania ii poarta numele, iar prin decretul prezidential din 1996, batalionul de parasutisti 498 a primit “drapelul de lupta Smaranda Braescu”: prea putin, prea tarziu!

“SMARANDA”

Smaranda, unde esti?
Te-ai avantat in zboruri printre nori
Din ceruri coborat-ai ca un fulg
Peste Ocean, cantata indelung
Urale ti-au adus de-atatea ori.

N-ai vrut onoruri si nici bani mai multi
Cinstit-ai vrut sa stai printre Romani
Si te-ai intors atunci la noi in munti…
Cu “Escadrila Alba” ai rapus
Dusmani din Rasarit si din Apus.

In ’46 cand s-au masluit
Alegerile suflul ti-au taiat
Ca bunii tai cu jalba in protap
Mai-marilor de-atuncea te-ai jelit
Dar soarta ta fugar-ai fost sa fii.

Din talcul vietii tale ti-a fost dat
Sa nu renunti la lupta nici de cum
Cu fruntea-n sus sa mergi pe-acelasi drum
Cand boala floarea vietii ti-a curmat
Si-n groapa zaci sub nume de-mprumut.

N-au fost nici popi, nici rude, nici parinti
O candela sa-ti puna pe mormant
Nici vesnici pomeniri, pomeni sau sfinti
Nu s-au aflat s-aline trupul tau
De cine-ai fost sa sufle vre-un cuvant.

Dar pilda ta n-a fost intr-un zadar
Acum ca roata vietii s-a rotit
Si patru zeci de ani trecut-au, chiar
O strada cu-al tau nume in sfarsit
Te va slavi atata cum mai stim.

Constantin ROMAN
Londra, Mai, 2006

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Read more about Smaranda Braescu in:

Blouse Roumaine – The Unsung Voices of Romanian Women

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Constantin ROMAN: “Blouse Roumaine” Extras (I) – ROMANCE la LONDRA

May 6th, 2006 · Comments Off on Constantin ROMAN: “Blouse Roumaine” Extras (I) – ROMANCE la LONDRA · Books, Diaspora, PEOPLE

CONFLUENTE CULTURALE ANGLO-ROMANE (I) – ROMANCELE LA LONDRA Cand trecea pe la Londra, Hotelul Savoy din Mayfair, era uneori resedinta Martei Bibescu, care consemna in jurnalul ei: “Regele mi-a intrerupt visarea cu un mesaj de bun-venit – dar refuz sa fiu deranjata”. Personajul acesta era George al V-lea, varul reginei Maria…Ei, cu o sotie atat […]

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Poetry in Translation (XXV): Marta Petreu, (b. 1955) – “Psalm”

December 1st, 2005 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (XXV): Marta Petreu, (b. 1955) – “Psalm” · PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

To forget, I have no respite:
while phosphorous sleepless nights are licking my skin and eyes
with their rough tongue full of saliva
What a voluptuous and violent embrace

And what conceit:
as it is not in the power of God to wipe clean the past
(only to speed up disasters, through fulfilment)
(that is why
I would rather pray to you, instead,
the man to whom I gave myself that October birthday
please do me a small favour
and show a sign of subservience)

There is no anaesthetic, there is no sleep and therefore no forgiveness
I hold in my body the past and face up to the ashen future
There is no sleep, only that sharp transparency
(as we stand, face to face, I and the nothingness)
only this butcher’s tenderness, my blood that has fallen in love
popping up like champagne through the pores of my skin

The claw of which God will pluck me by the scruff of my neck?

O, Domine meo, it is not in your power to wipe clean not even for one night
the past
you cannot give either rest or forgetting
in me the puppies of fear grow
they multiply they strive and reach full maturity
You cannot give either rest or forgetting:
with rough phosphorous tongues they taste my skin my eyes
What a hungry pack and what a wonderful hunting feast
in the making

Rendered in English by Constantin ROMAN
(December 2005)

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Poetry in Translation (XXIV): Ion Caraion – “Seul au Monde” / “Singur pe lume”

November 12th, 2005 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (XXIV): Ion Caraion – “Seul au Monde” / “Singur pe lume” · Diaspora, PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

– Où vous emmènnent-ils, Monsieur?
– Dans le jardin, mon rêve.
– Pour quoi faire, Monsieur?
– Pour me fusiller, mon rêve.
– Parce qu’ils ont des balles, Monsieur?
– Parce qu’ils ont le temps, mon rêve.
– Où vous enterreront-ils, Monsieur?
– Sous la neige, mon rêve.
– Avez-vous peur, Monsieur?
– Je trouve ça révoltant, mon rêve.
– Qui doit-on prévenir, Monsieur?
– Les feux de l’enfer, mon rêve.
– Ça va aller quand même, Monsieur?
– Il fera nuit, mon rêve.
– Qui est votre plus proche parent, Monsieur?
– Je suis seul au monde, mon rêve.
– Voulez-vous boire un verre, Monsieur?
– Qu’est-ce que ça va me coûter, mon rêve?
– Peu importe le prix, Monsieur.
– Le calice est-il empoisonné, mon rêve?
– Vous n’en voulez pas, Monsieur?
– Casse-le en mille morceaux, mon rêve!
– Doit-on vous pleurer, Monsieur?
– Inutile, mon rêve.
– Bonne nuit, Monsieur.
– Dormons ensemble, mon rêve!
– Je dors seul, Monsieur.

* * * * * * * * * *

Alone in the World

by Ion Caraion. Translated by Constantin Roman.

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Letter to Sanda STOLOJAN – A Funeral Oration by Manuel de Diéguez

August 24th, 2005 · Comments Off on Letter to Sanda STOLOJAN – A Funeral Oration by Manuel de Diéguez · Diaspora, PEOPLE, Poetry

Draga Sanda, Nu visam sa iti scriu in rai. Tu ai intrat acolo fara zgomot. In noaptea desmierdata, poetii confera mortii vocea melancoliei lor. Versurile tale s-au aprins sub cenuse: acum scanteiaza in amintirea noastra. Toate grozaviile pamantului nu vor stinge facliile pe care le-ai aprins. Mormantul tau canta maretia gandirii tale, cutezanta sfidarii, cu […]

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Poetry in Translation (XXII): Sanda STOLOJAN (1919-2005) – “Three Trees”

August 22nd, 2005 · Comments Off on Poetry in Translation (XXII): Sanda STOLOJAN (1919-2005) – “Three Trees” · Diaspora, PEOPLE, Poetry, Translations

I
“The forest tree
Shakes its harvest
Silently in itself
Then into the outer world.

You too
Welcome winter
and you shall find under the deep snow
The path
the shroud
forever green.

II
The lonely tree
awaits the moment
which comes
and goes
Up there in the mist
Just a single apple
A possible sun.

III
Dying
to the highest
the coldest top
the tree which is thought
burns
seeking for the word
heaven.

(From the collection of poems entitled:
Sur les abîmes verts,
translated into English, from the original French
by Sanda Stolojan, 12 May 2003)

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Sanda Stolojan (1919-2005) – In Memoriam

August 20th, 2005 · Comments Off on Sanda Stolojan (1919-2005) – In Memoriam · Uncategorized

Sanda Stolojan, essayst, poet, memorialist, journalist, Interpreter to all French Presidents since de Gaulle and political activist for democracy and human rights in Romania, has died in Paris, at the age of 86. ———————————————————————————– Extract from the forthcoming Anthology of Romanian Women entitled “Blouse Roumaine” http://www.blouseroumaine.com/freeexcerpt_p23.html ——————————————————————————- Sanda Stolojan belongs to a family of Romanian […]

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