A great loss for the contemporary Romanian culture: on October 14th, in the afternoon, 2022, the soprano Mariana Nicolesco died at the age of 73. "Queen of bel canto", "Regina della Scala", "The Divine Diva" - as she was called by the international press, soprano Mariana Nicolesco was acclaimed on the great opera stages worldwide, she was awarded the UNESCO medal for artistic merit, with the title of UNESCO Artist for Peace and UNESCO Honorary Ambassador.

Having musical studies in Brașov (violin) and Cluj (canto), Mariana Nicolesco continued her musical coaching at the Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome; she debuted in 1972 in Cincinatti, after winning the Voci rossiniene contest in Milan. She appeared for the first time on the stage of the Metropolitan Theater in New York, 1978, in the main role in the opera La Traviata, which became emblematic for her repertoire. In 1982, she also debuted on the stage of the famous Scala theater in Milan, in an opera presented for the very first time, signed by Luciano Berio; she enjoyed immense success in all the difficult roles she subsequently tackled on the stage recognized for the high-level exicency and quality of her performances.

She returned to Romania after the fall of Communism, in 1991; in 1995, she founded the Hariclea Darclee International Contest and Festival in Brăila - thousands of young singers benefited from the guidance of the well-known soprano in this event, considered a landmark for contemporary Romanian culture.

A great voice, a great personality, a special human - Mariana Nicolesco will be commemorated tomorrow, October 15th, on Radio România Muzical and Radio Romania Cultural, during the break of the live broadcast from the Scala Theater in Milan, which starts at 20:55. In the studio: Luminița Arvunescu, director of Radio România Music and music critic Costin Popa.

And on Saturday, October 22nd, from 7:00 p.m., Radio România Muzical's Opera Evening is dedicated to the soprano Mariana Nicolesco: a special edition made in November 2016, when the late musician appeared in a live show by Luminița Arvunescu, on the occasion of the soprano's anniversary, born on November 28th, 1948.

May God rest her soul in peace!

The lifeless body of the musician will be deposited at the Romanian Athenaeum on Wednesday, October 19th, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.