An impressive career spanning several continents, a gifted artist devoted to her calling, a vocal expression overwhelming in its intensity, a wide, clear voice compared so beautifully to "heavy velvet" draped in noble folds. The accolades that have followed her rich presence on the great stages of the world have surrounded soprano Maria Slătinaru Nistor's name with a legendary aura for decades.

However, when you speak with Mrs. Maria Slătinaru Nistor, you are captivated by her modesty, spontaneity, and the warmth of her words, wrapped in an attitude of kindness toward others, her generosity in praising her colleagues and collaborators, and her desire to bring to the forefront younger voices stepping onto the path of recognition in her field.

The statuesque presence demanded by many of the roles she has brought to life on stage is far from the person we reencountered in our phone conversations. She was very reluctant to accept the idea of recording, stating that many young talents deserve to be known by the public, so they can become more prominent in our (and not only our) musical life. Always a perfectionist, she hoped to rid herself of a slight hoarseness that bothered her, but with the honesty and generosity of a high-class professional, an artist always ready to "give" to others, she agreed to entrust the microphone with some of her memories.

This phone conversation highlighted only a few of the milestones from an impressive list of appearances on various great stages worldwide, but it also often showed her appreciation for her stage partners both at home and abroad, and for the conductors under whose baton she sang - whether it was Carol Litvin, Constantin Petrovici, or Cornel Trăilescu in Romania, or Seiji Ozawa, Bruno Bartoletti, or James Conlon whom she met at major theaters in other parts of the world. She sang and gave life to such stylistically different characters, a number of which she never "counted," just as she never kept an "inventory" of her successes in opera performances, vocal-symphonic concerts, or her rich pedagogical career.

The two editions of About music and life with soprano Maria Slătinaru Nistor offer you a chance to meet the VOICE of a great artist - as it was preserved in the "memory" of the Radio's magnetic tapes in multiple expressive facets - but also the voice of the PERSON who has maintained her modesty, sincerity, and the rigor of her authenticity. The stage has brought her applause and accolades, but it has not left its mark on this TRUE ARTIST who welcomed us to "leaf through" her memories with… the typical hospitality of Moldova!

Thank you, Mrs. Maria Slătinaru Nistor, for the musical gifts you've offered over many decades of your career, and for the joy of reminiscing about them together with you on the editions of December 10th and 17th, at 7:00 PM, on Radio România Muzical.