Romanian Journal of Historical Studies Volume II – Issue 1 / 2019

https://romanianjournalofhistoricalstudies.wordpress.com

DEVELOPMENTS PRECEDING THE CHANGES THAT

MARKED THE CULTURE IN CONSTANTA IN 2004
Mirela-Daniela Stîngă 1
1
Ph.D. Student, Doctoral School of Humanities Sciences – "Ovidius" University of Constanta,
ROMANIA
E-mail: mirela.stinga@yahoo.com
Online Published: June 30, 2019

Abstract
Cultural life in Constanța met in 2004 a series of changes whose consequences are also seen today, many of
them irreversibly. However, they had been announced since the late ’90s and the beginning of 2000s through
uncertainties, particularly caused by administrative and financial problems faced by the cultural institutions.
Thus, in a framework marked by financial difficulties, in particular, the local authorities (Constanța Municipal
Council - CLMC), but mostly the county authorities (Constanța County Council - CJC) took measures which
affected the cultural institutions. Under these circumstances, the present study aims to identify the causes that
led to the reconfiguration of the cultural landscape in 2004, when some cultural institutions merged and other
were dissolved. In order to achieve this, I appealed mainly to the administrative documents issued by Constanța
County Council, as well as as the printed press of that period which caught „still fresh” the situation of the cultural
institutions.
Key words: cultural life in Constanța, cultural institutions, theatres, museums, library

1. Introduction
The research devoted to the cultural life in Constanța after the moments of December 1989 had rather a
monographic character,1 either they took the shape of restricted articles about a certain cultural institution2.
They were written by the people working in the field who knew very well the backstage life, by literary secretaries
or artistic consultants, in the case of theatres, some monographs had been drawn in a manifest and assumed
sentimental manner3, usually emphasizing the subjective factor, on states and emotions (this is the apanage of
arts) and less on events backed by archive documents.
Some of these works were published before 2004, the year of the reconfiguration of the cultural landscape,
by the dissolution of some institutions as „Fantasio” Theatre and the Philarmonic Orchestra „Marea Neagră” or

1
Jean Badea, Teatrul „Fantasio” din Constanţa, 40. Monografie, (Constanţa: Editura Leda, 1998); Adrian Doxan, Teatrul liric (Opera
Constanţa), (Constanţa: Ex Ponto, 2007); Doina Jela, Oleg Danovski: omul, artistul, legenda, (București: Curtea Veche Publishing, 2011);
Georgeta Mărtoiu, Anaid Tavitian, Thalia ex Ponto la cumpăna dintre milenii. O istorie sentimentală a Teatrului dramatic Constanţa (1951-
2001), (Constanţa: Editura Leda, 2001); Anaid Tavitian, Metamorfoza unui vis, (Constanţa, Ex Ponto, 2011).
2 The periodical „Analele Dobrogei” included mostly articles about theatres and museums.
3 In the motivation of the volume Thalia ex Ponto la cumpăna dintre milenii. O istorie sentimentală a Teatrului dramatic Constanţa (1951-

2001), including 568 pagini and which is valuable mostly duet o the portraits of some artists and the presentation of some benchmarks
in the development of theatre in Constanța, as the „Evening performances of ancient theatre”, the authors, Georgeta Mărtoiu and Anaid
Tavitian, emphasized that they did not write „a monograph, according to its definition”, as such work „written exhaustively and following
the strict rules would have had about 1,600-1,700 pages and even more” ; they also mentioned that the volume „is a book for every
soul”, where, „even if the story is not organized chronologicaly, it chiar dacă povestea nu este organizată cronologic, ea încearctries to
bring only the thruth”. op. cit., pp. 9-10. In the same time, in the motivation of the volume Metamorfoza unui vis, Anaid Tavitian speaks
about „a sentimental history of the Puppet Thatre in Constanța”, 10.
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unfortunate and forced merging; therefore, these works could not catch enough the dynamics of cultural life in
the above mentioned period.
The present research aims precisely those institutions which in 2004 suffered from the process of reorganizing
the cultural landscape in Constanța – theatres and museums, passing through stages that led them to
irreversibile mutations, starting with the end of the ’90s and the beginning of the 2000s, provoked by a legislative
inconsistency at central and county level.
A real use in documentation was represented by the decisions issued by Constanța County Council (CJC) and
Constanța Municipal Council (CLMC), even if they are lacunar, mostly the first years, between 2000 and 2003, on
the website of the county authority and Mayoralty. An useful instrument was also „Monitorul Oficial al Județului
Constanța” (The Official Gazette of the County Council) in printed format, including the decisions issued by
Constanța County Council, mentioning that at Constanța „Ioan N. Roman” County Library these documents are
made publicly availabe, to be consulted, disparate issues of this publication.
The changes and the tense situations to which culture in Constanța was subjected are generoulsy reflected
not only in official documents, but also in the local press and not only; the articles devoted to the transformations
that cultural life knows in this period, especially theatres and museums are important mostly because they
preserve the emotion of that moment, giving the state of tension and crisis that characterized cultural life,
between 2000 and 2004 and even earlier. Therefore, in carrying aut this research, the articles in daily and
periodical publications represent a source not to be neglected because of their value as a document; the printed
press caught on paper important moments in the cultural-artistic activity of the city (as the settlement of an
institution, as well as festive or dramatic moments). These articles captured the dynamics of the events, and by
recording the position of theose people directly involved in this transformation process-from those with high
leading positions and simple employees-to public authorities- it is rendered the direct impact of the changes
druring that period had not only upon the cultural institutions themselves, but also upon people, from legal point
of view.
In the context that where this research operates with data specific to recent or immediate history, which the
French historian Jean-François Soulet describes as being „the ensemble of the terminal part of conemporary
history, including both that of «current age» and also that of the last thirty years; a history that have main
characteristic the fact that it has been lived by historians or by their main witnesses”4, we fiind appropriate the
call to „the memory” of printed press5 and those directly involved in the events that culminated in 2004.
And because orality constitutes the distinctive feature of immediate history, even it is not deprived of the
risks of subjectivity, I have interviewed some culture people who have served and still serve the artistic life in
Constanța, from the position of literary secretaries or artistic consultants, in order to reconstruct, by appealing
to the still clear memory of those days, which marked the destiny of cultural institutions, as essential data for
the comprehensive process of restructuring the cultural life at the Black Sea.

2. Legislative amendments
After December 1989, cultural institutions in Constanța knew a revival period, taking into consideration that
some departments of the culture institutions had heir autonomy. At that time, the Classic and Contemporary
Ballet Ensemble- included since 1978 in the variety Theatre „Fantasio”, led by master Oleg Danovski- became
the first ballet independent theatre in Romania6, in 1990; the etnographic department in Art Museum in

4
Jean-François Soulet, Istoria imediată, (traducere din franceză și note de Mircea Platon), (București: Corint, 2000), 7.
5According to Soulet (Istoria imediată, 58), the role of press „is not limited to the simple narration of facts or decisions taken by authorities.

Appealing to testimonies and giving voice to readers, press is an original and autonoumous source.”
6 Doina Jela, Oleg Danovski: omul, artistul, legenda, (București: Curtea Veche Publishing, 2011), 211.

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Constanța had legal personality, since January 1st, 1991 and it became The Museum of Folk Art7. Few years later,
in 1996, the symphonic orchestra founded in 1979 by master Paul Staicu was changed into the Philarmonic
Orchestra „Marea Neagră”, with the opening concert, on April 7th 19968; few months later, since August 1st
1996, Constanța Lyric Theatre Constanța was reorganised as Constanța Opera9; the Philarmonic Orchestra Choir
was founded in May 1997. The Theatre for Children and Youth added to these institutions in 2002, based on a
department in Constanța „Ovidius” Theatre.
Later on, after a decade, at the beginning of the 2000’s, these institutions, together with the others that had
already existed as Drama Theatre, „Fantasio”, Variety Theatre, Museum of National History and Archaeology and
Art Museum met some financial difficulties, many of them due to frequent changing of authorising officers. The
situation of the cultural institutions at the beginning of the 2000’s, when they were placed either under the care
of the municipal authorities or county authorities, mirrored several legislation changes, at national level, in the
first decade after the Revolution, as trail measures to put things back on track and regulate their activity and
financing. Thus, between 1990-2003, seven Government decisions regarding the activity and organization of the
Ministry of Culture were issued between 1990 and 2003; former decisions were repealed and replaced by the
latter), three of which suffered subsequent amendments and additions.10
At the same time, between 1994 and 1997, there were also issued legislative acts referring to the financing
of the cultural institutions11, so they were taken over by the Ministry of Culture or taking back the reverse road
to the care of local authorities. Thus, through the Government decision (HG) no. 442 from July 22nd 199412, The
Ministry of Culture through the county cultural inspectorates had taken over until August 31st the entire asset
and liability of the patrimony of some cultural and art institutions, as county libraries, county museums, theatres
and concert halls, folk ensemles, departments for preserving folk art, traditional schools of arts and crafts and
popular universities with legal personality. More than that, through HG no. 506/1996 completing HG no.
642/1994 referring to the organization and activity of the Ministry of Culture, Constanța County Library and
Constanța Centre for Preservation and Valorization of the Folk Tradition and Creation were subordinated to the
Ministry of Culture that financed them totally through the state budget, by the State Inspectorate for Culture.13
The list of the cultural-artistical institutions with methodical functions at national level also included the Museum
of National History and Archaeology Constanța, however, it was a public cultural institution financed by
extrabudgetary income and budget allocations. However, after three years, in 1997, as an evidence of an
incoerent legislation, the three institutions on the list of units with methodical functions at national level were

7
Muzeul de Artă Populară [catalog], (Constanța: 1995), 7. See also Muzeul de Artă Populară Constanța. Istoricul cercetării etnografice în
Dobrogea, in „Dobrogea 1878-2008. Orizonturi deschise de mandatul european”, coord. Valentin Ciorbea (Constanța: Ex Ponto, 2008),
754.
8 Orchestra Simfonică Constanța, Raport spectacol, 1993-2000, f. 41. See also Traian Brătianu, Concertul inaugural al Filarmonicii „Marea

Neagră”, in „Cuget Liber”, year VIII, no. 1734, 5.04.1996, 2.

9
Adrian Doxan, Teatrul liric (Opera Constanţa), 606.
10 It is about HG with the numbers: 942/1990 (amended and completed by H.G. no. 528/1992), 811/1992 (amended and completed by

H.G. no. 710/1993), 461/1994, 642/1994 (amendments by H.G. no. 567/1995 and completed by HG no. 506/1996 and republished),
134/1998, 28/2001, no 742/2003.
11
H.G. nr. 442/ 22.07.1994 privind finanţarea instituţiilor publice de cultură şi artă de importanţă judeţeană, ale municipiului Bucureşti
subordonate inspectoratelor pentru cultură judeţene şi al municipiului Bucureşti, precum şi a celor de sub autoritatea consiliilor locale,
O.G. nr .9/ 23.01.1996 privind îmbunătățirea sistemului de finanțare a instituțiilor publice de cultură finanțate din venituri extrabugetare
şi alocații de la bugetul de stat sau de la bugetele locale, a sistemului de salarizare a personalului din aceste instituții, precum și
îmbunătățirea salarizarii personalului din instituțiile şi activitățile cu profil cultural și H.G. nr 6 din 21 ianuarie 1997 privind modificarea și
abrogarea unor articole din HG. nr. 442/1994 și abrogarea anexei nr. 3 la HG nr. 642/1994.
12 HG nr. 442/ 22.07.1994 privind finanţarea instituţiilor publice de cultură şi artă de importanţă judeţeană, ale municipiului Bucureşti

subordonate inspectoratelor pentru cultură judeţene şi al municipiului Bucureşti, precum şi a celor de sub autoritatea consiliilor locale, in
„Monitorul Oficial al României. Part I”, yearVI, no. 207, 10.08.1994, 3-4.
13
HG nr. 506/ 24.06.1996 pentru completarea Hotărârii Guvernului nr. 642/1994 privind organizarea si funcționarea Ministerului Culturii,
in „Monitorul Oficial al României”, year VIII, no. 138, 03.07.1996, 1-3.
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put subordinated to the County Council, wherefrom they had been taken in 1994.14 Moreover, in a press
conference held in January 1997, the Minister of Culture, Ion Caramitru, announced that mayoralties had the
duty to do unpaid services to Culture, meanwhile local museums were subordinated to local councils.15
Incidentally, on Aprilie 3rd 1997, through the order of the Minister of Culture (OMC) no. 2007 was repealed OMC
no. 1287 from November 18th 1996, which provided, among others that „staff wages, the achievment of the
cultural programmes, the purchase of patrimony objects, as well as the endowments necessary to automation,
preservation and restoration of objects represent expenditure provided in the budget of the Ministry of Culture,
while the expenditure on construction, capital and current repairs, household expenses and purchase of objects
represent expenditure provided by the local authorities budgets”.16
At the same time, four fundamental laws for national cultural life are also occuring during this period. It
concerns the first normative acts after 1990 regulating the activity of the main cultural institutions: museums,
libraries, public institutions of theatres and performances and cultural settelments. Although it was a guild’s
interest, expressed in the early days of 1990, Libraries Law17 emerged only in 2002, 12 years later, as a need of
the Romanian librarians. A year after the Libraries Law, emerged the Law no. 311/ 2003 of Museums and Public
Collections18, intended to regulate the activity in museum field. The Law of Museums and Public Collections was
thus the first normative document of this type after the Law of Museums adopted during the government led by
Nicolae Iorga, in 1932, there were 71 years between the two laws. With the regard of regulations about the
theatres activity, they were settled only in 2004, through the Law no. 504 regarding the public institutions for
performances and concerts19, which was promulgated by Presidential Decree no. 944 from November 15th
2004.20 All these laws have undergone a series of subsequent changes and additions. The fourth law was the one
with no. 292 from June 27th, regarding the organization and functioning of the cultural settlements21.

3. Early 2000s: administrative uncertainties, underfunding, resignations and wage delays. Establishment of
the Theatre for Children and Youth
To the end of the ’90s and the beginning of the 2000s, the cultural institutions in Constanța met difficulties
and frequent movements from the local authorities’ subordination to county authorities subordination and that
brought them in a state of uncertainties and destabilization from inside.
As early as April 1999, five cultural institutions - „Ovidius” Drama Theatre, „Fantasio” Theatre, „Marea
Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra, Museum of Folk Art and the School of Arts -, as well as „Tomis” journal- new
series were transfered from Constanța Council (CJC) care to the municipality, through the decision of Constanța
Municipal Council (HCLM) no. 265/ 29 aprilie 199922. The management contracts concluded by HCJC no. 25/1998,
were still valid, the transfer would be done based on a delivery protocol between the two public authorities 23

14 HG nr. 6 /21.01.1997 privind modificarea și abrogarea unor articole din HG. nr. 442/1994 și abrogarea anexei nr. 3 la HG nr. 642/1994,
in „Monitorul Oficial al României”, Partea I, year IX, no. 12 , 30.01.1997, 5.
15
Clara Rotescu, Administrația muzeelor va fi preluată de către primăriile locale, in „Telegraf”, year VI, no. 10, 16.01.1997, 9.
16 OMC nr. 1287 din 18 noiembrie 1996 pentru aprobarea Regulamentului privind organizarea şi funcţionarea muzeelor, a Regulamentului

privind organizarea şi funcţionarea bibliotecilor publice, a Regulamentului privind organizarea şi funcţionarea aşezămintelor pentru
cultura şi educaţia adulţilor şi a Regulamentului pentru organizarea şi funcţionarea oficiilor pentru patrimoniul cultural naţional, judeţene
şi al municipiului Bucureşti, in „Monitorul Oficial al României”, Part I, year VIII, no. 347, 19.12.1996, 2-16.
17 Legea bibliotecilor nr. 334 / 2002, in „Monitorul Oficial al României”, Part I, year XIV, no. 422, 18.06.2002, 23-31.
18 Legea muzeelor și a colecțiilor publice nr. 311 / 8.07.2003, in „Monitorul Oficial al României”, Part I, year XV, no. 528, 23.07.2003, 1-8.
19 Legea nr. 504 / 17.11. 2004 privind instituțiile publice de spectacole și concerte, in „Monitorul Oficial al României”, Part I, year XVI, no.

1.119, 29.11.2004, 2-5.

20
Ibid, 5.
21Legea nr. 292 din 27 iunie 2003, privind organizarea şi funcţionarea aşezămintelor culturale, in „Monitorul Oficial al României”, Partea

I, year XV, no. 473, 02.07.2003, 7-11.

22 HCLM nr. 265/ 20 aprilie 1999 privind trecerea unor instituții de cultură sub autoritatea Consiliului Local al Municipiului Constanța,

http://www.primaria-constanta.ro/consiliul-local/hotarari-de-consiliu, accessed on February 12th 2017, 18.57.

23 Simona Anghel; Cosmin Nicolescu, Şedinţa Consiliului municipal local a hotărît in „Cuget Liber”, year IX, no. 2.667, 30.04.1999, 2.

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Though the draft of the decision opening the meeting on April 29th 1998 gained favourable voting, councillor
Octavian Axente had complained about the lack of a former debate of the two cultural committees in CJC and
CLMC, and he also emphasized the possibility that the artists in Constanța would not be paid due to lack of
funding.24
The Decision no 469 from November 26th 200125 issued by HCLMC, five representative cultural institutionsc
in Constanța - „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra, „Ovidius” Theatre, „Fantasio” Theatre, Museum of Folk
Art and the The Popular School of Arts – to pass from Mayoralty subordination to Constanța County Council
subordination. Unfortunately, this was not achieved from the lack of cooperation of the parties involved in the
transfer, reaching tense situations, with obvious repercussions (delays in wages and demissions) upon the
optimum functioning of the affected institutions, left effectively without any care by the two authorities which
did not do any legislative arrangements. „The local councillors rushed to escape the burden of the five [n. n. –
cultural institutions] and after they raised their hand for a positive vote, they considered everything ended. The
officials who should do the formalities and conclude the minute under the signature of both parties, forget about
the subject, while the councillors did not know or did not want to put things in legality and above all, shortly
emerged the conflict of interests Duțu - Mazăre [n.n. - Stelian Duțu, CJC president and Radu-Ștefan, Constanța
mayor] connected with the budget for 2002. [...] a unilateral decision cannot have a legal value and no one can
undo something that does not exist”, the journal „Cuget liber”26 described the facts. The situation was dramatic
for the five cultural institutions which, from legal point of view did not belong to anyone, as they did not have
any budget and they were unable to pay their employess, specialists and administrative staff. Moreover,
„abandoned by some [n.n. - CLMC], not taken under the care of the others [n.n. - CJC]”27, hundreds of artists had
no status.
At that time, the press in Constanța knew about some rumours regarding the dissolution of some institutions,
due to financial problems, but that was not confirmed by the authorities. If in December 2001 there was already
a rumour about the dissolution of „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra, at the beginning of 2002 there were
rumours about „Ovidius” Theatre. In spite of rumours, real or not, it was sure that 2002 brought about a crisis
for the thetres in Constanța, as the year which had just finished was difficult, especially for performance
institutions.
Though they „did not belong to no one”, nor to CLMC, who gave up tot hem through the decision no. 469
from November 26th 2001, or to CJC, who did not take them over, the five cultural institutions continued their
activity out of respect for citizens in Constanța and in spite of the period of „uncertainties and unprecedented
austherity”. 28 For example, at „Fantasio”, „the terrible atmosphere” in the theatre began duet o the
„restructuring confusion”29. The situation was as difficult as the artsist played a lot, in the building and on the
coast, at „Tomis Plaza” in Mamaia, also in Italy and in Children’s Town, so that although the budget level was the
one in 2000, the income „increased 100% economic growth and revenues were achieved”30. This situation as
well as the delay of wages generated demissions both of the management team and artists, Mirela Pană one of
the highly rated artists of the variety theatre took also this decision.31 The reentry under the care of Mayoralty
was the only solution seen by the management team of the variety theatre in the moments of crisis. Though the

24
Ibid.
25 HCLM nr. 469/26.11.2001 privind trecerea unor instituții de cultură de sub autoritatea Consiliului Local al Municipiului Constanța sub
autoritatea Consiliului Județean Constanța, http://www.primaria-constanta.ro/consiliul-local/hotarari-de-consiliu, accessed on February
12th 2017, 02.46.
26 Aurelia Lăpuşan, Artişti constănţeni, cu mâna întinsă către Primărie, in „Cuget Liber”, year XIV, no. 3506, 22.01.2002, 2.
27
Ibid.
28 Simona Ştefănescu, Instituţiile de cultură s-au întors în subordinea municipalităţii constănţene, in „Cuget Liber”, an XIV, no. 3315,

01.02.2002, 6.
29 Iuliana Găleteanu, Teatrul „Fantasio” a ajuns la „capătul” pungii, in „Independentul”, year III, no. 441, 18.01.2002, 14.
30
Ibid.
31 Georgiana Voineagu, Actrița Mirela Pană părăsește Teatrul „Fantasio”, in „Cuget Liber”, year XIV no. 3525, 13.02. 2002, 6.

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atmosphere in the theatres was named at a certain moment as being the surce of „fancy interpreatation of
journalists”32, it was based on real facts, visible in late wages. Thus, in the second half of January, the artists of
„Fantasio” Theatre did not receive the salaries since the half of December 200133, the state of fact being caused
by the distrust of the authorising officer. „I am a fighter and I have a duty for this theatre and public, despite all
this financial lack”34, stated the director of „Ovidius” Theatre, Vasile Cojocaru, being convinced that things would
come back to normal and actors would be paid, after the annulation of HCLM no. 469/ 2001.
Among the rumours there was another one that the fate of „Ovidius” Theatre and „Fantasio” Theatre, led by
Mihai Sorin Vasilescu, would have been in danger, under the circumstances of establishing the Theatre for
Children and Youth, as a project supported by Lică Gherghilescu.35 The project was undesirable for Mihai Sorin
Vasilescu as that menat to dissolve the department for Youth at „Fantasio” Theatre. In this rumour framework
and in the context of financial difficulties, the emergence of a new theatre was viewed with skepticism by the
press of that time. „The project comes to emphasize once more the inefficiency of a cultural institution which
attracts additional expenditure for the budget already limited for culture”, concluded the readctor of the daily
newspaper „Independentul”36.
The state of the five abandoned cultural institutions knew a revival due to the Decision no. 4 of HCLM from
January 31st 200237. By their re-entry under the care of the local authorities there was allocated an addition of
39.9 billion lei to culture in Constanța.38 Thus, their difficult financial situation became more bearable: the
employess received their wages for January, only in thr first part of February 2002, and some of the current debts
had been paid.39 However, they continued to have a lot of problems, one of them being the demissions of at the
management level. On March 27th 2002, even on the World Theatre Day, „Ovidius” Theatre had no director, after
a day before had expired the notice of Vasile Cojocaru’s resignation.40 He had already assumed the position of
an actor playing a day before the World Theatre Day, in the performance „Unde-i revolverul?/Where is the
revolver?” There were rumours about Lucian Iancu to replace him. Even in these circumstances with
uncertainties regarding the future director of the Drama Theatre, the activity of the theatre in Constanța was
not interrupted. Things got out of hand with the resignation of the director of „Fantasio” Theatre, Mihai Sorin
Vasilescu.41 Referring to these aspects which disrupt the activity of theatres in Constanța, a reporter of a local
newspaper concluded: „Though in autumn is the time for «new beginning», it seems this spring we have to count
the vacant positions of directors, both in education and culture”.42
Under this climate of incertitude, at the end of March 2002, „Cuget liber” hosted in its pages an inquiry43 in
order to test the mood in theatres in Constanța. The literary secretary of „Ovidius” Theatre, Anaid Tavitian,
artistic consultant at the Opera Constanţa, Doina Voivozeanu, the literary secretary of „Oleg Danovski” Ballet
Theatre, Adina Bunea, the artistic consultant of „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra, Mircea Tegzeşiu and the

32 Idem, Teatrele constănţene, între zvonuri şi realitate, in „Independentul”, year III, no. 440, 17.01.2002, 14.
33 Idem, Teatrul „Fantasio” a ajuns la „capătul” pungii (...).
34
Idem, Teatrele constănţene, între zvonuri şi realitate (...).
35 Ibid.
36
Ibid.
37 HCLM nr. 4/ 31.01.2002 pentru revocarea hotărârii nr. 469/26.11.2001 privind trecerea unor instituții de cultură de sub autoritatea

Consiliului Local Municipal Constanța sub autoritatea Consiliului Judetean Constanța, http://www.primaria-constanta.ro/consiliul-
local/hotarari-de-consiliu, accessed on February 14th 2017, 02.23.
38 Simona Ştefănescu, Instituţiile de cultură s-au întors în subordinea municipalităţii constănţene, in „Cuget Liber”, year XIV, no. 3315,

1.02.2002, 6.
39 Aurelia Lăpușan; Georgiana Voineagu, Speranță pentru instituțiile de cultură, in „Cuget liber”, year XIV no. 3525, 13.02.2002, 6.
40
Iuliana Găleteanu, Teatrul „Ovidius” a rămas fără director, in „Independentul”, 27.03.2002, 1, 14.
41 Idem, Revista constănțeană își așteaptă „aripile manageriale”, in „Independentul”, 27.03.2002, 14.
42
Idem, Teatrul „Ovidius” a rămas fără director, in „Independentul”, 27.03.2002, 14.
43 The press inquiry is structured in two parts, with different dates of publication and slightly different titles- Teatrele constănţene între

... putinţă şi neputinţă: anchetă și Instituțiile de spectacole constănţene între ... putinţă şi neputinţă: anchetă (II) presenting the theatres
in Romania „between possibilities and helplessness”.
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literary secretary of „Fantasio” Theatre, Jean Badea took part in this inquiry. At the variety theatre in Constanța,
having no director after Mihai Sorin Vasilescu’s resignation, the situation was „almost deplorable”, being caused
by the lack of public, by the management crisis maintained „for 10 months, from exterior, by the Cultural
Committee of the Municipal Council, unable to remedy in legal conditions”, by the departures of the staff, so
causes were multiple, from resignations, transfers, departures abroad, to serious illnesses, to which there was
added the lack of money for new performances.44
At „Ovidius” Theatre, the literary secretary Anaid Tavitian described the situation as being good On March
th
10 2002, the premiere of „Năpasta” took place and thus Caragiale integral was achieved in Constanța. In the
same time, the Drama Theatre intended to resume the projects in the non-conformist space of the hall Studio,
from the theatre balcony and turned its attention to young audience, for whom they proposed reading
performances; another objective was to achieve cultural tourism by preparing performances in non-conventional
spaces, as they remembered the succes of the „Ancient theatre evenings”.
Opera had also a good situation, as they prepared the premiere of the performance „Madama Butterfly” by
Puccini, directed by the Bulgarian Ognian Draganov; the premiere was skeduled for March 23rd 2002 and they
also aimed a tour with this title in Holland and Belgium. In future, they wanted to organize the 28th edition of the
International opera and Ballet Festival; they also prepared events of international level, such as opera and
conducting master class for American artists, a tour in summer and another one in winter. One of the problems
mentioned by the artistic consultant Doina Voivozeanu was the fact that Opera could not present performances
during the summer, in the absence of an air conditioning installation45 with the financial contribution of the other
two institutions under the same roof and on the same stage: „Ovidius”Drama Theatre and „Marea Neagră
”Philarmonic Orchestra.
At the „Oleg Danovski” Balet Theatre, where „the spirit of the company” was „entirely dedicated to creation
and polishing new artistic personalities to raise at the level of the first solists highly appreciated by the public in
Constanța” 46, the situation was good: they were working simultaneoulsy to a series of projects, among which
the performance „My Marilyn”, achieved in cooperation with the Theatre in Karlsruhe, Germany, with the
coreography of Pierre Wyss, who was John Neumeier’s assistant. After, at the end of 2001, „Marea Neagră”
Philarmonic Orchestra passed through difficulties, at the end of March, under the interimary management of the
pianist Andrei Deleanu, it was noticed a reorganization and revival of the artistic life, through „ample symphonic
and vocal symphonic programmes [...] sololists and coductors of high rank of the Romanian musical life, young
talents from Constanța and from the country already with international fame”47; it was also about to be resumed
the Festival „Marea Neagră”, abandoned in the last years.
Rumours that in 2002 a new theatre for children was to be set up caught the outline in the spring of that year,
when, by the decision no. 114 from March 28th 2002,48 Constanța Municipal Council „endorsed in principle” the
establishment of the Theatre for Children and Youth. It was said that the new institution „would have legal
personality, its own budget and own staff”, and interim director, until the contest was appointed the actor Vasile
Gherghilescu, for a period of six months.The new theatre was established on the puppet section of „Ovidius”
Theatre, whose base had been put up since 1956. The idea of establishing this theatre belonged really to Vasile
Gherghilescu, as he declared later on in an interview to the puppet actor Toma Hogea: „In 2002, I took the
initiative of separating the puppet section of «Ovidius» Theatre and to settle a new independent theatre –
Theatre for Children and Youth –following the idea of having a repertory as varied as possible, performances
with puppets, with marionettes and theatre-dance performances.I admit that our mayor, Mr. Radu Mazăre, who

44
Aurelia Lăpuşan, Teatrele constănţene între ... putinţă şi neputinţă : anchetă, in „Cuget liber”, zear XIV, no. 3555, 20.03.2002, 6.
45 Ibid.
46
Idem, Instituțiile de spectacole constănţene între ... putinţă şi neputinţă: anchetă (II), in „Cuget liber”, year XIV, no. 3557, 22.03.2002, 6.
47 Ibid.
48
HCLMC nr. 114/ 23.03.2002 privind înființarea Teatrului de Copii și Tineret, http://www.primaria-constanta.ro/consiliul-local/hotarari-
de-consiliu, accessed on November 23rd 2006, 23.57.
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was at that time at his first mandate, agreed with the idea”.49 This aspect was also confirmed by the person who
was for 25 years the Puppet Theatre literary secretary, Anaid Tavitian: „Another decisive argument was that the
actors wish was to have a theatre independent from the drama theatre. The theatre was born from the wish of
having performances with different forms of expression, from puppets, to theatre-dance, pantomime, theatre-
image. In the same time, from the wish that the audience for the animation theatre to widen in terms of age
categories and this aspect would be reflected by the repertory of performances where one can find
performances for children of young age, pupils, teenagers, but also for a public of all ages”. 50 The establishment
was done also with personal and professional sacrifice as, in order to manage a theatre with a minimum artistic
and technical structure, actor Vasile Gherghilescu had to give up to his career. The new cultural institution
dedicated to children included young actors from the puppet department of the Drama Theatre, to whom, joined
graduates from the faculties of art from Constanța and the country. As Anaid Tavitian mentioned, „when they
separated, the founding actors were no more in the theatre (some of them were rertired, others left to soon this
world)”. All, of them were prepared as handling actors, but also actors for the «big» stage. That year, the majority
of the puppet theatres in Romania were performance independent”51
Unfortunately, the new cultural institution which preserved its building at „Elpis hall”, rented from the
Hellenic Community „Elpis” and which was the puppet house for many years, did not achieve to resume the
tradition of the long biennial festival „The week of the puppet theatre”, established and hosted since 1969 by
Constanţa Puppet Theatre52, and which, after 1990, acquired an international competitive character.53 The last
edition took place in 1999, and the attempts of the Theatre for Children and Youth to resume the event had no
effect, as a consequence of the subordination of the institution to CJC. It was transfered under the care of CJC,
through HCLMC no. 481 from December 12th 2003, alongside five other cultural institutions -„Fantasio” Theatre,
„Ovidius” Drama Theatre, „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra, The Popular School of Art, Museum of Folk
Art – and thus a difficult period began for this cultural institution. Referring to this aspect, director Vasile
Gherghilescu confessed: „The last edition of the famous festival took place in 1999, so that it existed at the
highest artistical level, for thirty years. After two years of our emergence as Theatre for Children and Youth, we
were no more subordinated to the Mayoralty and we were taken over by the County Council and things are more
and more difficult to be achieved”54 At a certain moment, there were two attempts to rsesume the festival,
however, stifled from the bud, for financila reasons. „[…] according to my estimates, it was not appropriate, as
we did not have minimal financial opportunities for a decent festival and being aware of the former level, I did
not want to make only for my wish to tick that it took place”, Gherghilescu stated.55
Unfortuntely, the subordination to CJC ended the summer seasons in Mamaia, achieved in partnership with
Constanța Mayoralty, in Perla Square and organized thaking to the tours on the coast before 1989.

4. 2004, year of great changes: merges, dissolutions and reorganizations

In Constanța, the situation at the end of 2001 and the beginning of 2002, when „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic
Orchestra, „Ovidius” Drama Theatre, „Fantasio” Theatre, Museum of Folk Art and The Popular School of Art were
moved from the subordination of CLMC to the subordination of CJC (however without the expected effect, since
the two authorities did not take the measures for receiving report) and the institutions were still under the care
of mayoralty, the situation repeated at the end of 2003 and the beginning of 2004, when the five institutions, to

49 Vasile Gherghilescu, Actorul-păpuşar este un actor complet, in Toma Hogea, „Despre arta păpuşarilor români. Dialoguri cu maeştrii
scenei”, (Iaşi: Sedcom Libris, 2012), 208.
50 Interviu acordat de consultantul artistic al Teatrului de Stat Constanţa, Anaid Tavitian, October 2rd 2016, Anexă.
51
Ibid.
52 Dispoziția nr. 466 din 17 aprilie 1969, privind organizarea „Săptămânii teatrelor de păpuși pe litoral, Constanța, 1969 in „Buletinul

Comitetului de Stat pentru Cultură și Artă. Buletin Intern”, no. 2, year VIII, no. 1969, 30-31.
53 Anaid Tavitian, Metamorfoza unui vis, 30.
54
Vasile Gherghilescu, Actorul-păpuşar este un actor complet, 211.
55 Ibid.

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which there were added the recent established Theatre for Children and Youth, were subordinated to CJC. Only
„Tomis” journal was still subordinated to CLMC.
The transfer of the six cultural institutions - „Fantasio” Theatre, „Ovidius” Drama Theatre „Marea Neagră”
Philarmonic Orchestra, The Popular School of Art, Museum of Folk Art and the Theatre for Children and Youth -
was done following HCLMC no. 481 from December 12th 2003.56 The reasons relied on were: „the austerity
budget” and „insufficient funding resources in relation with the needs of all activities under the remuneration
competence of the Municipal Council”57. Three other problems weighed in the votes unanimoulsy given by the
councillors „no matter their polititical colour”58 in favour of HCLMC no. 481. Two of them were residential. The
first referred to the fact that „Ovidius” Theatre and „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra functioned in the
same building as the Opera (Mircea cel Bătrân street), which were subordinated to CJC, which is the reason for
taking over the other two institutions by the county authority, the building on Mircea cel Bătrân street would
have been better administrated. The second reason, of the same nature, reffered to the fact that „Fantasio”
Theatre could not perform anymore outdoors , during the summer, as both „Soveja” Theatre and The Summer
Theatre in Mamaia were subordinated to CJC, and by taking over the Variety Theatre in Constanța by the county
authority, the residential problem was done. The third reason was related to the Museum of Folk Art, which,
being of county importance, as it developed its activity „throught the county, purchasing objects from different
localities in Constanța”, it was natural that the institution with etnographic character to undergo CJC.
At the beginning of 2004 no cultural institution had received an official document to certify their
subordination to CJC. Under these circumstances, the most difficult was the lack of budgets, creating a syncope
in derafting management plans. The situation in the cultural institutions in Constanța at the beginning of the
year was mirrored by a series of articles published in the newspaper „Cuget liber”, whose reporters interviewed
the directors of theatres and museums, related to the budget, but also to present and perspectives.
Though the decision of passing them from the subordination of the local authority to the county authority
had been taken at the beaginning of the third decade, in December, the director of the Variety Theatre, Aurel
Manolache, declared for the daily newspaper „Cuget liber” that until January 12th did not receive any notice from
the new „authorising officer”59 The only document he had received was sent by the Municipal Council, which
sent a copy from the decision of subordinationg „Fantasio” Theatre to CJC. „We are interested especially the
budget, it is difficult to schedule our repertory and project, if we do not know what funds we have”, Manolache
stated60.
Neither the management of the Folk Art Museum, represented by director Maria Magiru, was informed
through an official document about the subordination to CJC, nor the director of „Ovidius” Theatre, Lucian Iancu.
Also, conductor Răsvan Cernat who managed „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra was in a similar situation,
as he found aut about the transfer from some of his acquaintances. Under these circumstances of financial
unrest, referring to the artistical projects for 2004, Răsvan Cernat mentioned: „It is difficult to speak about
performances, premieres, if you do not know what funds to rely on”.61 The situation was more worrying, as
requested to shed light in this situation, the press Office of CJC did not even know the exact date of the meeting
of budget committee, nor the proceedings to announce officialy of the changing of authorising officer.

56
HCLMC nr. 481/ 12.12.2003 privind trecerea unor instituții de cultură de sub autoritatea Consiliului Local al Municipiului Constanța sub
autoritatea Consiliului Județean Constanța, http://www.primaria-constanta.ro/consiliul-local/hotarari-de-consiliu, accessed on February
12th 2017, 02.45.
57 Cecilia Pufleni, Şase instituţii de cultură au intrat sub autoritatea Consiliului Judeţean, in „Independentul”, year IV, no. 901, 13-

14.12.2003, p. See also Georgiana Voineagu, Politicienii, „actorii” principali ai culturii constănțene, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4126,
3.02.2004, 12.
58 Ibid.
59
Georgiana Voineagu, În instituțiile de cultură, Cu sufletul la gură, în așteptarea zilei de salariu, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no .4108,
13.01.2004, 12.
60
Ibid.
61 Ibid.

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Though in the meeting on December 20th 200362, CJC issued six decisions63 regarding the subordination of the
culture institutions to its authority, the initiator of these decisions was the Social Democrat Party group of
councillors, led by Petre Stanca. Article 1 of these document mentioned that beginning with January 1st 2004,
the six institutions are taken up under the authority of CLMC and subordinated to CJC, and the article 4 stipulated
that for a proper functioning of these institutions, „in 2004, necessary funds from CJC budget would be
allocated”. Each exaplanatory statements, drawn up by the group of PSD councillors, on behalf of which, the
county councillor Petre Stanca signed, were added to the six CJC decisions and they included the following: „By
Decision no 9/March 12th 1999, Constanța County Council approved the passage of some cultural institutions
from the authority of Constanța County Council to the authority of Constanța Municipal Council. From the
findings in the four years of their activity, it follows that there were situations when there were used different
units of measurement, both in the activity of these cultural unities and the allocation of funds necessary to their
activity“.64 The taking over of the above mentioned institutions was achieved „in terms of resource insurement
and pursuit of a proper activity.65
The taking over was seen by president of CJC, Stelian Duțu, as being „normal and necessary”, on one side.66
On the other side, he saw in the action of the Municipal Council to give up the cultural institutions, an economic
benefit, a disposal of budget- consuming institutions. „The intention of the Municipal Council was to clear the
budget with almost 50 billion lei, was they could not take any comissions from culture. (...) With their take over,
I proposed - being the only one to propose budget allocation – enough funds for their functioning by the end of
the year“.67
The first document issued by the county authority related to the situation of the cultural institutions paseed
from the subordination to CLMC to CJC authority was HCJC no. 1 from Jnuary 21st 2004 regarding the approval
of the county budget in 200468. According to art. 5, at Annex no. 2 of the Decision there were mentioned staff
costs for 2004 and material expenditure for two monts of functioning, until the taking over of the immovable
property by Commercial Company (S.C.) „ County Public and Private Domain” – Limited Liability Company (S.R.L.),
which was supposed to take over in the administration all the goods belonging to the county public domain“.69
Totally, cultural institutions received 33,500,000,000 lei, of which the largest budget was allocated to Constanța
Opera – 28,000,000,000, and the lowest budget, 1,900,000,000, to the Popular University.70
For 2004, the Museum of Folk Art had requested a budget of five billion lei, of which 3.4 billion lei should
have been reserved to salaries for the entire year and the rest for maintenance expenses – heat, electricity,
water - , but also for temporary exhibitions, substances necessary for the conservation and restoration
laboratory. Insetad, the amount received from the authorsising officer, CJC, was three billion lei, and it did not

62 Conform site-ului CJC, http://www.cjc.ro/sectiune.php?s=103, accessed on April24th 2017, 13.21.

63 Fantasio Theatre was taken over by HCJC no. 210, „Ovidius“ Drama Theatre was taken over by HCJC no. 211, „Marea Neagră“
Philarmonic Orchestra HCJC no. 212, The Traditional School of Arts and Crafts by HCJC no. 213, Museum of Folk Art by HCJ nr. 214 and
the Theatre for Children and Youth by HCJ. No. 215.
64
HCJC no. 210/ 20.12.2003, f. 3. See also HCJC no. 211, 212, 213, 214 and 215.
65 Ibid.
66
Georgiana Voineagu, Consiliul Judeţean mai tare decât legea, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4169, 24.03.2004, 12.
67 Ibid.
68HCJC nr. 1/21.01.2004 privind aprobarea bugetului județean pe anul 2004, http://www.cjc.ro/dyn_doc/Hotarari/2004/1.htm, accessed

on 27.04. 2017, 13.26.

69 Ibid.
70
Allocation of fund, according to the Annex 2 of HCJC nr. 1/ 20.01.2014, chapter „Culture, religion and sport and youth activities “, were
divided accordingly: 17,475,000,000 lei - „Oleg Danovski“ Theatre, 28,000,000,000 lei - Constanța Opera, Theatre for Children and Youth
- 3,400,000,000 lei, „Ovidius” Theatre – 8,950,000,000 lei, „Fantasio“ - 10.500.000.000, „Marea Neagră“ Philarmonic Orchestra Mare
Neagră“ – 13,325,000.000 lei, Constanța County Library – 16,200,000.000 lei, Art School – 1,900,000.000 lei, The Centre for Folk Tradition
and Art – 4,750,000.000 lei, History and Archaeology Museum – 5,500,000.000 lei, The Museum Complex of Natural Sciences –
8,000,000,000 lei, Free University – 1,250,000.000 lei and Museum of Folk Art- 3,100,000.000 lei.
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cover even the salaries.71 According to the statements of the direcfor of the Folk Art Museum, money was enough
to survive, half of the year.72 In the same time, the austherity budget cut the projects related to the rehabilitation
of the institution patrimony building.
Of the 13 billion lei requested, the Art Museum, subordinating also „Ion Jalea” Sculpture Museum in din
Constanța, „Lucian Grigorescu” Museum in Medgidia and „Dinu și Sevasta Vintilă” Museum in Topalu, received,
at the end of January 2004, only five billion lei. The amount of money did not cover even the payment of wages
for the 40 „polyskilled” employess73, without speaking about new purchase, administrative problems or those
dedicated to cultural events. Otherwise, the director of the Art Museum, Doina Păuleanu, confessed that the
institution did not receive funds for new purchase for three years, and the basic collection was enriched only by
donations.74
The Theatre for Chidren and Youth also requested a budget of seven billion lei, of which almost half, 3.4 billion
lei covered the wages and the rent for the institution building and the current expenses.75
„Ovidius” Theatre managed better than the other cultural institutions, and it was concerned with the
enrichment of the repertory, in the limit of possibilities, even if he had to interrupt rehearsals to a more
expensive premiere, „O scrisoare pierdută/ The lost letter”, by Caragiale, in favour of a cheaper performance,
„Balamuc Mimoza”/„Pensiunea Mimoza/Mimoza guest house”, by Pierre Chesnot, directed by Gavril Borodan.
The Drama Thatre received 9 of the 15 billion of lei requested76, and the fact that the institution prepared the
premiere, though it did not have enough funds, was considered a great achievment by the local press.77
Though it was also affected by the budget cut- it requested 26 billion lei and received only 17 billion lei, „Oleg
Danovski” Ballet Theatre faced other problems: the lack of its own stage.78 The stage at the Union Trade House,
though large, was not proper for the classic high level performances, which needed a large number of people;
the stage had also some several inconvniences: the hall was not heated and the number of cabins at the disposal
of ballet dancers was insufficient. In order to solve this problem, the director of the Ballet Theatre found a
solution: to arrange the Port Hall. The project was approved by CJC, to the end of 2003, however, at the beginning
of 2004, it was not to be achieved. „When this agreement was almost ready in a written form, we received the
news that the budget for our institution did not cover even the dancers wages”, declared the direcfor of „Oleg
Danovski” Ballet Theatre, Ana Maria Munteanu. 79 Thit was expected an income of 5 billion lei, a solution being
the orientation of the theatre to other scenes in the country and abroad.
Neither the Opera in Constanța led by the conductor Gheorghe Stanciu, did not escaped the budget cuts for
2004, though it brought revenues in foreign currency, from the tours abroad.80 The institution requested 40
billion lei and it received only 28. Its image, mostly built in decades of efforts, maintained by valulable
performances, presented in tours, on international stages, suffered from these financial difficulties, when the
budget was insufficient and it put in question the premieres and the 30th edition of the International Opera
Festival. Under these circumstances, the manager greatest fear was that the sub-financing led to the elimination
of the ballet theatre from the international events. „Only the destruction of culture was pursued. How was it
possible to grant such budgets, without consulting us? It was cut from the funds destined to culture, as they

71
Georgiana Voineagu, Faliment în cultura constănţeană! Muzeul de Artă Populară şi Teatrul pentru Copii pot funcţiona până în luna iulie,
in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4122, 29.01.2004, 12.
72
Ibid.
73Idem, Cultura trăieşte în mizerie, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no.4124, 31.01 – 1.02.2004, 12.
74 Ibid.
75 Idem, Faliment în cultura constănţeană! Muzeul de Artă Populară şi Teatrul pentru Copii pot funcţiona până în luna iulie, in „Cuget

liber”, year XVI, no. 4122, 29.01.2004, 12.

76
Idem, Cultura trăieşte în mizerie, 12.
77 Roxana Clinciu, La Teatrul „Ovidius”. Surprize, surprize”, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4127, 04.02.2004, 12.
78
Georgiana Voineagu, Faliment în cultura constănţeană! Muzeul de Artă Populară şi Teatrul pentru Copii pot funcţiona până în luna iulie,
12.
79
Ibid.
80Idem, Cultura constănţeană a ajuns batjocura politicienilor, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4125, 02.02.2004, 12.

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pleased. We have come to the mercy of some people who never stepped in a culture room”, conductor Gheorghe
Stanciu, director of the Opera, burst out. 81
As „retaliation” to this burst out, it was probably thought how mayor Radu Mazăre „appreciated” the Opera,
accusing, in front of Romanians, at a great popularity broadcast, „Marius Tucă Show”, aired on the national
station, „Antena 1”, that the institution spent in 2003 a billion lei for each of its 40 performances.82 In the reply,
director Gheorghe Stanciu gave a demination to the local press: „In 2003 we had a budget of 37 billion lei and
we presented 91 performances of which more than 70 in the institution. We were no table to present more
performances, due to the lack of space”.83 He also added in a gloomy note: „I admit, Opera is a luxury, it is a
special performance and not only in Romania, but also in the entire world. Based on the budget for 2004 - 28
billion lei –it is obvious that after six months of the year, we close our institution doors”. Moreover, the director
of the Opera expreseed his indignation that such assertions were made by someone who „did not come even
once”in the institution and who was not interested about its situation, its needs and specific activity.84 A viable
solution to counteract the effects of sub-financing was represented by the tours abroad that comopleted the
institution budget, as well as the master clasess for Americans and Coreans, intended to increase the Opera
funds.
The only cultural institution content with budget provided by CJC for 2004 was „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic
Orchestra, managed by the conductor Răsvan Cernat, who declared: „We received as much as we requested. I
have no complaints”. 85 According to him, the almost 13 billion lei allocated to the institution covered the
projects designed for 2004. The diffiuclt time, from the point of view of management, was faced in 2003, Cernat
stated.
So, early 2004 did not have good signs at all for the cultural institutions which faced a series of financial
problems, as the budget allocated to them was enough only for salaries. Cultural life in Constanța was questioned
itself, in the context of sub-financing (as it was considered that sufficient money was provided for wages to the
end of the year) that blocked the investments for enriching collections or repertory, from the start point.
Under the circumstances of bugetary uncertainties even in the second day after the approval of the first HCJC
on 2004, on January 22nd, „for the first time in the history of culture in Constanța”86, more than 500 employees
from theatres, museums and cultural institutions in Constanţa - technical staff, specialists, directors, actors,
museographers, librarians - stormed „Ovidius” Theatre hall, in order to meet the CJC president, Stelian Duțu. In
addition to the concern that the approved budget for the cultural institutions did not reach the end of the year
2004, they were outraged that a limited -liability company, SC „Domeniul Public și Privat Județean” - SRL87, took
over the patrimony of the cultural institutions. Thus, there was taken over the real estate of Constanța „Ioan N.
Roman” County Library, Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța, Art Museum Constanța,
theatres „Ovidius” and „Fantasio”, Theatre for Children and Youth, „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic Orchestra, the
County Centre for Conservation and Valorization of the Folk Tradition and Creation Constanţa, Popular Art School
and the Complex of Natural Sciences and Dolphinarium.88 As it did not have its own building, „Oleg Danovski”
Theatre was not affected by this change, however in its situation it was anuuled the project to obtain a
performance hall for 2004. SC „Domeniul Public și Privat Județean” - SRL, which was established at the initiative
of a group of SDP councillors was contested by CJC president, Stelian Duţu, whio stated this company infringed
the Law no. 213 from November 17th 1998 regarding the public property, so he wanted to bring HCJC no. 2 from

81 Ibid.
82 Georgiana Voineagu, Directorul Operei îl contrazice pe primarul Constanței, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4135, 13.02.2004, 1, 12.
83 Ibid.
84
Ibid.
85 Idem, Cultura constănţeană a ajuns batjocura politicienilor, 12.
86
Georgiana Voineagu, Un nou gen de spectacol la Constanța – Circul!, in „Cuget Liber”, year XVI, no. 4117, 23.01.2004, 12.
87 HCJC nr. 2/21.01.2004 privind înființarea Societății Comerciale „Domeniul Public și Privat Județean” – Societate cu Răspundere Limitată,

http://www.cjc.ro/dyn_doc/Hotarari/2004/2.htm, accessed on 10.05.2019.

88 Georgiana Voineagu, Un nou gen de spectacol la Constanța – Circul!, 12.

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January 21st 2004 before administrative court. „It is interesting to see the contractual relationship between this
SRL and theatres, museums and libraries. The legal consequences are also put to question. Being a private
company, legislation forbids that an administrative unit from assigning budget allocations. The company should
maintain itself by profit. Culture is not based only to small extent on profit”89, argued Stelian Duţu his decision
to bring the decision of establishing SC „Domeniul Public și Privat Județean before administrative court”.
National Liberal Party Deputee Puiu Hașotti, candidate for Constanța Mayoralty had also a vehemene
reaction to the establishment of „Domeniul Public și Privat” and he addreesed an open letter to Adrian Năstase
and the Minister of Culture, Răzvan Theodorescu, asking to stop „ the attack on culture and national identity”.90
Moreover, during the meeting on January 22nd 2004 it was also raised the problem of „passing” the cultural
institutions, every two or there years, from one authorising officer to another, situation that created budgetary
imbalances. In the name of his colleagues from „Ovidius” Theatre, actor Liviu Manolache emphasized: „It is
inadmissible that, every two or three years, to be passed from one authorising officer to another, not to be aware
of further development. Do not pass walk us like sheep, from one place to another”. 91 Idea that culture does
not produce immediat profit was also supported by the readactor of Constanța newspaper „Cuget liber”, like a
conclusion of the article: „It is not understood that culture does not produce an immediate profit, it is the
Romanian tradition […] Culture is a luxury, however it is necessary”.92 In the same note, becoming a kind of
artists’s goalkeeper, reporter asked himself, balancing the political fact and cultural tradition from the Black Sea:
„We wonder how county councillors can decide the fate of an institution, as we did not see them at any
performance or premiere. They have never been in the bakcstage of a theatre or in the museums, to know the
specific activity or the needs of the people in the field. All that has been built in decades in Constanța – tradition
and uniqueness through values- suddenly fallen”. 93
Culture in Constanța was still undergoing an attempt by the decision to establish boards of directors. The
decisions were proposed to be approved, at the beginning of 2004.94 The idea of establishing board of directors
was considered inappropriate even more because managers were dissatisfied that, although it was already
March, there was no budget for 2004, so there was no money for wages or for new premieres. In addition, the
structure of these boards included people unknown in the cultural institutions, naming county councillors,
though it had to prevail specialists (director, deputy directors, cheif accountants and heads of departments). The
situation was properly mirrored by a declaration stated by the director of „Fantasio” Theatre, Aurel Manolache
and published by press: „From the board, I only know Lică Neagu, I do not know the rest of them. I have requested
CJ in writing to expplain what is the role of this board. Moreoever, it is already March, we do not have a budget
and we do not know what expenses we can make for wages and performances”95. In the absence of a legislation
for the performance institutions, to regulate their activity96, the situation became difficult.
The atmosphere of uncertainties at the beginning of 2004 reached its peak in the summer, when CJC decided
to re-organize the institutions under its subordination. In the session on August 19th 2004 four decisions confused
cultural life at the Black Sea. It is about the decisions with the numbers 150 - about the re-organization of
„Ovidius” Drama Theatre and „Fantasio” Theatre and the establishment of Constanța National Theatre, 151 –
about the re-organization o Constanța Opera, „Oleg Danovski” Ballet Theatre and „Marea Neagră” Philarmonic
Orchestra, as well as the establishment of „Oleg Danovski” National Opera and Balet Theatre, 152 - about the

89 Ibid.
90 Andra Seceleanu, Puiu Haşotti cere demiterea conducerii PSD Constanța, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4175, 31.05.2004, 12.
91 Georgiana Voineagu, Un nou gen de spectacol la Constanța - Circul!, 1.
92 Idem, Politicienii, „actorii” principali ai culturii constănțene, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4126, 03.02.2004, 12.
93
Ibid.
94 The agenda on March 22nd 2004 included 14 projects (no. 58-71), referring to management boards in the cultural institutions unde the

care of the County Council, including Constanța Free University.

95 Georgiana Voineagu, Consiliul Judeţean mai tare decât legea, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4169, 24.03.2004, 12
96
Legea nr. 504 / 17.11. 2004 about the public theatres and concert houses was published in Monitorul Oficial only on November 29th
2004.
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dissolution of the County Centre for Conservation and Valorization of the Folk Tradition and Creation Constanța
and the settelement of the County Centre for Conservation and Promotion of the Traditional Culture Constanța
and 165 – about the re-organization of the Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța, Museum
of Folk Art Constanța and the Art Museum, by establishing the Museum of National History, Archaeology and
Traditions Constanța.
During the press conference on August 18th, before the session of the county authority, the director of the
Cultural Department in Constanța County Council, Cristian Zgabercea argued the reforms subject to approval the
next day and he pleaded for financial measures: „Our intention is to cost the activity in this field, as almost half
of the County Council budget goes to culture”, he stated.97 Exemplifying, Zgabercea underlined that it was not
normal that the County Centre for Conservation and Valorization of the Folk Tradition and Creation Constanța
to spend 5.5 billion in old lei, but to have zeo revenue, while the folk ensemble under its care performed on the
coast, at the restaurant „Calul Bălan”, „for the benefit of artists and offiicials loving these shows”. Under these
circumstances, he suggested that the centre should have legal personality and be financially self suistanable.
Referring to the theatres in Constanța, the director of the Departement for Culture in Constanța County Council
stated that the audit review led to the conclusion that the „management activity was defective” and the director
of the Opera, Gheorghe Stanciu and the director of the Ballet Theatre „Oleg Danovski”, Ana Maria Munteanu
resigned; the news structures to be created should have also an economic manager with „the exclusive role to
manage better the public funds”98 Zgabercea also mentioned the replacement of the variety theatre that he
considered to be „rather out of fashion genre”, with a music-hall company, as well as the improvment of the
cultural activity and underlined: „We are going to support serious performaces, in order to convince people who
do not have a family tradition, to go to the theatre”. 99 In the same press conference, the director of the cultural
department in Constanța County Council also brought about the idea of reparing all theatre buildings, so
institutions would move from a place to another, for three years

5. Conclusions
The late ’90s and the beginning of 2000s was marked by a series of events whose dynamics anticipated the
crisis in Constanța culture in 2004, culminating peak in its existence. The atempts to fiind viable solutions for
financing and organzaion of cultural life met difficulties and in the framework conditions immediatly after 1989,
the number of cultural institutions increased. Amid the lack of a coherent and stable legislative framework at
central level, the cultural institutions in Constanța were passed from one authorising officer to another, in this
equation of changes that provoked instability, sub-financing, resignations and delays in wages, being the Ministry
of Culture, Constanța County Council and CLMC.
Moment 2001-2002 mirrored negatively their fate as well as the employees’ wages. In addition to wage
delays, resignations of actors and the manegement teams, two important theatres in Constanța, „Fantasio” and
„Ovidius” remained in the first quarter of the year without directors.
Since the financial year 2004, as a consequence of HCLMC no. 481 from December 12th 2003, six of Constanța
cultural institutions passed from the subordindation and financing of CLMC, to Constanța County Council
subordination. This „movement” culminated with the crisis in August 2004, when the cultural institutions in
Constanța merged and some of them were closed, in this process of re-organization, financial and administrative
arguments were presented. Otherwise, in the first month of 2004, the directors of the cultural institutions in
Constanța drew attention that the funds allocated by CJC did not reach even the payment of salaries for one
year. However, precisely this aspect was an important argument for the re-organization in August, when the
director of Cultural Department in CJC, Cristian Zgabercea, stated: „If we did not do as we had done, some
cultural institutions would have been forced to be closed until November 1st, as they had already consumed the

97 Traian Brătianu, Consiliul Judeţean răvăşeşte instituţiile de cultură, in „Cuget liber”, year XVI, no. 4295, 19.08.2004, 2.
98
Ibid.
99 Ibid.

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wages funds and budget foreseen by the end of the year”.100 For the tense situation, the political interference
in culture was blamed.
For the above mentioned cultural institutions, as well as for the others, 2004 can be considered „the year of
great changes”, as the modifications operated in their structure by Constanța County Council – through
dissolutions, merging and re-organization – have reconfigured Constanța cultural map, on long term. The effects
of these changes are to be seen even in present (Constanța has lost two prestigious institutions:
„Fantasio“Theatre and Philarmonic Orchestra „Marea Neagră“) and they can be the starting points for further
research.

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