Moldovan Angela

About

Angela Moldovan, born on September 19, 1927, in Chișinău, was one of the most distinguished Romanian performers of folk music, classical music, and romances, known throughout the country for her massive contribution to the promotion of Romanian folklore. After studying at both the Faculty of Letters and the Conservatory in Cluj, she debuted in 1950 on the stage of the Cluj Opera, where she sang in the operas "The Marriage of Figaro," "Rigoletto," and "Hansel and Gretel," while simultaneously beginning her career as a soloist in the "Înfrățirea" Orchestra, under the baton of Ilie Tetrade. In the summer of 1950, she recorded her first folk songs at Radio Cluj – "Mărioară de la munte," "Nu-i bai," and "Merge satul la cules" – moments that marked the beginning of a legend in Romanian folk music. Throughout her career, Angela Moldovan collaborated with the most prestigious Romanian ensembles and orchestras, including the "Înfrățirea" Orchestra from Cluj, the "Ciocârlia" Ensemble, the "Barbu Lăutaru" Orchestra, and the Popular Music Orchestra of Radio. She was the first performer of the iconic song "Mi‑am făcut bundiță nouă" (I made myself a new fur coat), inspired by a song learned from her Bessarabian grandmother, and also the recipient of the award for the hit "Trandafir de la Moldova" (Rose from Moldova), which became a symbol of the Moldavian folk region. She participated in landmark tours, including the International Youth Festival in Moscow in 1957, where she won the Grand Prize for folk music, followed by a tour of the United States in 1962, with 64 performances in 56 cities, and then a tour of England in 1967, which solidified her status as the "Nightingale of Romania" and brought Romanian folk songs to stages around the world. In her personal life, Angela Moldovan married actor Victor Moldovan and later, lyricist and screenwriter Mircea Block, author of the lyrics for some of her most famous songs, such as "Fata neichii" or "Sârba de la Deleni". She was officially recognized through a series of distinctions, including the title of Merited Artist (1962), the Order "Cultural Merit" Class II (1967), and the National Order "Star of Romania" in the rank of Knight, awarded in 2002. Angela Moldovan was often described as the voice that placed folklore at the "head of the table of Romanian cultural values," transmitting traditional melodies and folk songs through a refined and profoundly authentic style. She passed away on October 13, 2013, at the age of 86, leaving behind a vast repertoire and an artistic legacy that continues to inspire entire generations of musicians and audiences in Romania and the diaspora.